December 2015 PA Meeting Minutes
Beacon Parents Association General Meeting 12/8/15
Harry Streep, AP, called the meeting to order at 6:10
Subject of meeting was Safety in and around the building
Beacon Safety Committee – carries out DOE policies in the building
Monthly meetings
Set safety policy and protocols under guidance of the DOE
New Beacon building is 3x larger than older
School’s goal is to maintain the same relaxed culture while keeping students safe
No thefts to date of bags or personal belongings – school is located in a low crime area
NYC Police Detectives addressed the parents – they can be reached at 212-767-8447 and they encouraged parents to call with any concerns:
Detective Giaco
Detective Dugan
Precinct: 018 MTN PCT
300+ police officers in this area
Safety issues regarding the construction in this area pose a greatre risk than crime
Biggest problem for our students – getting to and from school
1000 new officers have been hired by the city to deal with terror threats – Strategic Response Group (SRG)
Times Square – 60 new officers hired just for this area to deal with crowds and threat of terrorism
No specific threats to NYC at this time – city is still on high alert
NYC is on the cutting edge of fighting terrorism
Truancy officers all wear uniforms – no plain clothes officers deal with truants
Children leaving school at off hours for doctor appointments, etc. should get a letter on the school letterhead from the main office when traveling – need their photo ID and their schedule to prove that they do not have a class and can be
out of the building
Only enter and exit school on 44th Street side
Guidelines for visitors to school – must sign in and show ID
School Security officers disperse the children from the school area at the end of the day – students are not allowed to loiter or linger outside the school
Security cameras are all over the neighborhood
Communication to parents – email or website for emergency information
Active Shooter drills are not currently being conducted by schools
Traffic on 10th Avenue can be an issue – Safety officers stand at 44th and 10th when there are large numbers of kids crossing
Safety Plan in place for Beacon – not all details can be shared with parents for security reasons
Safety Drills currently being conducted – Fire, Shelter In, Soft Lock Down
Drills need to be taken seriously by students
Holding Room for students with disabilities on each floor
Soft Lock Down – occurs when there is a non-threatening intruder in the building – no weapons
Evacuation plans – secondary and tertiary plans in place
Students must turn off cell phones during an evacuation – school will communicate with parents when it is safe
Students are permitted to use cell phones in the cafeteria at all times
Safety compliance in science labs and chemical use is almost complete
Students can use their lockers throughout the day
Students should not walk on streets by themselves while talking on their cell phones or wearing headphones – they become easy targets – They should be aware of your surroundings at all times
Tell your students to check the Lost and Found for missing phones, wallets, books, coats, shoes, etc
School needs new DOE approved walkie talkies – $470 each – school needs 10-12 of these devices
Meeting was adjourned at 7:25
Submitted by Susanne Fischer, Recording Secretary