Safety and Security

Camp Hill School District is committed to the safety and security of students, faculty, and visitors on its campus. In an effort to maintain vigilance in our security and preparedness measures, the following procedures have been outlined:

The School Board has promulgated policies requiring the development of an All-Hazards School Safety Plan for the Camp Hill School District. This All-Hazards comprehensive school safety plan covers the four areas of emergency management: mitigation/prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery.
A Threat Assessment Team has been established, and our staff and students have been trained on the resources made available, as well as proper threat reporting procedures.
All schools conduct emergency drills to prepare for various emergencies. Medical emergencies, shelter-in-place, fire evacuation, ALICE, and severe weather emergency drills take place on a regular basis throughout the year. These are also periodically practiced in cooperation with local emergency management personnel.
Entrances around our school buildings are secured during the school day. All visitors are required to enter at the main entrance and check-in at the main office. Visitors who will remain on campus will be required to wear a dated identification sticker. All school personnel are issued and will carry their District-assigned photo identification badge.
Blackboard Connect is a mass communication notification system used by both the District and Borough to notify parents, students, staff, and the community in the event of an emergency. Parents/Caregivers are enrolled in our Blackboard Connect system using the contact information in the Parent Portal of our Student Information System.

While the Camp Hill School District Administration recognizes the need for transparency in operations, we also recognize the need to designate certain critical emergency and safety procedures as secure and sensitive in nature. As a result, specific safety and security procedures and information will not be publicized as it could endanger the safety of our students and staff. Therefore, specific emergency plans will not be published here. We do encourage families to review the information in the Safety Measures & Drills tab below to understand how community cooperation and assistance will help the District and our students during an emergency.

The Camp Hill School District takes pride in being a walking and biking school district. We have a wonderful team of Crossing Guards spread throughout the Borough along our walking/biking routes to our schools. They are there to ensure the safety of our students and families before and after school. For safety information regarding walking or biking to school, please review the information in the Walking & Biking to School tab below.

The Camp Hill School District maintains regular communication with the Borough of Camp Hill's Police Department, the Cumberland County Department of Public Safety, the Center for Safe Schools, and local emergency management personnel, and participates in regular countywide Safe Schools meetings. If you have specific questions about the District's school safety efforts, please contact our District Safety and Security Coordinator, Ms. Sherri McNamara, at smcnamara@camphillsd.k12.pa.us or 717-901-2450 ext. 3961.

Safety and Security Staff

Ms. Sherri McNamara

Safety and Security Coordinator

Officer Joe Capers

School Resource Officer

Detective Gibbs

Community Resource Dog

Crossing Guards

Mr. Dave Beistline

Chestnut Street & 26th Street

Mr. Dave Heacock

Chestnut Street & 32nd Street

Ms. Jo Anne Mikus-Torres

Chestnut Street & 24th Street

Ms. Donna Deckard

Walnut Street & 21st Street

Ms. Linda Koppenhaver

Lincoln Street & 23rd Street

Mr. Joel Rapisarda

Dickinson Street & 24th Street

Mr. Jack Galan

Market Street & 24th Street

Mr. Edwardo Liwanag

Lenox Street & 21st Street

Mr. Andy Stewart

Market Street & 32nd Street

Information and Resources

Safety Measures & Drills

Safety Measures

The Camp Hill School District currently uses the following safety and security equipment and resources across our campuses.

Full-time School Resource Officer
Additional security coverage by Camp Hill Borough Police, INA Security Services, and School Event Staff during after-school events
Security cameras
Secure vestibules at each school campus
Enhanced visitor procedures including the implementation of the School Gate Guardian Visitor Management System at each school campus to check all school visitors against the National Sexual Offender database
Electronic keys at all buildings for access control
Emergency procedures and protective actions posted in all offices and classrooms
Fire alarm systems installed in all schools
CPR and AED trained staff across the District
Monthly fire drills and other regularly scheduled safety drills in partnership with local first responders
Safe 2 Say Something Anonymous Reporting System
Threat Assessment Team and Protocols to address school threats and at-risk students

Safety Drills

One of our top priorities at Camp Hill School District continues to be your child's safety. Therefore, we conduct multiple age-appropriate drills (i.e., fire, severe weather, intruder) throughout the year to prepare your child to respond more confidently in a real emergency. Through age-appropriate training and practicing for many different types of emergencies, your child will be as prepared as possible for any situation that may arise during the school day.

