School Safety

HSE Schools officials and school resource officers conduct crisis response training for their staff and students based upon the concepts of ALICE (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate). The training focuses on various courses of action that would help participants most effectively respond to a crisis situation. This options-based training highlights situational awareness and decision making. No single response fits all crisis scenarios, however making sure each individual knows his or her options for response will help staff and students react effectively. You can view the video below that is used to train HSE staff as well as junior high and high school students. 

ALICE Training

SafeVisitor Background Check

• Classroom Volunteers/Helpers/Room Parents
• Field Trip Chaperones (Please contact the building for information regarding overnight field trip chaperone extensive background checks).

A visitor/volunteer background check through SafeVisitor is valid for three-years at any HSE school. The cost for the background check is $12.95 and includes a national screening process against the following: National Criminal Database, National Sex Offender Registry, Statewide Criminal, County Criminal and Federal Criminal Courts. Please note, the background check process may take 5 to 7 business days to complete.

How To Obtain Your SafeVisitor Badge

PLEASE NOTE: If you have filled out a background check for HSE Schools in the past and you are unsure whether it has expired, please contact Tobi Fields at tfields@hse.k12.in.us.  PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR FULL NAME AND DATE OF BIRTH WHEN INQUIRING.
 
If your background check has expired or you have never submitted a background check, please visit SafeVisitor website to begin the process.

Once your background check is approved, watch for a badge notification in your inbox from “info@safevisitorsolutions.com.” Your badge will be attached as a PDF. You may print it, save it on your phone or download the SafeVisitor mobile app.  A photo will be required and added upon your first visit to any school.

Drills are an important aspect of school safety and will be used as teachable moments for our staff and students. Indiana Code requires each school to conduct monthly fire drills, one severe weather drill per semester, and one man-made occurrence drill per semester. The made occurrence drill is also referred to as an Armed Assailant Drill. These armed assailant drills are conducted at the building level and will be conducted at a minimum of once per semester. It is important to note that all armed assailant drills are conducted in an age-appropriate manner utilizing evidence based best practices as prescribed in the ALiCE Program as well as by the National Association of School Resource Officers. In addition, our schools have established strong partnership with local first responders and often have a law enforcement presence at the school during our drills. It should also be noted that, just like any other day, mental health supports are always available to our students.

What is a School Resource Officer?

A school resource officer (SRO) is a carefully selected, specifically trained, and properly equipped law enforcement officer with sworn authority, trained in school-based law enforcement and crisis response. HSE SROs are employed and assigned by the Fishers Police Department and are fully sworn and certified police officers.

What training does a School Resource Officer receive?

A school resource officer (SRO) is a fully sworn and certified law enforcement officer. That means that an SRO is a graduate of the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy. SROs receive additional training specific to school-based law enforcement. Our SROs receive training from the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO).

The NASRO Basic School Resource Officer Course is a forty-hour training session designed to prepare law enforcement officers, and school safety professionals to effectively fulfill their role in the school setting. Participants gain a solid understanding of the responsibilities of the SRO using NASRO's Triad Model of school-based policing. This course will equip officers to develop successful relationships with diverse students and to support students with disabilities and behavioral health challenges. Participants will explore relevant public safety topics, such as digital safety, human trafficking, mental health, and substance abuse, and they will learn best practices for de-escalation, behavioral threat assessment, emergency operations planning, and armed assailant response.

Additionally, HSE SROs are trained as Indiana School Safety Specialists by the Indiana Department of Education. The school-based training is in addition to the general and individualized training the officers receive as police officers.

For more information on school-based SRO training, follow the links below:

NASRO

Indiana School Safety

Do School Resource Officers contribute to a school-to-prison pipeline?

No. HSE SROs are carefully selected, specially trained officers who follow best practices that do not arrest students for disciplinary issues that would be handled by teachers and/or administrators if the SROs were not there. On the

contrary, SROs help troubled students avoid involvement with the juvenile justice system. In fact, wide acceptance of the above mentioned NASRO best practices is one reason that the rates of juvenile arrests throughout the U.S. fell during a period when the proliferation of SROs increased (see To Protect and Educate: The School Resource Officer and the Prevention of Violence in Schools).

Can a school official, administrator or police officer ask a student questions without a parent present?

