District Policies and Programs
Hemet Unified School District Safe and Healthy Students District Policies
The Governing Board recognizes that students and staff have the right to a safe and secure campus where they are free from physical and psychological harm. The Board is fully committed to maximizing school safety and to creating a positive learning environment that includes strategies for violence prevention and high expectations for student conduct, responsible behavior, and respect for others.
To promote student safety and contribute to the maintenance of a positive school climate, the Governing Board encourages the development of school-based conflict resolution program designed to help students learn constructive ways of handling conflict. The Board believes that such programs can reduce violence and promote communication, personal responsibility and problem-solving skills among students. Conflict resolution strategies shall be considered as part of each school's comprehensive safety plan and incorporated into other district discipline procedures as appropriate. Conflict resolution programs shall not supplant the authority of staff to take appropriate action as necessary to prevent violence, ensure student safety, maintain order in the school, and institute disciplinary measures.
The Governing Board recognizes the harmful effects of bullying on student learning and school attendance and desires to provide safe school environments that protect students from physical and emotional harm. District employees shall establish student safety as a high priority and shall not tolerate bullying of any student. No individual or group shall, through physical, written, verbal, or other means, harass, sexually harass, threaten, intimidate, retaliate, cyberbully, cause bodily injury to, or commit hate violence against any student or school personnel. Cyberbullying includes the creation or transmission of harassing communications, direct threats, or other harmful texts, sounds, or images on the Internet, social media, or other technologies using a telephone, computer, or any wireless communication device. Cyberbullying also includes breaking into another person's electronic account and assuming that person's identity in order to damage that person's reputation.
The Governing Board desires to enhance student learning by providing an orderly, caring, and nurturing educational and social environment in which all students can feel safe and take pride in their school and their achievements. The school environment should be characterized by positive interpersonal relationships among students and between students and staff.
The Governing Board recognizes the link between student health and learning and desires to provide a comprehensive program promoting healthy eating and physical activity for district students. The Superintendent or designee shall coordinate and align district efforts to support student wellness through health education, physical education and activity, health services, nutrition services, psychological and counseling services, and a safe and healthy school environment. In addition, the Superintendent or designee shall develop strategies for promoting staff wellness and for involving parents/guardians and the community in reinforcing students' understanding and appreciation of the importance of a healthy lifestyle.
The Governing Board believes that the use of alcohol or other drugs adversely affects a student's ability to achieve academic success, is physically and emotionally harmful, and has serious social and legal consequences. The Board desires to keep district schools free of alcohol and other drugs in order to help prevent violence, promote school safety and create a well-disciplined environment conducive to learning.
The Superintendent or designee shall develop, implement and evaluate a comprehensive prevention and intervention program that is coordinated with other school and community-based services and programs. The district's program shall be scientifically based and designed to prevent or reduce alcohol or other drug use and the possession and distribution of illegal drugs. It shall include primary prevention activities such as decision-making skills and conflict management, instruction, referral to a rehabilitation program, enforcement/discipline, activities that promote the involvement of parents/guardians and coordination with appropriate community agencies and organizations.
The Governing Board recognizes the serious health risks presented by tobacco use and any form of nicotine delivery devices and desires to ensure that, through adoption of consistent policies, district students are made aware of those risks and, to the extent possible, protected from them. The Superintendent or designee shall establish a coordinated school health system which includes a comprehensive behavioral health education component that teaches students the knowledge, skills, and attitudes they need in order to lead healthy lives and avoid high-risk behaviors, such as tobacco use and any form of the use of nicotine delivery devices.
The Superintendent or designee shall provide prevention, intervention, and cessation education, information, activities, and/or referrals to district students and shall ensure consistent enforcement of district policies prohibiting student possession and use of tobacco products and other nicotine delivery devices.
The Governing Board recognizes that smoking and other uses of tobacco and nicotine products constitute a serious public health hazard and are inconsistent with district goals to provide a healthy environment for students and staff. The Board prohibits the use of tobacco products at any time in district-owned or leased buildings, on district property, and in district vehicles. This prohibition applies to all employees, students, and visitors at any school-sponsored instructional program, activity, or athletic event held on or off district property. Any written joint use agreement governing community use of district facilities or grounds shall include notice of the district's tobacco-free schools policy and consequences for violations of the policy.
The products prohibited include any product containing tobacco or nicotine, including, but not limited to, cigarettes, cigars, miniature cigars, smokeless tobacco, snuff, chew, clove cigarettes, betel, electronic cigarettes, electronic hookahs, and other vapor-emitting devices, with or without nicotine content, that mimic the use of tobacco products.
This policy does not prohibit the use or possession of prescription products and other cessation aids that have been approved by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration, such as nicotine patch or gum.
Smoking or use of any tobacco-related products and disposal of any tobacco-related waste is/are prohibited within 25 feet of any playground, except on a public sidewalk located within 25 feet of the playground. In addition, any form of intimidation, threat, or retaliation against a person for attempting to enforce this policy is prohibited.