School Safety

SCHOOL SAFETY AND CRISIS PREVENTION

The issue of school safety is a shared concern. Today, more than ever, it is essential that school personnel, students, parents, and communities work together to promote a safe learning environment.

The LeSueur-Henderson School District has in place a Crisis Management Plan to provide guidelines, structure, and a process in dealing with a range of crisis situations which may interrupt the normal operation of school at our building sites and/or in our community.

The plan provides a process to deal with any situation that has the potential to result in physical injury to one or more students, staff, or community members.

The key elements of the Crisis Management Plan involve the following:

• Routine and emergency building security procedures
• Keeping our students and staff safe and out of harms way
• Identifying the specific role of each member of the school staff during a crisis
• Informing school district staff using information channels to communicate effectively
• Dealing effectively and fairly with the news media and
• Stopping the rumor mill (internally and externally).

Steps Students Can Take to Help Keep School Safe:

  • LSH students have an important role to play in ensuing that our schools are safe and orderly. Students can take the following steps to help make Le Sueur-Henderson M.S./Sr. High is a school where learning can take place without disruption and without the fear of being victimized or bullied:

  • Listen to your friends if they share troubling feelings or thoughts. Encourage them to get help from a trusted adult - such as teacher, principal, social worker, leader from the faith community, or other professional. If you are concerned, seek help for them. Share your concerns with your parents.

  • Be a role model - take personal responsibility by reacting to anger without physically or verbally harming others.

  • Practice good citizenship, and treat peers and teachers with respect.

  • Report weapon possession, drug use or sale, bullying threats, victimization, gang activity, or vandalism to school authorities and parents.

  • Follow the school code of conduct, understand that rules are made for everyone, and recognize the consequences of violating the rules.

Steps Parents Can Take to Help Keep School Safe:

Parents can play a role in ensuring that their children are safe and drug-free. Without the active support and participation of parents, schools and communities cannot be safe. Parents have to be part of a schoolʼs effort to create an orderly, respectful environment.

Some of the actions parents can take to assist schools are:

  • Remove firearms from your home, or at least ensure that they are locked, well secured, and stored separately from ammunition.

  • Take an active role in your childrenʼs schools.

  • Act as role models. Settle your own conflicts peaceably and manage anger without violence.

  • Listen to and talk with your children regularly.

  • Set clear limits on behaviors in advance. Discuss punishments and rewards in advance, too.

  • Communicate clearly that you donʼt tolerate violent behavior.

  • Discourage name calling and teasing.

  • Insist on knowing your childrenʼs friends, whereabouts, and activities.

  • Make it clear to your children that you support school policies that help create a safe school environment.

  • Seek professional assistance when needed and in a timely manner. Do not wait until a problem gets out of control.

COMMUNITY RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES

Le Sueur County Mental Health Center 1-800-788-9686
Suicide Crisis Line 1-800-865-0606 or 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433)
Sibley County Human Services 507-237-2978
Sioux Trails Mental Health Center 1-800-247-2809
Catholic Charities 507-387-5586
Lutheran Social Services 507-625-7660
Counseling Services of So. Minnesota 507-931-8040
Psychiatric Clinic of Mankato P.A. 507-387-3195
Riverview Clinic 507-625-4060
MN Valley Health Care Center 507-665-3375
Le Sueur Medical Clinic 507-665-4017
Le Sueur Police Department 507-665-3313
Henderson Police Department 507-248-3591
Le Sueur County Sheriffʼs Department 507-357-4440
Sibley County Sheriffʼs Department 507-237-4330
Youth Opportunities 507-665-6264
Le Sueur-Henderson Community Education (Early Child and Adult Basic Ed) 507-665-6244