The Meriden Board of Education (the “Board”) will develop and implement an all-hazards security and safety plan with a school-specific annex for each school within the Meriden Public Schools (the “District”) or a school security and safety plan for each school within the District (together, “School Security and Safety Plans”) to bolster  existing emergency preparedness, response capability, and school safety and security measures and to address all-hazards threats.  

           School Security and Safety Plans will be based on the school security and safety plan standards developed by the Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection(“DESPP”), the Guidance to K-12 Public Schools Pertaining to Immigration Activities developed by the Connecticut State Department of Education (“CSDE”), and other applicable requirements. 

For the school year commencing July 1, 2024, and each school year thereafter, each School Security and Safety Plan shall be updated to include protocols for interacting with a federal immigration authority who appears in person at a school in the District or otherwise contacts a school to request information. For purposes of this policy, a “federal immigration authority” means “any officer, employee or other person otherwise paid by or acting as an agent of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement or any successor agency thereto or any division thereof or any officer, employee or other person otherwise paid by or acting as an agent of the United States Department of Homeland Security or any successor agency thereto who is charged with enforcement of the civil provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act.”

Such protocols shall be based on applicable law and the CSDE’s Guidance to K-12 Public Schools Pertaining to Immigration Activities”), or any subsequent applicable CSDE guidance, and shall include, at a minimum:

1. the designation of at least one administrator at each school to serve as the individual responsible for interacting with the federal immigration authority;
   
   

2. provisions that such administrator, or any other school employee, may:

1. request and record a federal immigration authority’s identification, including the name, badge or identification number, telephone number and business card of such federal immigration authority;

2. ask such federal immigration authority if the federal immigration authority is in possession of a judicial warrant to support the federal immigration authority’s request and, if so, to produce such judicial warrant;

3. review any warrant or other materials that the federal immigration authority produces to determine who issued such warrant and what the warrant or other material authorizes the federal immigration authority to do; and

4. consult with legal counsel for the Board, or guidance developed by such legal counsel, on how to interact with the federal immigration authority with regards to the nature of the request, whether a warrant is produced, the details of any such warrant, whether such warrant is a judicial warrant or an administrative warrant, whether the federal immigration authority is claiming exigent circumstances, and any other consideration identified by the Board’s legal counsel; and

3. permission for other school personnel to direct such federal immigration authority who requests access to any records, information, the interior of the school building or other school personnel to communicate with the administrator designated to interact with the federal immigration authority.

The Board shall annually submit its School Security and Safety Plans to DESPP, in accordance with state law. 

           School Security and Safety Plans should be kept securely and will only be provided to the Board, school staff and administration, members of the school security and safety committees, members of state and local law enforcement, first responders, local municipal officials, or other persons authorized by the Board or the Superintendent (e.g., consultants, contractors). Pursuant to Connecticut General Statutes § 1-210(b)(19), School Security and Safety Plans will not be available to the public.

Legal References:

State Law:

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 1-210(b)(19)

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-222m

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-222n

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-222aa

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-231

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 28-7 

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-192h

Public Act No. 25-1, “An Act Concerning Interactions Between School Personnel and Immigration Authorities, the Purchase and Operation of Certain Drones, Grants to Certain Nonprofit Organizations, and Student Athlete Compensation Through Endorsement Contracts and Revenue Sharing Agreements”

State Standards:

Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, School Security and Safety Plan Standards.

Connecticut State Department of Education, Guidance to K-12 Public Schools Pertaining to Immigration Activities (January 28, 2025).

Federal Guidance:

Federal Emergency Management Agency, Guide for Developing High-Quality School Emergency Operations Plans (June 2013).

Adopted: December 15, 2015

Amended: April 7, 2026

Approved: April 7, 2026

1. Security and Safety Committee

In order to create a fully individualized safety plan for each district school, each school will establish a school security and safety committee.* The committee is responsible for assisting in the development of the school’s plan and in administering the plan.  The committee will meet at least annually to review and update the school’s security and safety plan as necessary.  In determining whether the security and safety plan requires updating, the committee will take into account the results of the security and vulnerability assessment of the school, as described in Section IV below.  The security and safety committee shall also be notified of any instances of disturbing or threatening behavior that may not meet the definition of bullying and shall report such information, as necessary, to the district safe school climate coordinator.  Any information provided under this regulation shall be provided in accordance with the confidentiality restrictions imposed under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (“FERPA”) and the district’s Confidentiality and Access to Student Information policy and regulations.

[This committee may be the same as the Safe School Climate Committee as long as the Safe School Climate Committee has the required members listed below.]

The school security and safety committee shall include in its membership a local police officer, a local first responder, a teacher, a building administrator, a mental health professional, and a parent or guardian of a student at the school [and any other person the Board deems necessary such as custodian, property manager, local emergency management director, local public health director, information technology manager, transportation coordinator, and school nurse].  Any parent/guardian serving as a member of the Committee shall not participate in any activities which may compromise the confidentiality of any student.  Subject matter experts, including but not limited to the local public works director, food services director, the Superintendent of Schools, additional law enforcement members or first responders and representatives of the municipality or others shall be invited to participate as needed.

1. Security and Safety Plan

Each school’s all-hazards school security and safety plan will be created using the format prescribed by the Connecticut State Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection/Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security in conjunction with the Connecticut State Department of Education.  The Board will submit the finalized school security and safety plan for each school to the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection.  Additionally, each plan will be filed as an annex to the municipality’s Local Emergency Operations Plan, filed annually with DESPP/DEMHS pursuant to Conn. Gen. Stat. § 28-7.  A reference kit that meets the requirements of DESPP/DEMHS will be created in conjunction with the security and safety plan, which will be available to first responders in the event of a safety or security emergency.

