Safety & Security

For safety and security purposes, all exterior doors, except those serving the school offices, remain locked before and during school hours.

All visitors to campus are required to show ID and sign in at a school office.

Horizon Honors Schools uses the Raptor Visitor Management System to strengthen campus safety for our entire community. Part of keeping our community safe is knowing who is in our buildings at all times, and the Raptor system allows us to do that.  The Raptor system also allows us to screen visitors in our schools and provide us with a safer environment for our students and staff.

For safety and identification purposes, all staff members and students in Grades 7–12 are required to wear a lanyard and school-issued ID while on campus.

Staff utilize a mobile app and/or electronic key card to access campus doors. The system allows access to be limited depending on the staff member's role on campus, and to limit access instantly should a card be lost or stolen.

Cameras are positioned throughout our campus for safety and to ensure any disciplinary issues are resolved quickly.

Our staff members receive ongoing training in emergency operations planning to ensure they are prepared to respond effectively in a variety of situations. This training helps staff understand procedures, roles, and expectations so they can act quickly and confidently to support student and campus safety.

In addition, the Emergency Operations Planning Committee meets monthly to review safety policies, develop staff trainings, and support overall safety planning across the school. This team works collaboratively to evaluate procedures, address emerging needs, and ensure our emergency planning remains current and effective.

It is important to routinely practice safety procedures with all community members in the event of an emergency. Information about the drill is communicated to students in an age-appropriate way, with teachers paying special attention not to alarm younger students.

These drills include fire drills and lockdown drills and are part of our ongoing commitment to campus safety.

Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) are life-saving devices used to help someone experiencing sudden cardiac arrest by delivering an electric shock to restore a normal heart rhythm. AEDs are designed to be easy to use and provide step-by-step voice instructions for responders. Many Horizon Honors staff members are trained on how to use AEDs.

On our campus, AEDs are located in the following locations:

• Gym
• Multi-Purpose Room
• Breezeway adjacent to the Elementary Playground and Horizon Honors Field
• Portable AEDs are available for use during athletic activities.

Narcan (naloxone) is a medication used to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose and can restore normal breathing in a life-threatening emergency. It is safe, easy to administer, and designed for use by trained responders.

Narcan is available in our Health Offices as part of our commitment to student and staff safety and emergency preparedness.

The Horizon Honors Health Office staff addresses health emergencies, illnesses or injuries that occur during the school day, and supports students in managing their health while on campus. The Health Office is not a clinic and cannot diagnose illness. The goal of the Health Office is to return students to class as quickly as possible, or place students in the care of a parent, guardian or emergency contact within one hour.

Elementary School Health Office
Student Hours:  9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
(480) 659-3112
health@horizonhonors.org

Secondary School Health Office
Student Hours: 9 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.
(480) 659-3046
health@horizonhonors.org

Health Office Coordinator
(480) 659-3012
health@horizonhonors.org

The Health Office staff is available for emergencies and parent communications from 7:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on regular school days and 7:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. on early release days.

For more information on Health Office policies, view the Health Services area of the Family Handbook.

If a student becomes ill or needs to be picked up due to an emergency, Horizon Honors staff members will contact the student’s designated emergency contacts.

It is essential that families keep all emergency contact information up to date and ensure that listed contacts understand their responsibility to respond promptly if called. Contact the school immediately when there is an update. Accurate and current contact information helps us provide timely care and ensures students can be safely released when needed.
 

STAY HOME.
STAY INFORMED.
BE READY.

In an emergency, remember that students are our top priority. Trust that we are first doing what is needed to protect your child. Only after the immediate danger has passed will we communicate with available information.

In the event of an emergency, Horizon Honors will communicate with families the following ways (via ParentSquare):

• Automated phone message
• Automated email
• Automated text message

Important Reminders:

• Please do NOT attempt to communicate via phone, text or email with your child or the schools during a school emergency. In an emergency, older students with mobile phones may be allowed to text family members with teacher permission and when it's safe to do so.
• Trust information from ourParentSquare alerts. Avoid rumors or gossip.
• Please do not attempt to pick up your child from school during an emergency. We understand the strong desire to be with your child, but it is essential to keep roads and buildings clear for emergency personnel. Once it is safe and we receive direction from emergency responders, we will begin the family reunification process, which may take place at an alternate location.
• Specific actions may be required of parents, guardians, or emergency contacts. Follow the directions sent by Horizon Honors.

