Dear BCSD Community,
Strengthening safety and security at our schools is one of our continued priorities. This requires frequent reassessment of the systems and processes we have in place and strengthening them when necessary.
Beginning on October 16, 2023, a few important changes will be implemented at the Fox Lane campus. These changes include:
- The vetting of visitors at the campus entrance
- After morning arrival of students, the upper entrance at the high school will be closed. All visitors must enter through the main entrance (at the traffic light) where they will be greeted by security monitors. This adds an extra layer of security and pushes the first interactions with visitors outside of our buildings.
- We highly encourage having an appointment before coming to campus. That said, if a student forgets their book or needs to be picked up early, parents will be able to get on campus.
- For the safety of our students and staff, community members will no longer be allowed to walk the track or enter the campus while school is in session or during athletic events.
- Deployment of electric security vehicles
- Two electric vehicles will monitor the Fox Lane campus throughout the day. They will greet vehicles as well as check the permits and identification of senior students.
- There will be new parent pick-up procedures for both the high school and the middle school to heighten the safety of all parties. These plans will be shared by the schools shortly.
These changes were agreed upon after lengthy discussions with school and district Emergency Response Teams and local police. They will:
- allow more adults to supervise students during dismissal
- create a safer driving environment for young drivers
- allow access for emergency vehicles
- create a more predictable bus flow and on-time departure — the effects of which will also be felt at the elementary schools
We plan to reassess the process after a few weeks to decipher what is working and what might not be and we will adjust procedures accordingly.
In addition to these changes, each of the buildings is taking part in enhanced security training. Our ultimate goal is to bring uniformity to the emergency response in each school and to keep our students and staff as safe as possible.
Fox Lane Campus Security Changes FAQs
I heard that the Fox Lane campus will be closed during the school day. Does “closed campus” mean that nobody is allowed to enter campus at all?
It does not. “Closed campus” means that the campus is closed to anyone who does not have an explicit reason to be on the grounds. If you have a scheduled meeting, need to drop off something that your child forgot or are there to pick up your child early, you will be asked to state that reason to the security team member at the campus entrance. They will contact the appropriate building/office for confirmation, and then you will be allowed to enter.
The campus will only be “closed” to someone who does not have a valid school/student-related reason to be there. As the Fox Lane Campus will only be closed during the regular school instruction day, any later pickups or drop-offs (after-school clubs, events, sports, etc.) will not be affected by this new process.
What time each day will Fox Lane be a closed campus?
From the start of the first classes until regular-dismissal buses have left campus.
During closed campus time, how do I get onto the grounds if I have a reason to be there?
During closed campus time, the only entry/exit point will be the main Fox Lane Campus entrance at the traffic light. The entrance by the high school will be blocked.
How will the pickup process change if I pick up at regular dismissal time?
As we finalize the process, we will notify the community of the anticipated exact time cars will be allowed to enter campus for pick-up. Please know that this timing may be adjusted during the early days (to enable even earlier pick-up, we hope) as we streamline the new routine. Once buses have departed, both entrances to campus will be opened to cars and you will be able to enter campus and pick up your student(s).
The middle school will be dismissed four minutes earlier. Once the buses have cleared, parents will be able to park in the bus loop and students will no longer be crossing the street.
PLEASE NOTE: This means that, if you arrive early, there will be very limited space for cars to line up and wait, as you will not be able to enter campus early. We anticipate a learning curve for us all at this point in the plan and will adjust as needed. We thank the Bedford Police for their input and assistance as we manage the initial traffic that may arrive to campus before the buses have left, and we thank parents for doing their best not to arrive too early.
I pick up my child at dismissal every day and we have a tight schedule. Will this new process force me to pick up much later than I do now?
Once we all get used to the new routine, we forecast that you might be able to pick up your student(s) a few minutes earlier than you do now.
Here’s why: Because no cars will be allowed onto campus between dismissal and when the buses roll out, we can line up the buses between the high school and middle school, and have all students walk safely to their buses at once. This allows us to have one bus departure time — not two, as the current process does. Having only one “wave” will make the bus dismissal process smoother, safer and faster, and we anticipate that buses will be able to leave a few minutes earlier than they do currently.
Additionally, staff members who currently manage student and car traffic outside the buildings will move inside the buildings, helping to monitor students and encourage them to move swiftly towards buses, making that transition between building and bus faster as well.
How will the morning drop-off process change for me?
The morning drop-off process will not change, as the campus will not be closed until the actual start of the school day.
I have a senior student. Will s/he still be allowed to come and go during the day, as seniors currently enjoy that privilege?
Yes, seniors will still have that privilege. The only change for them will be that, during the school day, the campus entrance near the high school will be blocked. They will have to come and go via the main Fox Lane Campus entrance and will be required to show ID to return to campus.