III. Training and Orientation for School Employees

Each school employee at the school shall receive an orientation on the school’s security and safety plan.  Additionally, each school employee at the school shall receive violence prevention training in a manner described in the security and safety plan.  The training will be conducted in cooperation with the school safety and security committee and shall include local law enforcement, fire, emergency management, and emergency medical services.  The goal of the orientation and training is to provide the school community and municipal officials with an understanding of the need for unified planning, preparedness and response.

1. Assessments

At least every two years, the Board shall conduct a security and vulnerability assessment for each school in the district.  Each school’s security and safety committee shall be advised of the results of the assessment for the committee’s school and such results shall be considered by the committee in updating and revising the school’s security and safety plan.

Local law enforcement and other public safety officials including the local emergency management director, fire marshal, building inspector and emergency medical services representative shall evaluate, score and provide feedback on fire drills and crisis response drills at each school in the district.  By July 1st of each year, the Board shall submit a report to the Department of Emergency Management Homeland Security Regional Coordinator regarding types, frequency and feedback related to the fire drills and crisis response drills.

Legal References:

State Law:

Public Act 13-3, An Act concerning Gun Violence Prevention and Children’s Safety

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 1-210 (b)(19) Conn. Gen. Stat. § 28-7

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-231

Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, School Security and Safety Plan Standards, December 30, 2013.

Federal Emergency Management Agency, Guide for Developing High-Quality School Emergency Operations Plans, June 2013

ADOPTED: December 15, 2015

The Board of Education establishes these procedures to govern the conduct of any student aquatic activity that takes place in any of its school swimming pools.

1. Definitions:
   
   

1. School Swimming Pool:  means any swimming pool approved for use by the Board for student aquatic activities;

1. Student Aquatic Activities:  means any physical education class, interscholastic athletics or extracurricular activities offered to students by the board of education that makes use of a school swimming pool;

1. Qualified Swimming Coach:  means any person who (A) holds a valid coaching permit issued by the State Board of Education, and (B) (i) is certified as a lifeguard by the American Red Cross or another nationally-recognized organization that conducts aquatic training programs, (ii) has completed a safety training for swim coaches and instructors course offered by the American Red Cross or an organization approved by the State Board of Education, or (iii) was certified as a lifeguard for at least five years during the previous ten years and has at least five years' experience as a swimming coach or an instructor of a physical education course that makes use of a school swimming pool;

1. Qualified Educator:  means any person who (A) holds a valid certificate issued by the State Board of Education, pursuant to section 10-145b of the general statutes, with an endorsement in physical education, (B) (i) is certified as a lifeguard by the American Red Cross or another nationally-recognized organization that conducts aquatic training programs, (ii) has completed a safety training for swim coaches and instructors course offered by the American Red Cross or an organization approved by the State Board of Education, or (iii) was certified as a lifeguard for at least five years during the previous ten years and has at least five years' experience as a swimming coach or an instructor of a physical education course that makes use of a school swimming pool, (C) is certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation, pursuant to section 19a-113a-1 of the regulations of Connecticut state agencies, as amended from time to time, and (D) has completed a course in first aid offered by the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association, the Department of Public Health or any director of health;

1. Qualified Lifeguard:  means any person who (A) is sixteen years of age or older, (B) is certified as a lifeguard by the American Red Cross or another nationally-recognized organization that conducts aquatic training programs, (C) is certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation, pursuant to section 19a-113a-1 of the regulations of Connecticut state agencies, as amended from time to time, and (D) has completed a course in first aid offered by the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association, the Department of Public Health or any director of health.

1. Mandatory Supervision

1. In addition to the person responsible for conducting any student aquatic activity that makes use of a Board school swimming pool, there shall be at least one qualified educator, qualified swimming coach or qualified lifeguard who shall be solely responsible for monitoring such school swimming pool during such student aquatic activities for swimmers who may be in distress and providing assistance to such swimmers when necessary.

1. For the school year commencing July 1, 2014, and each school year thereafter, any physical education course that makes use of a Board school swimming pool shall have at least one qualified educator who shall serve as the instructor of such physical education course and be responsible for implementing the provisions of the school swimming pool safety plan, and at least one qualified educator, qualified swimming coach or qualified lifeguard whose primary responsibility is to monitor the school swimming pool for swimmers who may be in distress and provide assistance to such swimmers when necessary.

1. For the school year commencing July 1, 2014, and each school year thereafter, any interscholastic athletic activity that makes use of a  Board school swimming pool shall have at least one qualified swimming coach who shall serve as a coach of the participating students and be responsible for implementing the provisions of the school swimming pool safety plan, and at least one qualified educator, qualified swimming coach or qualified lifeguard whose primary responsibility is to monitor the school swimming pool for swimmers who may be in distress and provide assistance to such swimmers when necessary.

1. For the school year commencing July 1, 2014, and each school year thereafter, any extracurricular activity that makes use of a Board school swimming pool shall have at least one qualified lifeguard who will monitor the school swimming pool for swimmers who may be in distress and provide assistance to such swimmers when necessary, and be responsible for implementing the provisions of the school swimming pool safety plan.

III. Plan Review

The Board’s Pool Safety Plan shall be reviewed and updated as necessary prior to the commencement of each school year.

Legal References:

State Law:

Public Act 13-161, An Act concerning Pool Safety at Public Schools

ADOPTED:  December 15, 2015