Parents/guardians should be aware that in the first ninety (90) days of school, each of our buildings will conduct an age-appropriate intruder drill. These safety drills will not significantly impact the school day. However, your child may wish to discuss their participation with you. When conducting drills, we will not disclose the drills' date, time, or location for security purposes. However, your child's building administration will communicate via our Schoology communications when this type of drill will occur a week before the exercise.

As part of our safety drill practice, Camp Hill School District utilizes the A.L.I.C.E. program (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate). The A.L.I.C.E. program has placed more tools in the hands of our faculty, staff, and students in the event of a violent critical incident. The A.L.I.C.E. program has provided our District with an enhanced approach to school safety.

Again, the safety of our students is our top priority. We encourage you to review the importance of our safety drills with your child at home. Below are some definitions of each of these drills.

Fire Drill/Evacuation - everyone will leave the building and move to a designated safe space due to unsafe conditions within the school building
Severe Weather Drill - everyone will shelter in place away from windows or exterior doors due to severe weather such as hurricanes, tornados, etc.
Intruder Drill - everyone will utilize the ALICE protocols to mitigate the threat of an individual who may be on school property or pose a threat to our school community

What Parents/Guardians Should Do in the Event of a School Emergency

Wait for information from the District. The latest information will be provided by phone, text, and email via the District’s messaging system (Blackboard Connect). The first priority of school and district personnel is to address the emergency at hand. You will be informed as soon as the information is available. If it is an ongoing event, updates will be provided as new information is available.
Try not to call the school. Telephone lines may be needed for emergency communication.
Do not go to the school, or evacuation site, until notified to do so. During extreme emergencies, students will be released only at designated locations at the school or evacuation site. It is important that no other pickup point be utilized (e.g., do not try to intercept your child on the street or go to your child’s classroom), as we need to be able to account for every child at all times. Please emphasize with your child the need to remain with school personnel until you arrive or somebody you authorize to pick up your child arrives.
Know that in the event of a serious emergency, students will be kept at their schools or evacuated to a prearranged alternate site. When the time comes to pick up students, only you or a responsible adult you have pre-identified (i.e., your child’s emergency contacts on file with the school) will be permitted to pick up your child.
Impress upon your child the need for them to follow directions of any school personnel in times of an emergency.

What Parents/Guardians Should Bring to the Reunification Site

Government issued photo identification card (driver’s license, passport)
Students will ONLY be released to parents, guardians or designated emergency contacts who have acceptable ID.

Visitor Procedures

The Camp Hill School District utilizes a visitor management system called School Gate Guardian at each school building. The system requires any visitor entering one of our District schools to provide us with their state-issued photo identification. The photo ID will be scanned and checked against the National Sexual Offender Database.

Please be sure to bring your photo ID with you when you plan to visit our schools.

Visitors who are cleared by our visitor management system will receive a printed ID badge that includes their photo and name. The badge is self-expiring and will be voided at the end of the day. At the conclusion of the visit, visitors must return to the main office of the school to scan their badge before exiting.

The process to scan an ID, run the check, and print a visitor’s badge takes approximately 1 minute to complete. The system does recognize return visitors once a state-issued photo ID has been scanned into the system.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is School Gate Guardian?
School Gate Guardian is a visitor management system that enhances school security by retrieving data from a visitor’s state-issued ID. The information is then compared with information from several databases including the national registered sex offender database and a locally stored database created by the district that could include parents or guardians with custody issues, restraining orders, or visitors that have been deemed a threat to students and staff.

Why has Camp Hill School District decided to implement this type of system?
Student safety is one of our highest priorities and the School Gate Guardian System can provide a consistent stream of information for tracking unwanted visitors in any of our facilities. Additionally, in the unlikely event that an incident would occur, police and other authorities will have access to these electronic visitor logs which have a photograph of the visitor as well as a date and time stamp of their entry and exit times.

What information is the School Gate Guardian retrieving from my Photo ID?
The only information required to perform the proper searches are the first name, last name, date-of-birth and the photo of the visitor. Any other information on the ID is ignored by the system. None of this data will be shared with any other company or organization other than law enforcement and this will only occur in the event of an incident.

Will every visitor need to go through the screening process?
Yes. All first-time visitors to any district school will be scanned by the School Gate Guardian System. The system does recognize return visitors once a state-issued photo ID has been scanned. A District staff member will enter the visitor's name into the system to verify identity before a badge is printed.

