Safety

The Great Valley School District is committed to the safety of every student and staff member on our campuses. Our comprehensive safety plan calls us to practice our emergency plans and implement measures to increase the safety of our buildings.
Highlights include: 

• locked exterior doors during instructional hours; 
• mandatory visitor check-in procedures and protocols; 
• video surveillance and alarms; 
• safety drills throughout the year; 
• strong partnership with law enforcement.

Entry Procedures

Each of our schools uses a visitor entry system in which visitors are buzzed into the office. Every person (or family) visiting the school must ring the bell and be admitted by the office staff.  Visitors are asked to please not hold the door open for anyone who was not already buzzed in by office staff. 

Once a visitor is buzzed inside the office, staff will ask for identification (like a driver's license) so that a visitor's badge may be prepared. Visitors are asked to wear the badge the entire time they are in a school or office. Upon exit, the badge should be surrendered to the office. 

Threat Assessment

Act 18 of 2019 required all school entities in Pennsylvania to have at least one Threat Assessment Team in place by the beginning of the 2021-2022 school year. The teams are responsible for “the assessment of and intervention with students whose behavior may indicate a threat to the safety of the student, other students, school employees, school facilities, the community or others.” Threat Assessment Teams are also responsible for providing training, education, and information to members of their school communities.

The Great Valley School District has established threat assessment teams in all six (6) school buildings.  The teams are comprised of trained administrators, school counselors, school psychologists, school social workers, and mental health specialists.  When a threat assessment occurs, caregivers are provided guidance and information regarding local resources.

The Board is committed to protecting the health, safety, and welfare of its students and the school community and providing resources and support to address identified student needs. The Board adopts the following Policy and Administrative Guideline to address student behavior that may indicate a threat to the safety of the student, other students, school employees, school facilities, the community and others, as required by Pennsylvania Act 18 of 2019.

• Policy 236.1
• Administrative Guideline 236.1