School officials/administrators can question students at school without a parent or guardian being present. When school administrators are investigating matters of school discipline, there are responsibilities that include finding out what has happened and who has been impacted. There is no requirement that parents should be contacted when school officials are investigating matters at school. School Resource Officers are not to be involved in enforcing matters of school discipline. They may however serve as a resource, mentors or role models as these matters are dealt with.

If a student is suspended and/or expelled for activity which would be a crime if committed by an adult, Hamilton Southeastern Schools, may notify the appropriate law enforcement agencies if merited. This communication is detailed in section 25 of the student handbook and is generally limited to the school resource officers that are assigned to the school building. When determining if it is merited to share this information, it should be noted that this is reserved for situations such as a drug related offense or where another person is a victim, such as a student attack. There is no requirement that parents are to be notified when this information is shared. (D.Z. v. State, 100 N.E.3d 246 (Ind. 2018))

When any police officer is questioning or interrogating a student related to a criminal offense, AND that student is in custody (or based on their age does not feel free to leave) parents shall be notified prior to questioning. (B.A. v. State, 100 N.E.3d 225 (Ind. 2018))

Students arrested at school is a rare occurrence and reserved as a last resort in situations whenever possible. School Resource Officers have the most success when they work to help students avoid involvement with the juvenile justice system. In fact, an effective School Resource Officer program will result in fewer juvenile arrests as opposed to more criminal charges. (see To Protect and Educate: The School Resource Officer and the Prevention of Violence in Schools).

Can a student be searched at school?

Generally, any item that is considered property of the school can be searched without letting the student or the parent know. School staff can also give permission to the police to look in your locker or desk, even though you use it.

When it comes to your body and property, there are rules that must be followed. Which rules apply depends on who is doing the search.

School staff may search a student if there is “reasonable suspicion” that the search will turn up evidence that the student broke a school rule. This means that staff have more than a hunch that the student did something wrong before the search can happen. The search must be:

• Justified at its inception (when it starts), and
• Reasonable in scope (how it is done)

School Resource Officers that are assigned to schools are like school staff and follow the “reasonable suspicion” rule. Police officers that are working in conjunction with a school official are also bound by “reasonable suspicion.” An “outside” officer that is not part of the daily educational operations of the school are not considered a school official and therefor required to meet the higher standard of probable cause.

Submit A Tip 24/7

HSE Report It! is a school safety mobile reporting app that allows students, staff, and community members to provide anonymous information about concerns for their own safety or the safety of others. It’s anonymous and reports are made exclusively through the mobile app. HSE Report it! has no length limitations or the need to remember a short code. Reporters can attach photos, screenshots, videos, documents and/or audio recordings to their concerns and they can engage in a two-way dialogue with a real person.

What You Can Report

• Bullying
• Cyberbullying or Cyber Abuse
• Harrassment
• Violence, Threats or Weapons Possession
• Alcohol or Drug-related Issues
• Discrimination

Download with Access Code: "hsereportit"

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What student information does the school or user need to provide to utilize HSE Report It!?
None. HSE Report It! does not require any end-user information whatsoever. Your child will authenticate using the district access code (hsereportit), which is the same code as their peers, so they all remain anonymous. Information provided by HSE Report It! app users is also kept private and secure. 

Q: Is it really anonymous? Can the school find out who my child is through the HSE Report It app? 
HSE Report It! is truly anonymous. The school has no ability to identify the submitter of a report or message. At their discretion, an end user may choose to voluntarily provide identifying information in the content of their report or message. 

Q: Can HSE Report It! be used by children under the age of 13?
The app (and its browser-based version) may be used by children under the age of 13. Parents may contact their student's school administration with questions.

Q: What types of behavior or activity is supposed to be reported with HSE Report It!?
HSE Report It! is completely anonymous and may be used to report incidents of bullying, violence, weapons possession, sexual harassment, discrimination, inappropriate online behavior or threats.

Q: Who receives the reports my child submits via Report It!?
All submissions will be received by designated school and district administrators as well as trained STOPit personnel.

Q: Can I as a parent use the app to report incidents?
Both students and parents can access the HSE Report It! app by downloading it to their phone and signing up using the access code hsereportit.

Indiana Code requires each school corporation to have a certified school safety specialist, however, HSE Schools have gone beyond this minimum requirement and has over fifty certified school safety specialists that are spread across all of our buildings. Safety specialists complete a five-day basic training sponsored by the Indiana Department of Education in conjunction with the Indiana Criminal Institute focusing on the fundamentals of school safety. Each specialist also completes two additional days of training each year to keep up to date with state and national best practices.

