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School Safety

Whitney Public School (RPS) is committed to making our learning environment safe for students and staff. Click on a link below to learn more about our security and safety procedures:

If you have any questions about our safety policies and procedures, you can contact us.

Safe Arrival Check

As part of our safe arrival check:

  • Parents/guardians should ensure that the school office has updated addresses and telephone contact numbers including at least one additional emergency contact name and number.
  • If your child is absent, please call the main office (an answering service is available 24 hours a day).
  • If a student is not present or accounted for, our automated system will call you. This policy is not a guarantee of safety and is only effective if parents keep the office informed of absences and if updated contact numbers are available.

Visitor Check-in

  • All visitors, including parents, are to report to the office and sign in.
  • Parents who wish to pick up their child during the day must also sign into the office.
  • If you are picking up your child, instruct him/her to meet you at the office at the appropriate time.
  • If you are making alternate pick up arrangements for your child, please send a note in your child's agendaor call the office before 2:30 p.m.
  • Plan your child's pick up with nutrition/activity breaks to avoid interruption of student learning. See bell timesfor more information.
  • Parents/visitors should remain in the office and wear a visitor's name tag. Visitors are not permitted on the yard, as supervising staff may not be aware of the circumstances surrounding your visit.

Building Access

  • For safety reasons, our school building is locked during school hours.
  • If you wish access to our building, you must ring the doorbell/video monitor located on the wall to the right of our main doors (near the parking lot). You will be admitted after visual contact has been made by office staff.
  • Front doors are locked during the school day.
  • Access to all other entrances is restricted.
  • Parents/guardians are asked to accompany their child to the office if he/she is arriving after classes begin. Students should obtain a late slip to give to their teacher.

Lockdown Safety Drills

At Whitney, we take the responsibility of protecting our students and staff very seriously. As part of our Emergency Response Plan and consistent with the Renfrew County District Board of Education (RCDSB) policy, staff and students participate in lockdown safety drills. The drills are developed in conjunction with Constable B. Ethier, Community Liaison Officer, of the Ontario Provincial Police.

In a lockdown:

  • Students and staff are directed to secure areas where doors can be locked and students are kept out of sight.
  • No one may leave their secure area until they receive an "all clear" from the authorities.
  • A lockdown is used when it is suspected that an intruder has entered the school and poses a threat to the safety of our students and staff.
  • Parents/guardians play an important role in school safety by talking to their child about what to do in the event of a crisis. Parents should discuss the procedures below with their child and encourage him/her to stay calm in an emergency situation.

As part of our lockdown safety drills:

  • Teachers explain to students the procedure which each class will follow.
  • Following an announcement indicating the beginning of our lockdown, all classroom doors are shut, window blinds are drawn, and staff and students quietly wait in their classrooms in a position away from windows and doors.
  • As is presented in the policy, the fire alarm may be pulled during this exercise.
  • All students, staff and visitors remain within their classes until provided with the 'all clear' signal.
  • Constable Ethier provides assistance during our drill.
  • Contingency plans are reviewed if a class is outside of the classroom during a drill (i.e. library or gymnasium)

Code of Conduct

Safety is an important component of the RCDSB's code of conduct. Please read our school's code of conduct or RCDSB's Administrative Procedure 140 - Code of Conduct for additional information.

Character Education

RPS is engaged in character education which promotes a safe, caring learning environment. Visit character education for further details.