School and District Policy Highlights

Note: all applicable District policies can be found online at BoardDocs.

Personal Safety CIBB

The Dresden School Board is committed to providing a learning and working environment which ensures the personal safety of all its members. Students and staff of the Dresden School have a right to remain safe from violence and intimidation. Physical or verbal intimidation, harassment, hazing, bullying, verbal abuse, or physical assault of any person will not be tolerated. All cases of simple assault, as defined by NH Statute 631:2-a and Vermont Statute 1023, which cause bodily injury will be reported to the police.

This policy is in effect in school, on school grounds, on school transportation, and at school-sponsored functions. As required by NH Statute 193-D:8, a written record of any incident involving suspension, expulsion, or delinquent / criminal acts, theft, destruction, or violence which have occurred on these sites will be kept and will be part of a student’s complete school record.

Each school will develop and publicize age-appropriate procedures to respond to bullying, intimidation, or physical assault. These responses will hold students accountable for their behavior and help students learn alternatives to resolving conflict through violence.

The school will report the theft of school property to the Hanover Police. Thefts of personal property will not normally be reported unless the parents/guardians request otherwise. The school will notify parents in all cases of theft.

No employee, student, or other person other than a law enforcement officer shall possess a dangerous weapon on school property, on a school bus, or at any school-sponsored event. Cases involving serious assault will be reported to the Dresden School Board.

RMS students are members of a school community. ​School responses to violent acts are designed to help students understand that:

• as a community standard, violence and abusive language or behaviors are not acceptable;
• their behaviors in school are public and as such affect others; and
• there are alternatives to violence for resolving interpersonal conflicts.

Depending on the severity of an incident which occurs, the principal will determine whether to:

• remove the student from regular school activities for the remainder of the school day and/or while the incident is being investigated;
• contact the student’s parents;
• contact police; or
• refer the student to a school counselor.

Incidents which result in suspension or expulsion must be included in the student’s file as required by NH law. Interested parties will find more on the district’s Safe School Zone/Discipline Policy (JICD) and Memorandum of Understanding with the Hanover Police Department (JICD-Exhibit A) on BoardDocs.