Just in Time Communications
from Bishop Kelly High School
What you need to know, when you need to know it.
BK Parents and Students,
 
It is my pleasure to update you on just a few ways we are providing a Safe and Caring Place here at Bishop Kelly. This is not an exhaustive list, but I believe it points out some high points of what we are doing.

We take safety and security very seriously at Bishop Kelly and are constantly looking at ways to make our school the safest we can. 

Thank you for your support in this effort. Please let me know if you have any questions. 

Mrs. Cheryl K. Hutchinson
Vice-Principal of Student Affairs
Bishop Kelly High School
Relationships and Connections
We believe our first and foremost most important strategy to provide a safe and caring place for our students, faculty and staff is to build and foster trusting and caring relationships. It is not an accident that we have low student to teacher ratios in classrooms, low student to counselor ratios and have built in “community time” to ensure all students have a sense of belonging. Our priority is to make meaningful connections with each other and create a welcoming environment at Bishop Kelly.

BK Technology Use
Although we are a 1:1 BYOD School, we continue to strive to find the appropriate balance of technology use during the day. As a school, we’ve established what we feel are clearer expectations on technology use and these expectations have been communicated with all faculty, staff and students. In summary, the expectations are as follows; 

  • Classroom Technology Use- Laptops will be used at the discretion of the teacher. Cell phones and wearable technologies that transmit data through the internet or bluetooth are not to be used, visible, or audible during academic time periods. 

  • Hallway Use during Passing Periods- We’ve established expectations for our hallways during passing periods similar to the rules of our highways and roadways. If students need to use cell phones during passing periods they will pull over to the side of the hallway and stop moving. Students are not to be “walking and tech-ing” during passing periods. 

  • Lunch- Students will be allowed to use cell phones, laptops, etc. during morning and lunch breaks, but we will continue to encourage students to “look up” and have real conversations.

  • Tech Light Days Once Per Month- Every all school Mass day will be deemed a “tech light” day, which means that cell phones are not to be visible at all during the day. This includes classroom use, hallways, breaks and lunches. 

  • Gaggle and Smoothwall: Our filtering systems for google apps and BK internet. It alerts us of dangerous, inappropriate, or illegal activity. 

Badges for Faculty, Staff, Students, and Visitors
It is important that we know who is in our school at any given time. In addition to all faculty and staff being required to wear ID Badges daily, our students are expected to have their student ID with them at all times. This helps us get to know names quicker and build relationships. It also helps quickly identify those who are approved to be in our school and those who are not.
Visiting Campus During the School Day
  • Parents and family members, we ask that you refrain from coming to school to see your student during the school day. Students will not be taken out of class to visit with a family member.

  • If you have an emergency and need to see your student during the school day, or if you have a meeting or volunteer commitment with faculty or staff at BK during the school day, please go directly to the front office to sign in and receive a visitor's badge. Visitors must remain in the front office or front atrium if they are meeting with a student.

  • NO FOOD DELIVERIES are allowed at Bishop Kelly during the school day. A family member may drop off food items at the drop off table near the front doors, but we do not allow Uber Eats, Door Dash, pizza delivery, etc.

  • This is a closed campus, students cannot leave for lunch or any other reason, unless approved by the office first. Please see the Attendance Page for more information about what to do if your student needs to leave school during the day.
New Security Features
Recently, Bishop Kelly added 5 new security cameras to cover some “blind spots” on campus, bringing us to over 60 cameras on school grounds. In addition, we hired a full time security guard, Mr. Eric Aitken.  You will see Mr. Aitken frequently patrolling the school grounds, viewing video cameras, and helping curb student behavior in the parking lot. Feel free to introduce yourself to Mr. Aitken so he can begin to recognize our wonderful community members. Finally, coming this fall we will be adding a new security feature at our main doors where parents/visitors will need to “buzz in” in order to come into the building.
Monthly Safety Drills
We conduct monthly drills that include: Reverse Evacuation and Hallcheck, (the threat is outside the building), Lock down (the threat is inside the building), and Evacuation (fire drills). 

In regards to a lockdown drill, the goal is to have our students mentally prepared for any possible scenario. It is always a good idea to go over this at home as well: 
  • Locate the exits in the room.
  • If you exit, always look before going out.
  • If an exit is blocked, find a good place to hide and remain quiet.
  • Create a barricade by the door, if you are hiding.
  • Be prepared to fight.

Please feel free to watch THIS VIDEO with your child to reinforce behaviors in an emergency situation. 

IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING.
Random Drug Testing
We conduct monthly random drug testing and quarterly drug dog searches. This random testing will pull from the total student population. We do this not because we feel we have a major drug issue, but because we want our students to have another reason to say “no” and realize drugs are not worth the risk. In all instances, parents will be notified if your student was selected for a random drug test or if a drug dog “hit” on a car, locker, or backpack.
School Parent Partnership
Finally, know that you are your child’s biggest influence to keep them away from drugs and alcohol. Below are some ways to help prevent drug/alcohol use provided by the National Institute on Drug Abuse:

Help Children and Teens Stay Drug-Free: 
  • Talk with your children about drugs. Explain how taking drugs can hurt their health, their friends and family, and their future. Tell them you don't want them to do drugs.
  • Be a part of their lives. Spend time together. Even when times are hard, kids can make it when they know that the adults in their life care about them.
  • Know where your children are and what they're doing. Keeping track of your children helps you protect them. It gives them fewer chances to get into drugs.
  • Set clear rules and enforce them fairly. Kids need rules they can count on. That is how they learn for themselves what is safe and what can get them in trouble.
  • Be a good example for your children. You might not think so, but kids look up to their parents. Show them how you get along with people and deal with stress, so they can learn how to do it.
  • Teach your children how to refuse drugs. Kids often do drugs just to fit in with the other kids. Help them practice how to say no if someone offers them drugs.
  • Make your home safe. Do not have people in the house who abuse drugs and alcohol. Keep track of medicines and cleaning products.

Contact BK
  • Front Office: 375-6010
  • Fax: 375-3626
  • Business Office Manager: 947-1209
  • BK Development Office: 947-1325
  • BK Foundation Office: 323-4789

To add, remove, or change your email address, or to remove your name from our regular mailing lists, please contact Chrissy at cbeckner@bk.org.