My Motto? – If they come to school alive, send them home the same way!

Physical Safety is provided by maintaining a safe physical environment, by the provision of security, by the promotion of good health and nutrition, (which we’ll cover in this blog) and by mandating firm limits on unsafe  behaviors and using an appropriate and effective system of behavior management all along the journey.

There is nothing more basic than keeping each and every child safe from physical harm on a constant basis by physically maintaining the cleanliness of all play and work areas, having all staff trained in first aid and CPR, connecting closely with first responder agencies, designing and strictly following emergency plans, practicing emergency drills, and carrying out safe arrival and pick-up procedures.

Been There, Been Called That – In my days as a director, I was called many names, but my favorite was, “Safety Queen” (I can’t repeat here what some angry parents actually called me, but it harkened back to WWII Germany, and had to do with my ardor for safety in the Car Circle). Here are some statements I found myself making over the years:  “Mr. Daddy, I need you to hold Toddler’s hand in the parking lot”.  “Dr. Grandfather, your granddaughter needs to be in the back seat in her car seat, not in your lap helping you drive”; “Sorry, Mrs. Just-Three-Blocks-Away, I cannot let your five-year-old walk your two-year-old home from school”;  “Mr. Officemanager, I know you’re busy on that cellphone, but your three-year-old cannot hang out of the car sunroof like that”; and,  “Sorry, Uncle 20-Something, I will not put your nephew in the car with that weed cloud around your head.” I was tough and expected my staff to be the same.

Be Brave – Staff must be assertive, even aggressive when it comes to security. Teachers must be strong in confronting strangers on campus. Never, NEVER let an unidentified person into a classroom or remove a child from a program without written identification. Grrr! Teachers who are hesitant or embarrassed to confront strangers on campus make me mad.

It’s a Sign of the Times – It also makes me mad and terribly sad that we must practice lockdown drills in preschools these days, but this is our life in 2016, so practice drills of all kinds in a mood of firm but calm reassurance.

Be Firm – As far as health is concerned, the real responsibility for a child’s health is that of his parent, but teachers can model, teach, and encourage good health and hygiene and can keep the children in their care healthy at school by mandating health standards.  Every program must have a written policy on illness that states precisely what symptoms are worthy of a child being dismissed from school.  Obviously if a child shows any sign of infection or contagion, parents should be notified immediately and the child should be dismissed into the parent’s care.

Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes – Every child should be observed discreetly upon arrival, looking for notable signs of illness or injury.  Teachers may even document this for the purpose of comparing a child whose physical appearance may deteriorate later in the day.  As the day progresses teachers should observe for changes in appearance or behavior that might be symptomatic of illness. Obviously, if a child is injured or shows sign of serious illness requiring immediate emergency assistance, 911 should be called. 

There must be a space for sick children to be isolated from classmates until he is removed from school.  Administrators must support teacher use of the mandated procedures. Often teachers do not feel supported by administrators in this area, but they should not have to ask twice for a Director or Receptionist to call the parent of a truly sick child to remove the child from school.

Green Means Go – Runny noses are constant among young children.  If the discharge is clear, no problem.  If it is yellow, watch for oncoming infection.  If it is green, send the child home or ask parent for a written statement that the child is free from infection.  Insist, if possible, that any child who has a fever, diarrhea, any unidentified rash or has been on an antibiotic for less than 48 hours, be taken to an isolation space or sent home.  The most common go-homers – and sometimes school-closers – are pink eye, head lice, worms (ring or pin), impetigo, and varying viral illnesses with upper respiratory and intestinal symptoms.  Know their symptoms and react accordingly.

Food Issues – The three components of safe nutrition are nutritious foods served by the program, nutritious foods brought in by parents, and nutrition education for staff, parents, and children. It is not a teacher’s responsibility to be the food police, forcing children to eat or not eat certain foods or determining what order foods are to be eaten, but it is our job to serve nutritious food and to educate parents respectfully when food from home is not healthy.

You Can’t Win ‘Em All – I remember a child who used to come to school every morning with a Dunkin’ Donut sprinkle-covered pastry and a 12 oz. bottle of Coca Cola for breakfast. One of my teachers wept and worried over this child for four years before accepting the fact that she could not change the situation. (Needless to say, the Dunkin’ & Coke breakfast did not serve this child well and she had behavioral, health, and educational troubles for years, but we must keep respectful limits – and personal nutritional concerns are one of them).

 

Next Blog: Physical Safety II – Take Care