Does Camp Hill School District have the right to require visitors and parents to produce a state issued ID before entering school facilities?
Yes. We need to be certain who the visitors to our schools are, what the purpose of their visit is, who they are here to see, and if they have the authority or the right to have access to our facilities and students. We can only do this by performing the appropriate checks.

If a positive match does occur indicating a visitor is a registered sex offender, what procedures have the staff members been trained to do?
Our staff members have been trained to analyze each situation and respond professionally and discreetly. If a positive match is confirmed, our staff will take appropriate action based on their training and each individual circumstance.

What will happen when a visitor enters and leaves the school?

The visitor will hand their state-issued identification card to a District staff member, who will scan the ID through a card reader. The reader will gather necessary information which will then be run through the national sex offender database and the locally stored database.

If no matches are found, the staff member will print a visitor badge that includes the visitor’s name, photo, reason for visit and location of visit. The badge is self-expiring, meaning that within 12 hours of printing, the word "VOID" will bleed through to the front of the badge. This ensures visitors are not able to reuse their badge for future visits. If the visitor appears in the sexual offender database, a pop-up message will discreetly appear on the computer screen. Staff members have been trained in how to handle this situation.

Upon completion of the visit, the visitor must return to the office to scan the barcode on their badge, return their badge to a staff member, and then exit the building through the entrance.

Walking & Biking to School

Camp Hill School District encourages students to walk or bike to school. Walking and biking is a fun and healthy way to get to school, as long as you do it safely! Here are a some important tips for students and families.

Safe Walking

As you walk to school, remember these safety tips:

Walk on the sidewalk or a walking path. Where there is no sidewalk and you have to walk on the road, be sure to walk facing traffic.
Always walk when crossing the street, never run across the street to catch a ball or chase a toy, a friend, or a pet.
Darting out in front of a parked car is dangerous. The driver of the car coming down the street can’t see you.
Cross at corners and use crosswalks whenever possible; always stay within the lines of the crosswalk.
Never go for a walk with a stranger. Only walk with someone who your parents say is okay.
Be careful around parked cars; stop, look left, look right, and look left again before stepping out.

Safe Biking

As you bike to school, remember these safety tips:

When riding your bike to school, ALWAYS wear a helmet that is properly fitted.
Ride on the right side of the road in a single file line (one bike behind the other) in the same direction as other vehicles and come to a complete stop before crossing streets.
Walk your bike on school grounds and at all crosswalks.
Park and lock your bike in the bike racks located by the south parking lot or the bus loop.

Safe Crossing When Biking or Walking

Stop at the curb or the edge of the road (if there is no curb) before you cross.
Stop and look left, then right, then left again, turning your head to see over your shoulder for moving cars, before you step into the street.
Listen for the sound of car motors, car doors, sirens, and horns before you enter the street.
If you see a car, wait until it goes by. Then look left, right, left again until no cars are coming. Be aware that cars may not stop even if you have the right-of-way.
If a car is parked where you are crossing, look to make sure there is no driver and that the car is not running. DO NOT WALK OR RIDE BETWEEN PARKED CARS OR BUSES!
When no cars are coming, WALK-do not run-or ride across the road. Keep looking for cars while you are crossing.
Obey all traffic signs, signals and adult school crossing guards.

Safe Driving Throughout the Borough During School Hours

Respect the Borough’s crossing guards. They are there to help, keep everyone safe, and serve as a role model to our students on proper pedestrian safety.
Expect the unexpected. Look for children who may dart out between cars or cross mid-block without a crosswalk.
Slow down when approaching a crosswalk or intersection and stop at all stop signs.
Travel at a school zone speed of 15 mph or less.
Do NOT allow your student to exit a vehicle on N 21^st Street or in or around S 24^th & Dickinson Streets. Parents dropping their students off by vehicle need to use the identified drop off and pick up loops.
If driving your student to school, allow yourself enough time so there is no need to rush, and risk a senseless accident.
Be mindful not to block driveways and intersections, especially at the Hoover and Eisenhower drop off/pick up loops.
Please know that we continue to incorporate walking and biking safety into our classroom instruction.

CHSD Walking/Biking Routes

Safe 2 Say Something

As a result of Act 44 of 2018, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General has established the “Safe2Say Something” (S2SS) school safety anonymous tip program. The program went live and began accepting tips on January 14, 2019 through a tip line that is operated and monitored 24/7.

Safe2Say Something is a youth violence prevention program run by the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General. The program teaches students in Grades 6-12 and adults how to recognize warning signs and signals, especially within social media, from individuals who may be a threat to themselves or others and to “say something” BEFORE it is too late.

