Safety FAQs

Every year Barrington 220 works hard to improve safety and security measures across the district. Below are some of the measures the district has taken in recent years: 

• All schools have electronic door systems and vestibules that require an identification card to enter.
• Entryway doors and windows are covered by a protective film that makes it more difficult to shatter the glass. 
• During the 2018-19 school year, the district created a new position, Director of Safety & Security, which oversees safety and security measures at all schools across the district.
• All doors have a universal key system that allows teachers to lock the door from inside their classrooms, rather than having to go out in the hallway where they could potentially put themselves at risk in a crisis situation.
• Every vehicle used to transport students has cameras, and parents and staff can track the location of school buses, using an app connected to a GPS device on the bus. Information tablets are also installed in all buses that include routing and student information.
• During the 2019-20 school year, the district purchased a new radio communication system, which has improved radio coverage at each school, allowing administrators at different schools to communicate with one another via radio during an emergency. It also gives the district the ability to use an emergency call button that is connected to local dispatch centers.
• All Barrington 220 classrooms are equipped with emergency backpacks, which contain life-saving supplies in the event first responders cannot evacuate the building right away and students and staff are required to remain in their classrooms. 
• All mobile classrooms at BMS-Prairie Campus, BMS-Station Campus, and Grove Avenue Elementary have been eliminated as part of the district's Build 220 initiative. The elimination of the mobile classrooms greatly improves safety at those schools, as students no longer have to exit the main building to get to class. 
• The high school and both middle schools each have a School Resource Officer (SRO) stationed on campus. The SRO is a member of the Barrington Police Department. These School Resource Officers help to enhance security measures at schools and build relationships with students in order to create environments where students feel supported.
• As part of the Build 220 projects, Barrington 220 installed a new camera system and access door control system in each of our schools. The new software makes it much easier for our security team to monitor who is entering and exiting each building at any given time throughout the day. If a door is left open for any reason, the security team is alerted immediately. The camera system is also able to quickly sort through hours of video, which can help us quickly locate a specific person in our buildings simply by entering some of the person’s physical descriptions.
• Each school building has a secure vestibule at the main entrance. In the past, once an individual entered a building the person could move freely through the building. The secure vestibules give schools the ability to compartmentalize their building on demand. This would restrict a person from moving throughout the building, while still providing egress (the ability to evacuate) to any student or staff member.

Barrington 220 abides by the Illinois School Safety Act, which requires students to participate in four types of drills on an annual basis. They include school evacuation, bus evacuation, severe weather and law enforcement during crisis situations. During the crisis situation drill, the school district partners with law enforcement to teach students and staff how to lock-down the classroom and the “Run, Hide, Fight” model, which is based on recommendations from the Department of Homeland Security and the Barrington Police Department. Our staff also periodically works with local law enforcement to conduct drills, during institute days when students are not in school.

STAY CALM AND STAY ALERT

In the event of a school emergency, please remain calm and know that school staff, district personnel and law enforcement are working to keep your child safe. Barrington 220 fully understands the importance of communication during an emergency and we are prepared and committed to provide ongoing updates throughout the situation. Based on the situation, Barrington 220 may provide information via text, emails, phone calls, district social media and the district website. Please know that the media will not always report accurate information. In addition, we know that during a school emergency many of our students will try to call or text their parents/guardians. If this occurs, we ask that you stay calm and reassuring. Encourage your student to follow the directions of school staff. 

STAY AWAY FROM THE SCHOOL

We understand your desire to go to the school and the need to see your child, especially in a situation that feels scary. However, arriving at the scene before it is secure can interfere with the emergency response and puts you in danger. Past school emergencies have shown that one of the greatest challenges is how to manage the number of parents and concerned citizens rushing to the scene. By rushing to the school, parents can unintentionally create traffic jams that may block emergency responders from getting to the school or leaving if necessary to transport injured students or staff to emergency medical facilities. Families should not come to pick up their child unless given the direction to do so from Barrington 220.

KEEP PHONE LINES OPEN

We ask that families do not call the school. This allows phone lines to stay open for communication with emergency personnel and school officials. It also helps school staff to remain focused on the safety of their students. The school/district will communicate any information with you as soon as possible via Infinite Campus emails, text messages, district website and social media. 

DO NOT CALL THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OR 911

The police department will be dealing with the school emergency and the dispatch line must remain open for any other emergencies that could occur in the community. Calling to ask what is going on at the school will only take away from the dispatcher being available to handle other emergencies, while also interrupting communication with the police on site at the school where the emergency is taking place.

STUDENT PHONE NUMBERS

If your student has a mobile phone, please make sure to provide your student’s number during Online Registration in Infinite Campus, so that the district can send text alerts to your child’s phone during an emergency situation. 

CHECK YOUR INFINITE CAMPUS SETTINGS

Please check your settings in Infinite Campus to make sure you are signed up to receive emergency notifications. If you need help, call the Infinite Campus hotline at (847) 842-3580. 

BE PREPARED WITH YOUR PHOTO ID

In the event of a school evacuation, Barrington 220 will follow a standard reunification plan to ensure students are safely returned to their families. The district will communicate the reunification site. During a reunification, families and/or individuals listed as an authorized person to pick up your child should do the following:

• Bring valid form of identification (ID)
• Follow signage and parking directions of the reunification location
• Complete the provided reunification form
• Provide school personnel at the check-in table with a valid form of photo ID and the completed reunification form
• Wait patiently as a Barrington 220 staff member retrieves and escorts your student to you.
   

Please note that only approved adults with valid photo identification will be allowed to pick up students from the reunification location.

In addition to working with school counselors and conducting behavioral threat assessments, over the years we have developed several prevention and intervention methods. Barrington High School has the Green Dot Program, which is a national program that trains students and staff how to prevent power-based personal violence. The district frequently collaborates with BStrong Together, an organization that enhances the health and well-being of Barrington area children.
 
We have also created this “Safety 220" section on our website, where our stakeholders can go to report bullying, a threat to school safety, someone who is struggling with drug or alcohol abuse, depression, or other challenges. Reporting is done by visiting safe2helpil. You can also access Safe 2 Help by clicking on the "See Something, Say Something" button that is located on the right-hand side of all pages on our district website.  

Barrington 220 has a safety and security committee that meets regularly to discuss the best safety practices for our schools. The committee is made up of district administrators, Board of Education members, members of local law enforcement, and other first responders. The district also has a full-time school resource officer from the Barrington Police Department, who is stationed at Barrington High School. In addition, the district has a reciprocal information agreement with the Barrington Police Department, the South Barrington Police Department, and the Lake County Sheriff's Office. This means Barrington 220 can release student records to police when they request information pertaining to a case. The police department can also provide the district with access to its records for children under age 18.