When a tragedy like the one in Newtown Conn. happens, it prompts more of us to think about school safety. Lake Harriet Lower Campus is always reviewing and evaluating our safety plans. I am also grateful that our staff members, parents and students have been sharing their perspectives with us on how we can continue to improve school safety—some new suggestions have already been put into place. One of the areas we want to clarify for students, parents, staff members and community members is the visitor policy.

Student safety and learning are always our foremost priorities. The Lower Campus strives to provide a safe, open and friendly learning environment, which values and encourages visitors to the school.  Our wonderful faculty and staff welcome volunteers and know them to be an integral part of the Lower Campus. Visitors add an extra dimension to the learning opportunities that we can offer and provide pupils with the opportunity to communicate with adults other than teachers.

We recognize our duty of care to provide a safe environment for the students, staff and parents of Lake Harriet Lower Campus and want to minimize disruptions in the school and classroom, increasing our staff’s ability to successfully deliver quality instruction.

This school year we have had many celebrations and classroom programs, to which hundreds of visitors have attended and supported.  An effective plan for visitors to follow has been in place for many years. I now ask for your continued help, support, and cooperation as we continue to implement our safety practices and policy.

This includes:

• All visitors must sign in at the main office. All visitors must wear a visitor's badge even if you are just walking your child to class. Our students are responsible to find their classroom by themselves.
• Any parent/guardian wishing to get materials to their child must do so through the office. The office will then get the materials to your child at a time convenient for the class. (This prevents classroom disruptions and helps the students stay focused on the learning of the day.)
• Visitors must enter through the main entrance. (Door 3). 
• I have also asked all our faculty and staff to politely inquire of any persons in the school who are not obviously members of the school faculty or staff and are not wearing a school visitor badge. They should politely inquire of the visitor if they require any help and their purpose for their being in the school and direct them to the office to sign in and acquire a visitor's badge.  Students have been instructed to not open locked doors for visitors.

I thank you in advance for your engagement and help in further enhancing Lower Campus as a safe place for learning. 

Sincerely,

Jan Parrish, Principal