You cannot always be with your children…

You need to provide them with rules pertaining to safety at school for their own personal protection, on the school bus, in school, and along the route to and from school. Please read the suggestions below on school safety.

Keeping your child safe and creating a safe school environment:

• Make sure that your child’s school records daily attendance and that you are advised immediately of any absence.
• Always tell your child who will be picking them up and at what time. Avoid being late. Plan alternative arrangements in case any unexpected situations arise.
• Teach your child that they should always go back inside the school or other public building if you’re late picking them up. They should then contact you immediately or call another responsible adult on their emergency list.
• For unexpected situations, choose a password known only to you and your child and remind your child that they must ask for their password before accompanying anyone claiming to have been sent in your place. Change the password regularly, especially once it has been used.
• Identify your child’s sports bag, lunch box, backpack and other personal effects with a symbol on the outside. Write your child’s name only on the inside of the item to keep your child’s privacy.
• Avoid letting your child carry valuable items that could make him a target of intimidation/bullying – money, technology, expensive clothing, jewellery, camera, etc.If your child walks or rides their bicycle to school:
• Make sure that he follows the safety rules for cyclists as well as pedestrians.
• Establish together the route he will take. Make sure that he avoids isolated and unlit areas, and identify places where he can go for help if he needs to, such as Block Parent houses, stores and public buildings.
• Encourage him to make the trip with at least one friend.
• Review the six general safety rules with them.If your child travels by bus:
• Accompany him to the bus stop and make sure that he gets on. Wait for him when he returns. If that is not possible, find another trusted adult who is already accompanying their child.
• Make sure that you know the route, bus number, name and telephone number of the school bus company as well as the driver’s name.
• Review passenger safety rules with them.If your child travels by public transport:
• Make sure that he is mature and responsible enough to use public transit and discuss situations that may arise. Identify the best possible solutions.Child safety tips your child should know…
• Regardless of the circumstances, he must only accompany those people who know the agreed-upon password, and that he must never reveal it to anyone.
• Who and where to go for help if needed.