School Safety
When you send your child to school, you should feel confident that they are in a safe environment. At Aspen View Academy, we prioritize the safety of our students and staff above all else. The Admin Team works tirelessly to develop and to maintain comprehensive safety protocols and training for our students and faculty, and we continually assess and update these protocols to ensure that AVA maintains the highest level of security at the school.
We take every step necessary to ensure the safety and well-being of our students, staff, and visitors. We are vigilant in our efforts to keep our environment safe and secure.
Some of the safety protocols we have in place at AVA:
- Aspen View Academy is a closed campus. Students are not permitted to leave campus without being signed out by a parent, guardian, authorized adult, or a signed note with written parental/guardian permission to walk or bike home.
- All exterior doors are kept locked
- All visitors are required to sign-in at the Front Office. Visitors must present a copy of a current photo ID (usually a driver's license) which is scanned into and verified against a nationwide offender database.
- All staff are trained in emergency response protocols
- We practice fire drills monthly and lockdown drills multiple times throughout the school year
- Most staff are certified in CPR and First Aid
- AVA has an AED (automatic external defibrillator) in the school and staff are trained to use it
- AVA has a stop the bleed kit in the school
- We have panic buttons that will alert local police immediately
- The school is equipped with 79 security cameras.
- The Admin Team receives Safe2Tell reports and all are investigated
- Our mental health staff is trained to perform student threat assessments
- AVA has three school counselors and a school psychologist to meet the mental health needs of our students
- AVA has a full-time school resource officer dedicated only to our school.
AVA SRO (School Resource Officer)
Aspen View Academy is fortunate to have our very own School Resource Office (SRO) full-time in our school. Our SRO, Marcos Whyte, is a Castle Rock Police Department Officer who works closely with our school community to promote safety and security.
Aspen View Academy is fortunate to have our very own School Resource Office (SRO) full-time in our school. Our SRO, Marcos Whyte, is a Castle Rock Police Department Officer who works closely with our school community to promote safety and security.
The SRO builds positive relationships with students, staff, and parents to foster trust and understanding. They enforce laws and school rules to ensure a safe and orderly learning environment. Additionally, the SRO educates students about online safety, drug prevention, and other important topics. In case of emergencies or threats, the SRO is trained to respond swiftly and effectively. Parents and students are encouraged to approach the SRO with any concerns or questions. The SRO is often seen around campus, visiting classrooms, and participating in school events to maintain a visible presence and further strengthen the school community. By working together, we can create a safe and supportive learning environment for all.
You can reach Officer Whyte by sending an email to: [email protected]
Raptor Visitor Management System
Visitors walking into Aspen View Academy, whether to volunteer or spend some time with their child, are required to provide a government-issued ID or Driver's License before entering the building. We use the Raptor Visitor Management System to check in visitors to the building. This system scans government-issued IDs or the driver’s license of building visitors upon their arrival. The Raptor system runs the information gathered against a database of registered sex offenders from all 50 states, to ensure the safety of our students.
Anyone visiting classrooms, joining kids for lunch, or attending a meeting or event at the school must provide a driver’s license or ID to the front office staff. The system will run a quick check, and provide a sticker that includes the visitor’s name, ID photo, and the date and time of the visit.
If a match is found in the sexual predator database during an ID check, school administrators and local law enforcement will be able to act appropriately to keep students and staff safe. The system does not run a background check against other databases, and the information collected will only be used for school purposes. Information will not be shared with any outside organizations.
One of the benefits of this system for frequent visitors is that their information will be available during their next visit.
Emergency Situations
AVA follows the DCSD’s School Safety and Security guidelines or the “ I love you guys” Standard Response Protocol page.
In the event of an emergency, parents will be contacted via email and/or phone. Please avoid coming to the school until you’ve been instructed to do so. It is possible that, during a crisis in the neighborhood, you will not be able to enter the school building if it compromises the safety of the children during a lockdown or lock out.
Please DO NOT call the school directly during an emergency as this will tie up phone lines and prevents important inbound or outbound calls with emergency personnel. Communication will go out as soon as it is safe to do so.
Emergency Communications
It is critical that your contact information is up-to-date in Infinite Campus (aka Parent Portal). That is the information used for Emergency Messaging. Please see this page on the DCSD website for more information.