Decision-Making Process 

Q: How is the decision made to delay or close school for inclement weather? 

A: Our transportation director and staff begin evaluating road conditions as early as 4:30 a.m., consulting with weather agencies and local municipal crews. The superintendent considers multiple factors, including weather forecasts, road safety, and wind chill, before deciding.   

Q: Why aren’t school delays/closures decided the night before? 

A: Weather in Central Indiana can change rapidly and is often unpredictable. While we aim to make decisions as early as possible, waiting until the morning ensures we have accurate, real-time information about road and weather conditions. This approach helps us prioritize the safety of students and staff. 

Notification Channels 

Q: Where will information be posted regarding school delays and closures? 

A: Notifications will be sent via ParentSquare (call, text, and email) and posted on:   

• Website: www.hseschools.org  
• X (formerly Twitter): @HSESchools / @HSETransport 
• Facebook/Instagram: HSE Schools  
• Local Media: WTHR, WISH-TV, Fox 59, CBS 4, WRTV   

Flex Days 

Q: What type of learning/student instruction will take place when school is closed due to weather? 

A: The 2024-25 district calendar was approved with two, built-in ‘Flex Days’ to be used in the event of an emergency school closure.  

• When this option is available, there will be no instruction for students. The first two school closures (depending on when they occur in the calendar year) will be made up on the subsequent ‘Flex Days.’ 
• If and/or when ‘Flex Days’ are no longer an option, all PK-12 students will participate in eLearning.  

Q: When are the ‘Flex Days’?  

A: The ‘Flex Days’ are scheduled for Tuesday, February 18, 2025, and Monday, March 10, 2025. 

• If these days are not needed to make-up for lost classroom instruction due to an emergency closure, students will not have school on these two scheduled days. 

Q: What does a ‘Flex Day’ look like for students?  

A: There will be no classroom or virtual instruction. Students, Pk-12, will attend school on the subsequent ‘Flex Day’ to make up for the lost day of learning.  

eLearning Days 

Q: What type of instruction will occur if school is closed due to inclement weather or another emergency? 

A: In the event of an emergency school closure, HSE Schools will have an eLearning Day.  

• These lessons will be interactive and relate to the curriculum for the specific class. 
• Teachers will have eLearning content posted to Canvas no later than 9:00 a.m.  
• For grades PK-4, eLearning will be communicated in the eLearning section of the teacher’s Canvas course.  
• For grades 5-12, eLearning will be communicated via the announcement section in Canvas.  

As a general guideline, eLearning assignments/activities should take between 20-30 minutes per class/content area. At the PK-4 level where assignments/activities blend across multiple content areas, the teacher will communicate about how long the assignment/activity should take to complete.  

Q: How will students access assignments?  

• PK-4: Check the "eLearning" section of the teacher’s Canvas course.  
• 5-12: Assignments will appear in the "Announcements" section of Canvas.  

Q: What if my student does not have their device or internet access? 

A: Students can use any available device and internet connection (e.g., library, friend’s house) to complete assignments/activities.  

Q: How will attendance be taken on eLearning Days? 

A: Attendance is based on students logging into Canvas on the eLearning Day.  

Q: Will eLearning work be graded? 

A: Teachers will determine whether assignments count toward grades.  

Two-Hour Delays 

Q: When will a two-hour delay be issued? 

A: Delays may be issued for snow, ice, or extreme cold. This allows buses to operate safely and provides additional time for road crews to prepare routes.  

Q: How does a two-hour delay affect school transportation and operations? 

• Buses will run two hours behind regular schedules.   
• School buildings open two hours later than usual.  
• AM Preschool and AM HSF Academy classes will be canceled.  
• Breakfast is not served, but lunch and school dismissal remain on schedule.  

After-School Activities 

Q: Will after-school activities be canceled if school is closed? 

A: Check your school’s website/social media channels or contact coaches/club sponsors for updates.  

Other Questions 

Q: Why do other districts delay/close while HSE does not? 

Road conditions vary across districts. HSE decisions are based on specific conditions within our territory.  

Q: Why does my neighborhood seem safe, but school is delayed/closed? 

A: Our district includes diverse terrains, some with challenging rural or hilly areas. We prioritize the safety of all bus routes.  

Q: My neighborhood’s roads are slick – why wasn’t school delayed/closed?  

A: Conditions vary. Families are encouraged to drive cautiously in their areas if conditions are hazardous.