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Safety Concern

Safety Concern

Welcome!

Thank you for visiting our web page. We appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts with us.

Please take a few minutes to look through the tabs on the information on this page to find out what next steps may be most helpful to address your concern.

When Ferndale students, staff, or others are impacted by misbehavior or safety concerns, we determine the most appropriate response, as determined by Washington state laws and our district policies. Our goal is to support the impacted student(s) and provide instruction and accountability for the student who has displayed the behavior. Federal and state laws require public schools to provide a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) for all students amid these situations, and our response is based on the specific details of each incident.

Our district discipline policies and protocols align with OSPI’s guidance and we strive to address impactful behaviors with the most appropriate response possible. This response may involve discipline, reteaching, behavior plans, safety planning, referrals for a HIB or Title IX complaint, as well as collaboration with law enforcement and other services.

For example, mistreatment may not fall within HIB or Title IX definitions but may still need a disciplinary response and/or reteaching skills so the behavior does not continue to impact others in negative ways.   

If you believe someone is unsafe at school or is creating an unsafe environment for others, the best way to report it is at your school, with your principal.

IF YOU WANT TO KEEP YOUR IDENTITY PRIVATE, WE STILL WANT TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR CONCERN. THE MORE INFORMATION WE HAVE, THE MORE EFFECTIVELY WE ARE ABLE TO RESPOND.

1. Share Details. It is OK if you don't feel that you have all the information, but share as many details as you know:

  • Who was involved?
  • What occurred?
  • Where did it happen?
  • When it happened (day of the week, date, morning, afternoon, or time)?
  • How often it happened?

2. Direct us to the people you believe to have first-hand knowledge of the situation, activity, or behavior that is concerning to you:

  • Use first and last names of witnesses or students involved if you know them
  • If you do not know names, give us an age, a grade or any physical descriptors that might lead us to the right people.
     

A blue background with a yellow circle and text that reads 'IMPORTANT NOTE'.

A hand cursor points to a yellow button with the text 'Submit a Safety Concern Tip Here'.

Safety Concern Tip

Safety is the number one priority in all Ferndale School District schools. Each reported safety tip will be sent to the appropriate district personnel and building principal.

If you or someone you know is in immediate danger please contact 911.

Our Vector Alert safety alert system allows users to easily report tips on items such as:

  • Drugs
  • Suicidal thoughts
  • Weapon on campus
  • Threat to campus and/or person
  • Vandalism
  • Fighting
  • Crime
  • or any other safety issue*

Tips can be submitted via the button below by website submission form, email, or text message. Every tip submitted to Vector Alert is logged and sent to district administrators. 

*Please note that this is not a comprehensive list of safety issues. If you feel you or someone's safety is in danger, even if the reason is not listed above, please report the issue using the button below or call 911.

A yellow button with text prompts users to submit a harassment, bullying, or intimidation report.

Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying Tip (HIB)

There are three key indicators that help school administrators determine if an incident violates Policy 3207P.

  1. Repeated - Is the behavior ongoing or taking place over a period of time? 
  2. Intentional -  Is the behavior targeted at an individual or group of students?
  3. Power Imbalance - Does the individual have influence over other students? Are they in a position of influence/leadership?

It is important to note, that an incident is not required to have all of these characteristics in order to constitute a HIB violation, if you are unsure you should always report anyway and let your school administrator decide.

As examples, the following are scenarios that would violate Policy 3207P.

  • Harassment - A student is making racist comments to me in math class, and won’t stop even though I have asked them to. This has been going on for three weeks.
  • Bullying - Someone told all of my friends to stop talking to me and keeps spreading rumors about me. They said that the only way they will stop the rumors is if I send inappropriate pictures of myself to them.
  • Intimidation - Every day at lunch someone steals something from my lunch and says if I tell anyone they are going to beat me up. You are now afraid to attend school.