Preguntas frecuentes sobre cambios de seguridad
en el campus de Fox Lane
Escuché que el campus de Fox Lane estará cerrado durante el día escolar. ¿Significa “campus cerrado” que a nadie se le permite ingresar al campus?
No es asi. “Campus cerrado” significa que el campus está cerrado a cualquier persona que no tenga una razón explícita para estar en el recinto. Si tiene una reunión programada, necesita dejar algo que su hijo olvidó o está allí para recogerlo temprano, se le pedirá que indique el motivo al miembro del equipo de seguridad en la entrada del campus. Se comunicarán con el edificio/oficina correspondiente para confirmarlo y luego se le permitirá ingresar.
El campus solo estará “cerrado” para alguien que no tenga una razón válida relacionada con la escuela o el estudiante para estar allí. Como el campus de Fox Lane solo estará cerrado durante el día regular de instrucción escolar, cualquier recogida o devolución posterior (clubes extraescolares, eventos, deportes, etc.) no se verá afectada por este nuevo proceso.
¿A qué hora cada día Fox Lane será un campus cerrado?
Desde el inicio de las primeras clases hasta la salida regular los autobuses han salido del campus.
Durante el horario de cierre del campus, ¿cómo puedo ingresar al recinto si tengo un motivo para estar allí?
Durante el tiempo de cierre del campus, el único punto de entrada/salida será la entrada principal del campus de Fox Lane en el semáforo. La entrada a la escuela secundaria estará bloqueada.
¿Cómo cambiará el proceso de recogida si recojo a la hora de salida habitual?
A medida que finalicemos el proceso, notificaremos a la comunidad la hora exacta prevista en la que se permitirá que los automóviles ingresen al campus para ser recogidos. Tenga en cuenta que este horario puede ajustarse durante los primeros días (esperamos que permita la recogida aún más temprana) a medida que optimizamos la nueva rutina. Una vez que los autobuses hayan salido, ambas entradas al campus se abrirán a los automóviles y usted podrá ingresar al campus y recoger a su(s) estudiante(s).
La escuela secundaria saldrá cuatro minutos antes. Una vez que los autobuses se hayan retirado, los padres podrán estacionarse en el circuito de autobuses y los estudiantes ya no cruzarán la calle.
TENGA EN CUENTA: Esto significa que, si llega temprano, habrá espacio muy limitado para que los autos se alineen y esperen, ya que no podrá ingresar temprano al campus. Anticipamos una curva de aprendizaje para todos nosotros en este punto del plan y nos ajustaremos según sea necesario. Agradecemos a la policía de Bedford por su aporte y asistencia mientras manejamos el tráfico inicial que puede llegar al campus antes de que salgan los autobuses, y agradecemos a los padres por hacer todo lo posible para no llegar demasiado temprano.
Recojo a mi hijo a la salida todos los días y tenemos un horario apretado. ¿Este nuevo proceso me obligará a retomar mucho más tarde de lo que lo hago ahora?
Una vez que todos nos acostumbremos a la nueva rutina, pronosticamos que podrá recoger a sus estudiantes unos minutos antes de lo que lo hace ahora.
He aquí por qué: debido a que no se permitirá el ingreso de automóviles al campus entre la salida y el momento en que salgan los autobuses, podemos alinear los autobuses entre la escuela secundaria y la escuela intermedia, y hacer que todos los estudiantes caminen de manera segura hasta sus autobuses a la vez. Esto nos permite tener una hora de salida del autobús, no dos, como lo hace el proceso actual. Tener una sola “ola” hará que el proceso de salida de los autobuses sea más fluido, seguro y rápido, y anticipamos que los autobuses podrán salir unos minutos antes de lo que lo hacen actualmente.
Además, los miembros del personal que actualmente gestionan el tráfico de estudiantes y automóviles fuera de los edificios se moverán dentro de los edificios, ayudando a monitorear a los estudiantes y animándolos a moverse rápidamente hacia los autobuses, haciendo que la transición entre el edificio y el autobús también sea más rápida.
¿Cómo cambiará para mí el proceso de entrega por la mañana?
El proceso de entrega por la mañana no cambiará, ya que el campus no estará cerrado hasta el comienzo real del día escolar.
Tengo un estudiante de último año. ¿Se le permitirá seguir entrando y saliendo durante el día, ya que actualmente las personas mayores disfrutan de ese privilegio?
Sí, las personas mayores seguirán teniendo ese privilegio. El único cambio para ellos será que, durante el día escolar, se bloqueará la entrada al campus cerca de la escuela secundaria. Tendrán que entrar y salir por la entrada principal del campus de Fox Lane y deberán mostrar una identificación para regresar al campus.
