Bobcat Bulletin
Thursday, April 15th, 2021
D140 Safety Drills
Safety is a top priority in Kirby School District 140. In an effort to make sure our students and staff understand what to do in the case of an emergency, we plan and practice several drills throughout the school year. We wanted you to be aware of the various drills so you can be prepared to discuss them with your child if the topic arises at home.
Three (3) fire drills to address and prepare students and school personnel for fire incidents. One of these three drills requires the participation of the local fire department or district.
One (1) bus evacuation drill for students who take the bus.
One (1) severe weather and shelter-in-place drill to address and prepare students and school personnel for possible tornado incidents.
One (1) law enforcement drill to address active threat incidents and to evaluate the preparedness of school personnel and students.
Though many of these drills were completed earlier in the school year, our local police and fire departments are recommending that we practice with our full in-person students during the fourth quarter.
Safe classrooms and work environments depend on our commitment to make emergency preparedness a top priority. We encourage you to engage in discussions with your child about school and community safety in an effort to be prepared to act in the event of an emergency.
Thank you for supporting our safety initiatives.
As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Bannes office.
Car rider arrival update
Thank you for your patience over the course of the last week as we welcomed back our in-person learners to a full day of school. I believe it's been going well and our procedures are back to pre-covid times. With that said, we have 3 fewer busses of students arriving and dismissing from Bannes each day. This means we have approximately 100-150 new car riders making the car rider line quite long. The Tinley Park Police Department was out yesterday and recommended a slight change.
The AM car rider line will begin dropping off students around the exit of the parking lot. We will place a sign at this point each morning. The AM dropoff will now mimic our PM pick-up. This will allow about 8-9 more cars to enter our lot and drop off each group.
Please remember the doors to the building open at 7:45 AM and school begins at 7:55 AM. If you can plan your arrival between 7:45 and 7:55 AM it will mean less wait time for you. I would suggest not arriving at Bannes before 7:40/7:45 AM. This will help alleviate some of the traffic on Odell Ave. for long periods of time.
Weather
Social Emotional Wellness
Times may be uncertain, but rest assured, we are here for you and your family. As we forge ahead together, please know we have resources to help. Do not hesitate to reach out to your Social/Emotional leaders at Bannes:
School Counselor
Rachel Jesiolowski
School Social Worker
Jacqueline Carruth
Crisis & Support Hotlines:
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255)
24/7 free & confidential support & crisis resources
Crisis Textline: text CONNECT to 741741
24/7 text message support for those in crisis.
Between Friends: 1-800-603-HELP (1-800-603-4357)
24/7 domestic violence crisis line
Call 4 Calm: Text “TALK” or “HABLAR” to 552-020
Free Emotional Support Text Line
Chicago Rape Crisis Hotline: 1-888-293-2080
24/7 Chicago rape hotline for survivors of sexual violence & their significant others
Illinois Warm Line: 1-866-359-7953
Peer & Family mental health support by phone, weekdays M-F 9 AM-5 PM
NAMI Chicago local resources & referral helpline: 312-563-0445
Compassionate support & personalized referrals M-F 9 AM-5 PM, Sat 9-1
If you or someone you love is experiencing an immediate, life-threatening mental health crisis, call 911, clearly state that the individual is experiencing a mental health emergency, and ask that a Critical Incident Team officer responds to the situation. A Critical Incident Team officer is trained in handling psychiatric emergencies.