Horizon Honors Schools uses the Raptor Visitor Management System to strengthen campus safety for our entire community. Part of keeping our community safe is knowing who is in our buildings at all times, and the Raptor system allows us to do that.  The Raptor system also allows us to screen visitors in our schools and provide us with a safer environment for our students and staff.

For all visitors to campus during school hours:

• Upon entering a Horizon Honors School Office, a visitor will need to present a driver’s license or other U.S. government issued ID. Please plan to ALWAYS have your driver's license/ U.S. government issued ID with you when you visit campus.
• The Raptor system will check to ensure that registered sexual offenders are not entering our school campuses without our knowledge.  The Raptor system checks the visitor's name and date of birth for comparison with a national database of registered sex offenders.  The registered sex offender database is the only official database checked by the Raptor system.  No other data from the ID is gathered or recorded and the information is not shared with any outside agency.
• Once entry is approved, Raptor will issue a badge that identifies the visitor, the date, and the purpose of his/her visit.  A visitor’s badge will not be necessary for those who visit our schools simply to drop off an item in the office or conduct front office business.
• The next time a visitor comes to campus that has already been processed in the Raptor system, he/she may use the self-serve kiosk to sign in with a driver's license/ U.S. government issued ID and print a visitor badge.
• All visitors who leave campus prior to 3:45 p.m. must return to an office and check out via the self-serve kiosk. 

If you are a parent escorting your Elementary School student to a classroom before school begins, you do NOT need to check in at the office. However, if you plan to be on campus after drop off, you must check in at the office.

KC-2450    KI
POLICY

VISITORS TO SCHOOLS

The Executive Director shall establish school-visit procedures for the control of persons other than school personnel or students who enter School premises.  Such procedures shall permit full use of all legal means to ensure that students, employees, and School property are properly safeguarded.  No person, other than one who is a peace officer or one who has obtained specific authorization from the appropriate School administrator, shall carry or possess a weapon on school grounds.  

No visit, tour or observation shall be permitted if it threatens the health and  safety of the pupils and staff. 

Parent and Prospective Parent Visitors 

The Executive Director shall develop procedures to allow for visits, tours and  observations of all classrooms by parents of enrolled pupils and parents who  wish to enroll their children in the School. See Regulation KI-R. 

Parent and prospective parent visit, tour and observation policies shall be  easily accessible from the home page of the School’s website. 

KC-2451    KI - R 
REGULATION                                                                    
 
VISITORS TO SCHOOLS

Parents of enrolled pupils and parents who wish to enroll their children in the  School may visit, tour and observe the School and classrooms. Visitors, including parents and parents of prospective pupils,  must follow the school’s procedures for scheduling visits, tours or  observations. The School may discontinue visits, tours, and observations if  such events threaten the health and safety of the pupils and staff. 

All visitors to any school must report to the school office upon arrival. 

For those who wish to visit a classroom during the school day, the visitor must contact the administrator in advance to arrange a day and time for such visit. Conflicts with the School  schedule shall be avoided. 

In visiting a classroom, the teacher's first  responsibility is to the class as a whole, and the teacher will be unable to  converse at any length with the visitor. If a conference is desired,  arrangements will be made by the teacher for an appointment with the parent  either before or after school hours. 

No person may enter onto School premises, including visits or audits to a  classroom or other school activity, without approval by the  administrator. Neither will any person be allowed to conduct or attempt to  conduct any activity on school premises that has not had prior approval by  the School administrator. 

Anyone who is not a student or staff member of the School, and is in violation  of this policy, may be asked to leave the property of the School. Failure to  comply with the lawful directions of School officials or of School security  officers or any other law enforcement officers acting in performance of their  duties, and failure to identify oneself to such officials or officers when lawfully  requested to do so, will be against School regulations. Failure to obey such  instructions may subject the person to criminal proceedings applicable under  law.

In order to receive emergency communications from Horizon Honors, families should check contact information on file annually, and contact the school immediately when there is an update.

Please review our COVID-19 Operations & Protocols for details.

Our pets are members of our family! However, please remember that school policy only allows for service animals on campus. Please leave your pet family members at home. We appreciate your cooperation. Thank you!

IC-8550    
ANIMALS IN SCHOOLS

The Executive Director may establish procedures for appropriately and humanely bringing live animals into a classroom.  Such procedures shall forbid the transporting of live animals on school buses.

Seeing-eye and service dogs are permitted on school buses and in classrooms to perform the functions for which they are trained.  A dog's laminated identification card may be requested for verification.

Pets and other animals are not permitted on School property, or in School vehicles, unless the animal is a service animal or is present for an educational purpose by written approval from the Executive Director or administrator.