School Access

For the safety and security of our students, exterior doors will be locked at all times and opened for student access during school entry times.

Students are expected to enter and exit from the school using their designated doors. Parents and caregivers should arrange to meet their child outside their dismissal door or at a designated area outside. 

Parents and other visitors to the school are expected to enter through the front doors. All visitors must sign in at the school office before going beyond to classroom areas. For security reasons, Visitor or Volunteer tags must be worn to identify adults in the school.

Flex Entry

Flex Entry is a time prior to instructional time where students can choose to enter the building and the classroom to get ready for their day. This has also been referred to as “Staggered Entry” and “Soft Entry.” At Hawkwood School Flex Entry will begin at 9:00 AM, 10 minutes before the start of the day, with some of the school doors being opened for students to enter. This does not apply to Kindergarten students.

Students are asked to enter calmly and with care for each other, hang up their jackets and backpacks, change into their indoor shoes, and find a quiet place for an independent, self-directed activity such as reading, drawing or continuing class work.

The idea behind Flex Entry is to begin the school day in a calm and orderly way, decreasing the number of negative incidences as well as the stress levels of staff and students. We have observed the following positive impacts:

• improved safety around student drop-off
• increased voice and choice for students to increase self-awareness and independence
• enhanced positive relationships with students
• decreased number of transitions for students, and
• students better organized for their day and ready to learn

Supervision

Staff supervision is provided from 9:00 – 9:10 AM each day. Students should not arrive before these times. We strive to instill a sense of responsibility regarding regular attendance and punctuality. Students should arrive at school at least five minutes prior to the bell. Staff supervision is also provided during recess and lunch periods but is not provided after school.

Safety Precautions

Safety of all students and staff is of great importance. In response to changes in our society our safety precautions may include:

• Practicing of emergency drills with fire alarms, silent evacuation and internal lock down procedures.
• Locking all doors during the school day
• Using walkie-talkies or cell phones for communication in the school field during recess and lunch
• A fan out procedure for emergency communication
• Visitors and volunteers must register at the office
• Volunteer security clearance and identification tags are required 

It is very important that we have current contact numbers to reach parents/guardians in the event of an emergency. 

Emergency School Closure

Among possible reasons for emergency closing of the school would be a broken water pipe, power or gas failure, fire, or facility problem. It is important that parents be aware of the procedures that the school will follow with respect to dismissing students if an emergency should arise.

During some emergencies, such as fire, the building would be evacuated immediately, while other emergencies, such as a utility failure may not require immediate evacuation from the school property.