Safety and Security
Safety is a foundational aspect of any effective learning environment, and Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools prioritizes the well-being of students and staff members on a daily basis. School staff have proactively established plans and procedures to address a variety of potential situations, and invite you to learn more below.
Standard Response Protocol
During the 2024-25 school year BHM Schools, in partnership with all other school districts and law enforcement agencies in Wright County, adopted the Standard Response Protocol (SRP). This system, developed by the "I Love U Guys Foundation," outlines consistent language and actions that can be clearly understood and put into action by all students, staff and first responders. The framework applies to all hazards, and can also be used within schools when more routine non-emergency situations occur. In short, the action-based steps allow for quick, coordinated responses to a wide array of situations.
The Standard Response Protocol has been implemented in more than 50,000 schools, agencies and organizations across the United States and around the world. It is based on leading safety practices based on research and data, as well as the experience of families, first-responders, public safety experts, psychologists and administrators.
Find out more about the Standard Response Protocol in this short introductory video:
Safety details - school handbook
Although we cannot share all the details of our safety plans for security purposes, many of the daily practices and procedures to ensure safety are outlined in our parent-student handbooks. Please see the handbooks below for more information.
More information
In recent years BHM Schools has taken action to improve the physical security of each of its school buildings. All elementary schools have secure entrances, and the bond referendum approved by district voters in 2023 will result in re-designed entrances at the high school and middle school to better control access to the buildings.
The middle school and high school have school resource officers from the Buffalo Police Department and the Wright County Sheriff's Office present daily.
All exterior doors to our school buildings are locked during school hours, with visitors required to enter the main office before accessing the remainder of the building.
Practicing our safety procedures familiarizes staff and students with the actions they should take if an emergency situation arises. Students in BHM Schools practice the following drills:
- Lockdown drills
- Fire drills
- Tornado drills
State law requires school districts to conduct a minimum of five lockdown drills, five dire drills and one tornado drill each school year.
In the event of a critical incident or emergency at a school, we ask that our families and community do the following:
- Families may sign up for text alerts from the district through Infinite Campus. Text alerts typically reach families faster than automated phone calls or emails from the school or district office.
- Don't call the school. When phone lines are congested it may impede emergency communications.
- Don't come to the building unless directed to do so, as traffic around the building can prevent emergency responders from reaching the scene or interfere with law enforcement response.
- Please don't share information on social media unless it comes from the district directly. Rumors spread very quickly and frequently cause unnecessary panic and alarm.
Yes, the school district has a reunification plan in place. It is developed with and shared with local law enforcement agencies, and locations and details will be shared with families if a reunification is necessary.
Evacuations and reunifications may occur for a variety of reasons, including weather, a power outage, hazardous material spill, or crisis.
If an evacuation and reunification is required, parents and caregivers should bring their identification to the pickup location. The process protects the safety of students and helps the school account for every individual, providing a secure exchange of custody from school staff to a recognized custodial parent or guardian.
Please contact your child's school. For more information about the Standard Response Protocol and the "I Love U Guys Foundation," see www.iloveuguys.org.
Inclement weather
When adverse weather occurs, district personnel carefully consider conditions and whether a normal school day can safely proceed. In these instances, the safety of students and staff, particularly during morning and afternoon travel times, is prioritized.
If a decision is made to change our normal school schedule, the district's objective is to provide at least two hours notice prior to the start or end of the school day. Families who have signed up for notifications receive an automated phone call, text message and email from BHM Schools. Alerts are also posted on the district website and social media, and shared with local TV stations and KRWC Radio.
A common misconception is that decisions to keep school open are motivated by financial considerations. This is not the case. Our school year funding is fixed, and is not reduced when we lose a day due to weather. Rather, our decision to hold school if conditions allow is motivated by our commitment to educate our students.
Depending on conditions, the district may:
- Hold a normal school day
- Delay the start of the school day by two hours
- Conduct an early release
- Close for the entire day
BHM Schools values in-person education, and does not facilitate e-learning days for weather or other emergency closures.
When inclement weather occurs, the district superintendent and the director of finance and operations (including transportation) personally drive a representative portion of paved and unpaved roads around the district. The director of finance and operations also consults with the bus company, and may communicate with city and county officials about snowplowing or ice-treating schedules. The superintendent tunes in to National Weather Service webinars provided specifically for school officials, and communicates with other area superintendents before making a decision.
Weather is unpredictable, so aside from extreme cases, the decision to change the school schedule is rarely made in advance.
The district may conclude that we can safely transport students and keep school open, but an individual parent may disagree with our decision. Under such conditions, parents may use their own judgment regarding the attendance of their child(ren). The district will respect all reasonable decisions to keep students home in these circumstances, designating absences "excused" if the parent communicates their decision to the appropriate school.