9220 - Security of Facilities

Security of the Avery County School District facilities is an important part of maintaining a safe learning environment for students and staff and for protecting the investments of the school district. The superintendent or his or her designee will develop and implement programs or procedures as necessary to meet, at a minimum, the following board requirements for security of facilities.

  1. The school system must use a security control system that limits access to keys or other building entry devices to authorized personnel and safeguards against unauthorized individuals gaining entry to buildings.
  2. The superintendent will determine the need for and responsibilities of security personnel and will make recommendations as appropriate to the board for fundingsecurity personnel positions or contracts.
  3. The superintendent must provide the Department of Public Safety’s Division of Emergency Management (Division) with emergency response information it requests for the school risk management plan and updated emergency response information when such updates are made. The superintendent must also provide the Division and local law enforcement with schematic diagrams, including digital schematic diagrams, of all school facilities and updates of the schematic diagrams when the school system makes substantial facility modifications, such as the addition of new facilities of modifications to doors or windows. Schematic diagrams must meet any standards established by the Department of Public instruction for the preparation and content of the diagrams. In addition, the superintendent must provide local law enforcement with (1) either keys to the main entrance of all school buildings or emergency access to key storage devices for all school buildings and (2) updated access to school building key storage devices.
  4. Principals are to make reasonable efforts to secure buildings and other valuable property on school grounds when the school is closed or vacated.
  5. Teachers will make reasonable efforts to secure their assigned classrooms or other designated spaces when the school is closed or vacated or when the classroom or other designated spaces are not in use.
  6. Principals are encouraged to involve teachers, other school staff, parents, students and law enforcement in identifying the security needs of the school.
  7. Principals will implement programs or make recommendations to the superintendent and board as appropriate to address the security needs of the school.

Other board policies regarding the maintenance of facilities, safety and visitors to the school also are important to maintaining the security of the school environment. All professional employees and other employees with job duties related to the security of the facilities are responsible for being familiar with these policies and carrying out duties specified by board policies or the superintendent or his or her designee.

Legal Reference: G.S. 115C-105.53, -105.54 276(c), -288(f), -307(h), -523, -524

Cross Reference: Student Safety (policy 1510/4200), Visitors to the Schools (policy 5020), Relationship with Law Enforcement (policy 5120), Use of Equipment, Materials and Supplies (policy 6520), Vandalism (policy 6550), Care and Maintenance of Facilities (policy 9200)

Adopted: 2000-10-02 Revised: 2014-12-09; 2014-09-30; 2015-04-14; 2016-12-13