Safety Resources
The safety and wellbeing of our students, staff and community is the top priority of SVUSD. The District utilizes numerous measures to approach safety that includes investments in campus security, technology, mental health and wellness, Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), student and staff trainings, safety assessments, campus security personnel, and partnerships with first responders, other local, state and national agencies.
SVUSD analyzes safety procedures and policies in an ongoing fashion to promote a healthy and safe learning and working environment for all students and staff.
- Planning
- Emergency Operations
- Wellness
- Cyber Security
- Communication
- Terminology
- Environmental Safety
- Additional Resources
- Firearm Safety and Storage
Planning
Comprehensive School Safety Plan
It is the intent of the Legislature that all California public schools, in kindergarten, and grades 1 to 12, inclusive, operated by school districts, develop a Comprehensive School Safety Plan that addresses the safety concerns identified through a systematic planning process. Each SVUSD school is responsible for the overall development of their Comprehensive School Safety Plan. School sites work with the District Safety Office, Orange County Sheriff Department, Orange County Fire Authority, community leaders, parents, students, teachers, administrators, and other persons who may be interested in the prevention of campus crime and violence.
Saddleback Valley Unified School District Comprehensive School Safety Plans shall consist of, but not be limited to, the following sections:
- Emergency Drill Schedule
- Incident Command System - Organizational Chart
- Duty Reporting Stations
- School Plot Map
- Utility Shut-Off Information
- Utility Shut-Off Photographs
- Safe Ingress and Egress
- School Discipline Policy
- School Discipline - Crime Statistics
- Students with Disabilities, Access, and Functional Needs (DAFN)
- Emergency Team Response Plan
- Hazard Specific Guidelines
- Crisis Response Protocol
- Threat Assessment Protocol
- School Violence Protocol
- Suicide Assessment Protocol
Safe School Plan
The Safe School Action Plan is site specific. Each Plan is created and approved by either the School Site Council or a delegated School Safety Planning Committee, and then approved by the School Site Council. The Plan is based upon the site’s vision and mission of a safe place to learn for all students. Goals related to safety are created based upon priorities for action, as realized through a collection of data. Strategies and Action Steps are identified, a timeline is developed, responsibilities are assigned, and a method of evaluation is devised. Safe School Action Plans are evaluated and revised yearly.
Emergency Operations
Wellness
Mental Health
The District conducts ongoing training on a variety of topics, including mental health awareness, for students, staff, and families. Visit the mental health resources page for more information on services offered by the District.
For mental health training, the Second Step curriculum is utilized at the elementary and intermediate level. Elementary and secondary school counselors regularly discuss the topic of mental health and wellness with students through Tier 1 guidance lessons, in school-wide counseling videos and campaigns, and through school social media outlets, newsletters, and parent workshops. They also provide individual counseling and small group workshops for students that specifically address mental health and coping skills.
Intermediate and high school counselors use the SOS (Signs of Suicide) Curriculum to teach suicide awareness and prevention to 7th and 10th grade students in the fall. High school counselors partner with Western Youth Services to offer free, ongoing virtual mental health and wellness workshops for students throughout the school year.
The SVUSD mental wellness counseling team facilitates school-wide mental health awareness events at each of the high schools in the fall and at the intermediate schools in the spring. They also teach students about mental health in small groups and in individual counseling sessions. In addition to the site based parent workshops, the District coordinates two district-wide mental health workshops for K-12 parents each year, one in the fall and one in the spring.
During the school year, community outreach for families includes presentations with the Sheriff’s Department and other community groups, over issues such as behavior, bullying, cybersafety, and more. The District does not provide gun safety training to students, staff, or families as there are other more appropriate resources and venues for such training.
Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS)
Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is an evidence based, proactive approach to teaching and reinforcing positive behavior in students, thus creating social-emotionally competent students, reducing bullying behaviors on our school campuses, decreasing rates of student reported drug and alcohol abuse, and increasing academic achievement. To learn more, visit the District PBIS page here.
Cyber Security
Cybersecurity is a key component to ensuring safety across the District. A variety of methods are utilized to maintain safety across devices, from student chromebooks to the District data center. The Technology Department constantly monitors developments and threats to information and equipment.
Our cybersecurity page provides resources for parents to assist with keeping their students safe online.
Communication
In the event of an emergency, SVUSD uses multiple methods to communicate and help direct parents to important information, news, and updates. First, check your email, voicemail and text messages. Second, visit svusd.org Third, follow SVUSD on social media for updates and information.
- Make sure parent/guardian personal contact information in the SVUSD Family Portal is up to date.
- Make sure your emergency contacts are up to date in the SVUSD Family Portal, providing accurate permissions for others to pick-up your child in the case of an emergency.
- Make sure that you elect to receive School Messenger messages, otherwise you will not receive important emails during an emergency. To re-subscribe, contact the Technology help desk at 949-855-4357.
- Make sure to follow SVUSD social media. To learn more and for SVUSD social media addresses, visit the SVUSD Communications page.
Terminology
Shelter-in-Place
This action is taken in order to keep students and staff members indoors to provide a greater level of protection from any potential outside threats to the campus (which includes off campus police activity, airborne contaminants in outside air, and threatening animals or insects on school grounds).
During a Shelter-in-Place, students and staff are to immediately enter a classroom, lock classroom doors, and wait for further instructions. Normal classroom instruction typically continues. Shelter-in-Place may be used as a tool in a situation that hasn’t elevated itself to a lockdown scenario.
Lockdown
This action is taken when there is a threat or potential threat on or near campus. Students and staff are to immediately enter the nearest classroom or office, lock doors, turn off lights, and wait for further information. Students are to remain in the classrooms or designated locations at all times until directed otherwise by school administrators, staff or law enforcement.
Reunification
This is a procedure used when the school is evacuated or closed as a result of an emergency situation. A designated location will be established for parents and guardians to reunite with their children following an emergency. This reunification site may be at the school or an alternative location, depending on the emergency situation. The District will notify parents via school messenger as to where reunification is taking place.
Environmental Safety
Air Quality Management District
The Air Quality Management District (AQMD) provides alerts and up-to-date reports on the air quality for our area. The AQI (Air Quality Index) has six levels beginning with Good to Hazardous and guidelines on what should be done at each level. To learn more about AQI visit their website. Conditions may change throughout the day and may be tracked at the AQI map.
District staff receive daily AQMD alerts and will notify school sites of elevated levels of particle pollution in the air. Depending on the level certain outdoor or strenuous activities may be reduced or avoided for all students or those who are in a sensitive group.
Purple Air Monitor
The District is piloting Purple Air monitors to better assess local air quality on our campuses and fields. At this time one is currently installed and operating at Trabuco Hills High School. Click to view real time air quality at THHS.
Air Purifiers and HVAC
Air purifiers are installed in all campus classrooms, MPRs, libraries, offices, shared spaces and more. These purifiers are in addition to the HVAC systems operating at our campuses. All systems are maintained on a regular basis to ensure proper functioning, energy efficiency, and climate control.