Here’s how it works:

The tipster submits an anonymous tip report through the Safe2SaySomething system.
The crisis center reviews, assesses, and processes all submissions.
The crisis center sends all submissions to school administration and/or law enforcement for intervention.
If needed, the crisis center may contact the tipster anonymously through the reporting tool.

How to Submit an Anonymous Tip

Visit the Safe2Say Something Website
Get the App
Call: 1-844-SAF2SAY (1-844-723-2729)

Resources for Parents

Safe2Say Information Overview
Safe2Say Parent Letter
Safe2Say Parent Brochure
Talking to Children About Violence: Tips for Parents & Teachers (From the National Association of School Psychologists)

School Resource Officer Program

The School Resource Officer (SRO) program is a collaborative effort between the District and the Camp Hill Borough Police Department aimed at fostering positive relationships between law enforcement and students. Launched in the beginning of the 2018-2019 school year, the District's SRO serves as a mentor, role model, and valuable resource within the school community. The program also provides a visible law enforcement presence, helping to ensure the safety of all members of our school community.

The District's SRO plays a multifaceted role within our schools:

Safety and Security
Mentoring and Education
Conflict Resolution
Education and Prevention
Community Engagement

School Resource Officer School Policing Fact Sheet

Threats & Threat Assessment

Threat Assessment Protocol

Per Act 18 of 2019, and Act 55 of 2022, the District has established a Threat Assessment Team comprised of school administrators, mental health professionals, special education teachers, the CHSD Safety & Security Coordinator and the School Resource Officer. This team is designed to assess and intervene with students whose behavior may indicate a threat to the safety of the student, other students, school employees, school facilities and the community. This team coordinates with law enforcement and outside services, when necessary, to ensure a safe outcome for all stakeholders. Team members are all trained in the utilization of Comprehensive Threat Assessment Guidelines derived from the University of Virginia’s Youth Violence Project.

A threat assessment process has been developed for assessing and intervening with students whose behavior may indicate a threat to the safety of the student, other students, school employees, school facilities, the community and others. Threats are concerning communications or behaviors that suggest a person may intend to harm themselves or someone else. These may be expressed or communicated behaviorally, orally, visually, in writing, electronically or through any other means. Threats can be either direct (directed toward a target) or indirect (communicated through a third party). Threats can also be deduced through an individual’s behavior.

Threats should be reported immediately to the building administrator when school is in session. When school is not in session, we encourage the use of the Safe2Say Platform, accessed online at www.safe2saypa.org, the downloadable app or at 1-844-SAF2SAY. If the threat is perceived to be imminent, call 911.

Below is a flowchart that illustrates how a threat is addressed by a Threat Assessment Team.

Parent Resources

School Safety and Drills Parent Resources

History of ALICE Video
School Safety and ALICE Webinar (From the National Association of School Resource Officers)
Talking to Kids About Fear and Violence (From Mental Health America of Colorado)
Talking to Children About Violence: Tips for Parents & Teachers (From the National Association of School Psychologists)

Safe 2 Say Something Parent Resources

Walking and Biking to School Parent Resources

One Parent to Another – Targets parents on how to teach their children the basics of safe walking.
Walk This Way – Teaches elementary school children safety tips when walking to and from school.
Why Walking Rules – Teaches middle school children safety tips when walking to and from school.
Close Call – Teaches young motorists how and why to safely operate a motor vehicle in relationship to pedestrians.
Before You Ride – Targets elementary school students and parents on such basics as bike selection, helmet fitting, bicycle safety checks, and securely parking a bike.
Basic Riding Skills – Describes essential riding skills, such as braking, balancing, turning, hand signals, and selecting safe travel routes to school to elementary school students and their parents.
Riding on the Road – Teaches middle school students and others learning to ride their bicycle on the road the rules of the road and demonstrates riding with traffic, yielding, stopping, turning, avoiding hazards, passing parked cars, and proper lane positioning.
Sharing the Road – Covers roadway positioning of cyclists, traffic and hand signals, safe turning, and cyclists' rights on the road to younger motorists, bicyclists, and others who are unfamiliar with existing bicycle laws. Also discusses how motorists and bicyclists can safely share the road.
Bicycle Laws – Demonstrates common offenses by both motorists and bicyclists and reviews common misconceptions of bicycle laws. Target audience is motorists, cyclists, and law enforcement officials.