Dear Bellefonte Area
School District Families:
The safety
of our students continues to be of utmost importance in the Bellefonte
Area School District. We will work diligently to maintain safe and
secure schools and facilities. Our children cannot learn effectively if
they do not feel safe in the learning environment.
Random acts
of violence such as the most recent one that occurred at a small town in
Nickel Mines, PA, are impossible to understand. The response to this
shooting in every school community is to raise this question – “What if
it were my school?” or the threats that have occurred recently at
Bellefonte Area High School. I cannot stress to you enough that the
Bellefonte Area School District makes the safety and security of our
children its highest priority.
Each of our
district schools has an articulated Emergency Response Plan. The
intricate details of each plan are shaped by the unique nature of each
school and discussed with staff on a regular basis. Each school
practices the procedures to ensure that all individuals are familiar
with what to do in the event of an emergency.
We have a
district Safety Committee that meets to examine safety and security
issues. Our local police are familiar with our buildings and have been
in contact with our principals to talk about safety.
Of course,
our safety procedures are not available to the public. We do not detail
the individual protocols, emergency routes or other information on our
web site. I’m sure you can understand that to make this information
public would undermine these procedures in the event they are needed.
Please know
that the Bellefonte Area School District takes a proactive approach to
school safety each and every day. Our school community is alert to the
dangers that could cause harm to our students – your child’s safety is
our primary concern. Vigilance is practiced and reinforced by all
members of our staff and community, from bus drivers to custodians, from
teachers to principals and, among kids and parents in our buildings.
Parents who
have specific concerns about individual school buildings should feel
free to contact the building principal or my office.
Sincerely yours,
BELLEFONTE AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT
James T. Masullo, Jr., Ph.D.
Superintendent of Schools
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