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District Health & Safety » District Health & Safety » Overview

Overview

The Board of Directors of Cumberland Academy believes its first and primary responsibility is the health and safety of the students who attend our school. We have spent countless hours during recent meetings evaluating and reevaluating what we can do to make Cumberland Academy a safe environment for learning and also provide support for the health needs of our students.
 
Health
To encourage good health practices and support special health needs of our students, we provide healthcare workings at our campuses for assistance and distribution of medications and other health needs. Staff are fully trained in CPR, Stop The Bleed, and appropriate protocols to handle students with seizures. Medication is on site to treat severe anaphylactic allergic reactions. Hearing, vision, and spinal screenings are performed every year for the appropriate grades that fall under state guidelines and are submitted to the state. Every year, each campus reviews and updates immunization records and immunization affidavits to make sure each returning and new student is appropriately up to date. At the upper grade levels, we have athletic trainers available to prevent and treat injuries. The SHAC committee meet yearly to discuss concerns and updates to each campus.
 
Safety
Each year, for the safety and security of our students and staff, we have intensively reviewed the processes in place to maximally protect each of our student. We have hired outside consultants who have reviewed all of our processes and have made recommendations for improvement. We have implemented these recommendations and continue to update them each year. Among our current practices for protecting each student includes the following:
  1. Security fencing around each campus and video cameras for monitoring hallways and outside entrances
  2. Two-way radios for staff on every campus, stop the bleed kits on every campus accessible to staff and students through out the campuses
  3. Background checks on all school personnel through the DPS/FBI system along with proper fingerprinting 
  4. Background checks for visitors / volunteers / vendors / observers who come into campus wanting to enter past the front office, using the new Raptor system installed 07/25/22 at each front office. (Must have ID to have an ID badge printed and to proceed) (Some school events during school hours may use a different system during that even time)
  5. Staff, visitors, and volunteers must wear identifying name badges to proceed into each campus past the front offices; Students are also asked to wear identifying name badges depending on the campus the students are on.
  6. Staff monitoring hallways at the Middle School and High School
  7. As of August 2022, we now have a security officer 5 days per week for each campus within the district who are highly trained and will work along with the Guardian Team members (approved conceal carry staff members)
  8. Cumberland Academy provides educational programs on "Bullying" and "Internet Safety" issues. A disciplinary process is in place for students that do not allow these safety practices and rules.
  9. Primary entry doors with secure electronic locks on each campus
  10. Door sensors on each door to notify admin if a door has not been shut properly on each campus - in progress
  11. Annual review of our security programs and practices by outside consultants to upgrade if needed or add new features once approved
  12. Annual staff education to protect students in the emergency circumstances including active shooter and stop the bleed
  13. In addition to the standard fire, secure, hold, lock down, and shelter drills, our students are also trained to respond to an active shooter or similar threat
  14. Approved in 2019, Governor Abbott's Texas Guardian Plan approved by the State of Texas and the Texas Education Agency allowing highly trained staff members, once they have completed all the trainings and mental health requirements, to have a concealed weapon on campus to protect students and staff from individuals who present a threat to life and injury 
  15. The School Safety and Security Committee meet yearly to discuss safety for all campuses for each new year along with 4 newly added committees starting in August 2022
  16. The Behavioral Threat Assessment Team meet yearly to discuss threat assessments and review for each new year
  17. Vape detectors installed at Middle School and High School campuses - in progress
  18. Emergency Operations Plan updated and approved as of August 2022 which is updated yearly
  19. Guard Shack for the High School campus to monitor entry and exit daily - in progress
 
Additional information of the Cumberland Academy safety policy and procedures is seen on additional pages of this website and will continue to be updated as more and more trainings are completed each year. After reviewing all of this information, it is the hope of the Board of Directors of Cumberland Academy that students and staff on each of our campuses are receiving the most up to date and appropriate security available at this time.
 
 
Chairman of the Board of Directors
Cumberland Academy
James R Cotton, MD
 
 
Revised 08/20/22