Charleston's Independent School Directory 2018-19

www.CharlestonsPrivateSchools.com | www.CharlestonSchoolDirectory.com | www.ed.sc.gov ISD INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS better?’ and addressing any areas we feel need attention,” assured Reidenbach. Using Valuable Resources CCSD is fortunate to have at its disposal officers from five local law enforcement agencies who rotate throughout the schools on a daily basis. These officers differ from the school resource officers, who are physically assigned to all middle and high schools in our area. The SROs, also employees of the local police department, become integrated into the school community and are able to build relationships, helping them tune in to situations and prevent an event before it occurs. While conversations are going on among school board members regarding armed security presences at every elementary school throughout the district, the North Charleston Police Department added SROs to all elementary schools in its jurisdiction after the Newtown tragedy in 2012. More recently, the Mount Pleasant Police Department placed SROs at every Mount Pleasant school following the Parkland incident, setting a precedent of which CCSD is “incredibly appreciative of for the proactive stand.” Interestingly enough, Reidenbach said that of all the resources available to them, the students themselves are often the most essential. “Sometimes kids have the best perspectives about what is actually unsafe on their own campuses. We work with them to understand anti-bullying, drug trends, the dangers and consequences of weapons possessions and how they can get help. We have anonymous tip lines and repeatedly encourage the ‘If you see something, say something’ mentality. I think sometimes we overlook that students want to go to a safe school as much as their parents, teachers and administrators want them to – they just need to know how they can play a role in keeping their schools safe,” Reidenbach said. Understanding the Codes I’ll be the first to admit that with the onslaught of papers parents receive at the beginning of a school year, it can be easy for some to get lost in the mix. That being said, Pruitt reminded us all how vital it is to find, read and understand the documents being provided. While an “administrative lockdown,” or code yellow, stops all movement in the building until resources are deployed to assess the problem, a code red signals that there is a severe threat or active shooter in the immediate area, resulting in an “emergency lockdown.” Knowing the difference and what to do in each situation as a parent can help keep an already-tense situation from getting worse. How to Be Proactive Outside of understanding the codes for various levels of emergencies, parents can also join the conversation by discussing safety with their children at home. No, the conversations are not easy – as evidenced by my discomfort discussing “dangerous people” with my 5-year- old – but they are necessary. Pruitt suggested actively checking in with the CCSD website to be informed about terminology and protocols. Additionally, it’s important to ensure the contact information on file at the school is updated so parents can be reached in case of an event. Ultimately, Reidenbach said, “it’s about creating a safety- focused culture to protect our most valuable assets – and that’s the people inside.”