Clinical Field Experience D Identifying Safety Related Issues

Jessica Quap
Grand Canyon University
August 6, 202
EAD 505-0504
Clinical Field Experience D: Identifying Safety Related Issues

On August 6th, I performed an extensive safety audit of Slaton High School located in
Slaton, Texas. During this audit, I noticed only a few areas of concern. Our school just had a
safety audit in May and all repairs necessary were completed last month. Moderately present was
poverty in neighborhood, truancy, staff in building after hours required to sign in and out,
students required to wear ID badges, after school day staff members assigned to check bathrooms
are unoccupied or locked, the emergency practice of evacuation from the site, parents are an
integral part of the school’s safety planning and policy development, students are represented on
the school safety planning team, bus loading/unloading zones clearly marked, and access to
parking lots are gated. Of these concerns, I believe that the most important of these is poverty in
neighborhood, staff not signing in and out and bus loading/unloading zones.
The crime rate in Slaton is 178.8, the second-highest crime rate other than our closest
metro city, Lubbock. That was very shocking to me. When you drive east to west in Slaton, you
know exactly where the city is segregated. The east side is a very poor part of the community
with many homeless and abandoned houses while the west side is new big houses with affluent
families. Our high school is located right in the middle of these two neighborhoods. We have had
a few lockdowns because of crimes committed at businesses on the east side of the school.
As far as teachers not signing in and out, this is something I have had to do at all
campuses until I arrived at Slaton High School. Even though we have cameras, a sign in and sign
out is a quick way to tell who had access to the building if something should happen. And bus
loading and unloading zones pose a safety-issue because there is a lot of car traffic on that side of
the building.
Ideas/Solutions
The issue of poverty in our school’s neighborhood is one that would take much more
intervention than that of what a school could do. The solution would be to continue doing what
we do in teaching students to be stand-up citizens and contribute to their community. We could
encourage special student groups to do outreach in the area. Examples would be to do a trash
pick up along the streets, a “habitat for humanity” type project where they help repair houses in
the area, plant flowers, etc. In my experience when I have asked student groups to step up, they
always exceed my expectations. I would also work to pair with the city leaders and police
department in order to combat the problem on our front and be involved in the solution.
In reference to staff signing in and out when in the building after-hours, I would have
them enter and exit the building through the same door and have a sign-in/out sheet right there. I
might have some staff pushback for those that teach in the back of the building, but I would
remind them it is about safety and to ensure that the alarms are not accidentally set off in other
areas that would incur a cost for the school. This would be a simple policy addition to our staff
handbook.
Lastly, I would put in a request to have the bus loading and unloading zone repainted.
This is a huge safety concern for me because I am assigned bus duty after school each day. Daily
I have to remind parents that the street is a one-way street and they cannot park in areas where
busses would be driving. In the event the district could not pain that area, I would enlist our shop
guys to help me paint that area.
Concerns Related to School Vision/Mission
The Slaton High School Mission is to, “maintain instructional focus on academic goals,
objectives, and the priorities that support academic achievement for all students. It is the goal
and purpose to provide an atmosphere in which teaching and learning are emphasized and
rewarded. It is our belief that all students can master the basic skills and become positive
contributors to society (Slaton High School, 2020)”. In order to remain focused on academic
goals, we need to provide an environment free from distractions outside of the school. We must
address the poverty in our area in order to remove that stress and temptation for our students. So
many times, I know that a student is acting out or unwilling to do anything because last night
they slept in their car or in an alley. Poverty and drugs are continuing to impact our students, so
we must address that with whatever resources we have.
Mentor’s Perspective on Problems/Solutions
When speaking with Coby Johnson, our Assistant Principal in charge of our safety plan,
he agreed with my assessment of our school protocols and building. He did state that in regards
to addressing the poverty of our community, the school has not done much besides give our
students the best education and opportunities for a better life after graduation at this time. He
would like to see our student groups get more involved in the community next year. I even
volunteered to lead a community improvement project in the next year. When I asked him about
a staff sign-in/out sheet, he said they have never had one because we tell all staff to park in the
front parking lot after hours and weekends, and we are such a small school that we know each
others’ cars. He also lives right across the street from the school and monitors the building every
day. He also stated that training staff to do such a thing right now would be too much with what
all we are asking them to do during this already stressful school year due to COVID-19.
The bus lane has also been on his list, and he showed me how he goes in to create a
maintenance ticket to the district. He said they are very good at getting those done very quickly. I
will check next week to see if it has been completed. He also wants to add some signage stating
that no cars may drive down the one block we load and unload students during certain hours as
they do at the junior high school.
Reflection/Implications for Future Practice
Based on my experience completing the audit and conversation with our principal in
charge of the safety of our students, I now know what a big task that is to complete. He said the
state safety audit takes 2-3 days to complete and includes follow-up inspections. I also know that
he struggles to fit in all of our scheduled drills because of so many things going on at the school,
especially in the spring. I feel that one thing I will insist upon is that any safety issues be handled
as quickly as possible. I would also encourage teachers to let me know of any safety concerns
they see that I may not.
Additionally, I am going to ensure staff and teachers understand our procedures. Almost
every drill we have had this year included a few teachers who did not follow the procedures as
they should. During my time at our PD, I would probably play a game of some kind to ensure
that everyone knew what to do. We might even go through each scenario together and practice as
participants. I also learned that each campus is given money from the state, about $9 a student, to
implement safety requirements after Senate Bill 11 in Texas. I would make sure to use that
money to ensure we continue to improve with safety technologically as many new areas of safety
have improved in the last few years.
References

Johnson, C. (2020). Mentor's Perspective on Problems/Solutions [Personal interview].
School Safety after Senate Bill 11. (2019). Retrieved August 05, 2020, from
https://www.tasb.org/services/legal-services/tasb-school-law-esource/business/documents
/school-safety-after-senate-bill-11.pdf

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Jessica Quap

Grand Canyon University

Clinical Field Experience D: Identifying Safety Related Issues

we do in teaching students to be stand-up citizens and contribute to their community. We could

guys to help me paint that area.

Concerns Related to School Vision/Mission

we must address that with whatever resources we have.

Mentor’s Perspective on Problems/Solutions

they do at the junior high school.

Reflection/Implications for Future Practice

they see that I may not.

have improved in the last few years.

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