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Safety and Emergency Procedures

Identifying Where Children Are at All Times

Every child is signed in and out of the program daily. The person dropping off or picking up a child must sign and date the sign in/out book for every child he/she is picking up every day. When children arrive, the classroom teacher and program Director document their attendance. At various times throughout the day children are counted, especially during transitions. Circles are posted outside the classroom doors to inform where children are when not in their classroom. 


Staff and children are scheduled into different activity areas throughout the day. Since children leave at different times, staff keep track of children in their care on an attendance sheet. They mark the children’s departure by being sure that all the children have safely left the Children’s Center by the end of the day. Staff use radios to communicate where children are at all times.

Guidance, Positive Instruction, Supporting Positive Behavior

the Children’s Center will:

Cultivate positive child, staff, and family relationships: Each teacher at the Children’s Center have been trained in positive teaching practices that ensure each child’s behavior is guided in a positive direction. We continuously incorporate our families through daily communications regarding their children and encourage family involvement to ensure their children are being guided in a positive direction.

  1. Create and maintain a socially and emotionally respectful early learning and care environment:  All of our teachers encourage positive interactions with each child through demonstration and teaching that allow children to learn and be capable of respecting others socially and emotionally.
  2. Implement teaching strategies supporting positive behavior, pro-social peer interaction, and overall social and emotional competence in young children: Through training each teacher can reinforce children’s positive behavior effectively and positively and re-direct any behavior that is harmful to a wanted behavior. Each teacher continuously demonstrates positive interactions with each child, which helps children learn how to treat others in a positive way and allows them to be more socially and emotionally aware of the feelings of their peers.
  3. Provide individualized social and emotional intervention support for children.  Including methods for understanding children’s behavior and developing and implementing team based positive behavior support to prevent suspensions and expulsions:  The Children’s Center believes in working as a team to identify the specific social and emotional needs of each child. Our staff are trained in methods that enable them to understand children’s behavior and develop positive support plans for each child. This reduces challenging behaviors and may help to prevent suspensions and expulsions.
  4. Access and early childhood mental health consultant or specialist as needed:  At the Children’s Center we continuously strive to strengthen our relationships with our children and their family. While working with our families we strive to provide each child with specialized care within our classrooms. When the situation arises that a child’s needs are too difficult to address in the classroom, we will give families information about an Early Childhood Mental Health Specialist to support their child in all environments.

Discipline/Guidance 

All children are learning to be responsible for their behavior. Appropriate behavior is expected and will be positively reinforced by all staff. Staff are responsible for children’s discipline in and out of the classroom with the goal of helping children gain self-control. Our classroom environments encourage appropriate behavior and help children learn social skills. The rooms are filled with a wide range of activities that are age and child appropriate and that will interest and channel behavior constructively. Our Early Childhood Teachers are trained to observe and recognize signs of an impending crisis, to redirect children before problems arise, to reinforce positive behavior whenever possible, to encourage pro-social behavior, setting limits, help children learn problem solving skills and natural or logical consequences as well as knowing when it is appropriate to remove child from a situation.  

 The following actions are not acceptable by staff or volunteers in any classroom:

  • Physical mistreatment or restraint of any kind.
  • Frightening or threatening a child.
  • Humiliating, degrading, ridiculing, or yelling at a child.

The staff utilize a system of progressive discipline when inappropriate behavior is involved. The consequences will range from a verbal warning to expulsion from the Children’s Center. Parents will be informed of serious discipline concerns and will be involved in the writing of a discipline plan when appropriate.

The Code of Conduct and Violent and Aggressive Behavior (file: JICDD) for all Morgan County School District Re-3 students are enforced at the Children’s Center.

Notification and Handling Children's Illnesses, Accidents, and Injuries

When a child is injured or has a minor accident while in the program, staff will first administer first aid. Children who become ill while attending childcare will be sent home. Parents will be notified immediately and will be expected to pick up the child promptly. An ill or injured child may not stay at the Children’s Center. Children who are ill or have been sent home by a school nurse will not be accepted into care at the Children’s Center that day. All communicable illnesses will be reported to the local health department pursuant to the Colorado State Department of Public Health and Environment. We follow the ‘How Sick is too Sick’ Health Department guidelines. 

In case of an emergency, 911 will be called and the child will be taken to the closest emergency room at Common Spirit St. Elizabeth Hospital, 1000 Lincoln Street, Fort Morgan.

The following is the order of notifications and reports:

  1. Emergency Services will be notified.
  2. Families will be notified.
  3. Morgan County School District Re-3 Accident Report will be completed.
  4. The Department of Human Services Accident Report will be completed.

Emergencies and Drills

The children and staff are educated and practice the steps to follow in case of a fire, tornado or other emergency and they participate in drills throughout the school year.  The fire drill exit procedures are posted in each room.  Tornado drills will be held monthly from March through October.  A record of all drills is kept at the center. The Children’s Center also practices lock down, reverse evacuation, shelter in place, and active shooter, and evacuation drills. Emergency notifications and reunification directions will be sent to families using the district notifications system and the ELV app.  In the event of an emergency children with disabilities and access/functional needs will be with their designated caregiver and care plans.  Their priority status and needs will be communicated with district and local emergency management. After and emergency or disaster the district will identify alternate care locations, designate staff to manage children, communicate with parents.  The Children’s Center has backup supplies and plans for resuming normal operations depending on the circumstances while prioritizing the well-being of children and staff. 

