School Safety at Center Cass 66

In light of the tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut, we want to share with our parents the safety measures we have had in place at Center Cass for several years.

Each year all public schools in Illinois are required to conduct safety drills for tornados, fire, and intruders (lockdown).  Center Cass not only complies with these regulations, but we do above and beyond by holding more drills than required by the State.

We involve local law enforcement in our lockdown drills and the fire department in our fire drills.  Our partnership with local first responders has been instrumental over the years to ensure that we have the best possible procures in place to protect our students and staff.

We also have a Safety Committee that meets to review our Crisis Plan, which outlines procedures for numerous situations including bus accidents, suspicious persons on school grounds, missing children, bomb threats, chemical spills, gas leaks, fallen aircraft, and so on.

Since the shooting at Columbine High School in 1999, public schools have changed the way we view school safety.  The world we teach in today is not the same as it was 20-years ago and we are aware on a daily basis of the safety needs for our learners.  It takes a community to ensure safety and we are fortunate to have that community in Center Cass 66!

Choose your passwords wisely!

Here are some tips on creating strong passwords for your work and personal accounts. Microsoft has a site where you can test the strength of your password. If you pay bills on line, bank on line, purchase items on line, etc. checking the strength of the your password(s) can help keep your information private. Check the strength of your password: https://www.microsoft.com/security/pc-security/password-checker.aspx See below for tips for creating strong passwords from the website: http://www.thegeekstuff.com/2008/06/the-ultimate-guide-for-creating-strong-passwords/ To see the entire article, click the link. I. Two essential password rules: Rule 1 - Password Length: Stick with passwords that are at least 8 characters in length. The more character in the passwords is better, as the time taken to crack the password by an attacker will be longer. 10 characters or longer are better. Rule 2 - Password Complexity: Should contain at least one character from each of the following group. At least 4 characters in your passwords should be each one of the following. Lower case alphabets Upper case alphabets Numbers Special Characters Don't choose a password because it is easy to remember.

Parking Lot Safety on the Lakeview / Prairieview Campus

As the weather continues to get warmer, the outdoor activities are in full swing on the Lakeview / Prairieview Campus. On any given day there are about 200 students on campus from 3-5 pm. Track practices daily in the back Lakeview lot. In an effort to provide our students with a safe area to run the Lakeview lot will be "shut down" on track practice days from 3:10 - 4:30 pm. When the lot is open, please use caution and look for pedestrians at all times. In the next few weeks, the campus will also be experimenting with a new traffic pattern flow. Information will be shared and the pattern observed. Student safety is our number one concern!

Slippery Surfaces

The month of November typically brings with it a lot of rain. Wet surfaces can pose some serious problems.

1. Pay close attention to wet surfaces
entrances / exits
areas without carpet
areas where you get in and out of a vehicle

2. Work to eliminate wet areas
report spills
post signs in areas with wet surfaces

3. Pay attention to the type of clothing & footwear you have on
leather-soled shoes are very slippery in wet areas
getting caught in a down-pour without a hat, umbrella or coat can leave you
wet all day

4. Drive slowly in wet areas and anticipate the unexpected
people dash around when it is raining be aware of your surroundings
visibility it reduced when car windows are full of condensation and rain

October Safety Tip (s)

Your District 66 Safety Committee would like to remind you of some important tips regarding Visibility.

In October, the "days are getting shorter". We don't get as much sun and we often "fall back" into Daylight Savings Time.

Some important safety tips can keep you free of injury and save lives.

1) Give considerable thought to how visible the areas are where students and staff are walking.
2) Think about your responsibility as a driver. Slow down on campus! Don't text and drive! And remember school zones are cell phone free!
3) Increase your own visibility. Wear clothing that is visible when outside, drive with your headlights on for safety and be aware of your surroundings.
4) Share your knowledge. Look for areas on the campus where you think visibility is compromised and report it to your building administrator and/ or safety committee members.

And remember your safety is our number one concern!