The West Jefferson Hills School District uses the Raptor Visitor Management System to manage the visitors entering a School Building.  All visitors are asked to provide a photo identification card or a driver’s license to the Staff member working in the Main Office or in the check-in window. The staff member will process the identification card/driver’s license through the Raptor Visitor Management System to check the identification and produce a visitor’s pass. The visitor’s pass is to be displayed the entire time the visitor is in the School Building and can be returned to the Main Office upon departure.

The Raptor Visitor Management System:

• Tracks when and why visitors enter a School Building

• Scans visitor driver licenses

• Performs an instant nationwide sex offender search.

• Tracks parent/guardians who have authority to pick up students

• Prints visitor ID badges

• Prints substitute teacher ID badges

The safety and welfare of students is our primary concern. Our Emergency Operations Plan provides for response to all types of emergencies. The School District staff will be working with the local first responders to determine the best course of action to be taken, depending on the circumstances of the emergency, The School District may use one of the following procedures in responding to a situation, we will use one of the following protective responses.

Type of Protective Response

• LockDown: This is an immediate response to an active threat on the safety and security of the staff and students within a school. 

• Evacuation: If evacuation of the school building and adjacent property by the staff and students is required due to an existing emergency,the staff and students may be taken to another location outside of the endangered area. The School District’s reunification procedures will be implemented at this time. 

• Shelter-In place:  Staff and students may be required to stay inside their classroom and/or school building due to impending bad weather; a hazardous materials incident; or a community based incident that requires taking cover inside the building. 

• Modified operation: May include cancellation/postponement or rescheduling of normal activities. These actions are normally taken in case of a winter storm or building problems that make it unsafe for students (such as utility disruptions) but may be necessary in a variety of situations.

We ask that you refrain from calling the school during the emergency. This will keep telephone lines open so that campus administrators will be able to make emergency calls and relay information to the media. Please stay alerted by following District communication channels such as SchoolMessenger, district website and social media as well as local media outlets. 

Additionally, if your residence is in a danger area and the school is not, your children will be cared for in their regular school location until the danger has subsided, or until you or your authorized designee can reach the school.

Please watch WTAE, KDKA, and WPXI, or the School District’s website and communication channels for announcements relating to any of the emergency actions listed above. Additionally, when there is a delay, cancellation, or early dismissal, parents and guardians will receive a phone call from the district’s school messaging system, and an announcement will be placed on the district’s web site at www.wjhsd.net  Please note that during a power outage it may not be possible to place an announcement on the website.

The media will advise you when and where to report to regain custody of students. This will avoid traffic congestion that may interfere with the response of emergency vehicles and threaten the safety of students and staff.

REUNIFICATION PROCEDURE:

You will need to do the following when reporting to the designated student reunification location:

• Produce a photo ID to verify that you are an authorized person designated at the beginning of the school year to pick up the student.

• Be prepared to sign the School District’s student release form.

During registration and returning student registration, you should identify the persons designated to pick up your student. Please ensure that only those persons you listed attempt to pick up your student.

In the event your student has a personal means of transportation at school at the time of the emergency or evacuation, your consent was given during registration and/or returning student registration.

We specifically urge you not to telephone the school or attempt to make different arrangements during an event. This action will only create additional confusion and divert staff from their assigned emergency duties.

All instructions will be provided to the media for dissemination. Should the media be unable to operate because of power loss, etc., a route alerting system will be activated in your area.

Emergency conditions may also require that the school will need to be closed for a period of time. In that event, students may be required to complete assignments at home or at another location. You will be informed via the news media or neighborhood alerting system of procedures to be followed.

In order to assure the safety of our students and staff, and in an effort to ensure the continuity of the educational process, we ask for your understanding and cooperation. Should you have additional questions regarding our emergency operating procedures, contact your building principal or the school police officer.