The Children’s Center adheres to all Emergency Response Procedures instituted by Morgan County School District Re-3.  Guidelines about the procedures used are available in each classroom and the office.  All staff are trained using Emergency Response Procedures annually.

FIRE PROCEDURES

Fire exit directions are posted in each classroom. In case of an actual fire or drill children and teachers will follow these steps:

  • Teachers and children will follow their fire exit route.
  • Teachers and children will walk normally and quietly while exiting the building.
  • Program staff will close all doors and check classrooms and bathrooms for children.
  • Once outside, teachers and children will stand quietly in their designated area.
  • Teachers and children will re-enter the building in a calm and orderly manner when directed to do so by the building administration.

TORNADO EMERGENCY PROCEDURES

Children practice tornado drills monthly. Tornado procedures are posted in each classroom. In the event of a tornado, classroom staff will be notified over the P.A. (public address) system and they, along with the children will follow these steps:

  • Teachers and children will proceed into the Sherman building hallways where they sit against the wall. 
  • If teachers and children are outside when a warning is signaled, the teachers will immediately bring the children inside to the nearest hall and have the children sit against the wall. 

Lost Children Procedure

The plan of action in the case of a lost or missing child from the Children’s Center premises will include the following:

  1. The staff member in charge of the missing child will notify the office immediately.
  2. A quick check of the premises will be done immediately by staff not supervising children.
  3. The parents or guardians will be notified immediately. 
  4. Prompt action will be taken to notify the local authorities (police, etc.) immediately.
  5. The Morgan County School District Re-3 District Support Center will be notified immediately following the notification of parents and local authorities.
  6. The Children’s Center will submit a lost child written report to the local authorities and will contact the Colorado Department of Human Services within twenty-four hours of an incident. 

 A LOST CHILD ON A FIELD TRIP

The plan of action to follow in the case of a lost or missing child on a field trip will include the following:

  1. A master list of the students leaving the Children’s Center will be made with a list being left at the Children’s Center and one carried with the supervisor in charge of the field trip.
  2. Each group leader will be assigned a specific number of children.  They will always carry a list of the students in their charge.
  3. Each group leader will make frequent periodic checks to confirm that all the children are with them.
  4. If a child becomes lost the group leader will notify the supervisor in charge. A quick check of the premises will be done immediately by staff not supervising the children.
  5. The supervisor will immediately contact the local authorities available for immediate help in locating the child.
  6. After a plan has been put into action in trying to locate the lost child, the supervisor will immediately check the safety of the rest of the children.
  7. The supervisor in charge of the field trip will immediately notify the Children’s Center office so parents or guardians and Morgan County School District Re-3 authorities are notified.
  8. If the field trip is terminated before the child is found, the Director will remain at the site until the parents/guardians arrive. The other staff members and children will return with the bus to the Children’s Center.
  9. The Children’s Center will submit a lost child written report to the local authorities and will contact the Colorado Department of Human Services within twenty-four hours of an incident. 
  10. Any child who arrives after a group has left for a field trip or excursion will remain at the Children’s Center. The child can be taken to the event by a parent. A staff member may transport children to events if they are preapproved by the Transportation Director and there is district vehicle available. No child will be left unattended. 

Transportation 

Families participating in Infant Care, Toddler Care and Pre-K Care programs will transport their children to the Children’s Center. Children participating in After School Care coming from Morgan County School District Re-3 schools will be bused to the Children’s Center immediately following afternoon dismissal. Please note that there is no bus transportation offered during school breaks or on district no school days.  Parents must provide their own transportation during these times. Transportation will be provided during Summer Care activities and field trips

Safety Related to Riding in a Vehicle: Seating, Supervision, Emergency Procedure

Morgan County School District Re-3 provides bus transportation to the Children’s Center from all Morgan County School District Re-3 schools each afternoon for After School Care. When a child misses the bus that transports them to the Children’s Center the school staff will contact the Children’s Center to let them know that the student is at the school. The Children’s Center will then call the parent. The parents will be responsible for picking up the child and transporting them to the Children’s Center. 

When children are transported in a school vehicle other than a school bus, each child must use a seat belt and proper safety restraint. Children are to be instructed on safety in case of an emergency or accident. Children must remain seated while the vehicle is in motion. All transportation staff are tested and certified through the Transportation Director of Morgan County School District Re-3.

During bus transportation it is expected that all children follow the bus rules and regulations (File: JLCC). Children who are given citations from the bus driver will have their parents contacted and could be suspended from bus services. If the bus services are suspended due to behavior issues, parents will have to transport their child to the Children’s Center until a resolution is reached. Please refer to policy (File:  EEAEC). 

In the event of a transportation emergency the children will be kept calm and safe until emergency service arrives. The driver will notify 911, transportation department, and the Program Director of the emergency. The staff will remain and supervise children during the emergency or instruct children on safety steps to follow.

Critical Incident Procedures

In the event of a safety or security threat inside or outside the building, the Fort Morgan Police Department has assisted the school in establishing safety procedures.  Children will be taken to secure areas until the school office is notified by the police department that everything is safe.  The safety procedures are practiced each year.  In the event of a safety or security threat, please do not call the school or attempt to pick up your children.

Weapons in School

The Morgan County School District Re-3 policy regarding weapons at school (File: JICI) Weapons, or other objects being used as weapons, will not be tolerated.  Students disregarding these policies will be subject to suspension and/or expulsion from school.  

This policy will be enforced year-round while children are attending the Children’s Center.