Security Guidelines

August 2008

Please read these guidelines carefully and make sure you are clear about your responsibilities.

Introduction

The safety of the whole KISC community could be at risk in the present political climate and we must be wise and vigilant.

If we have to close KISC at short notice then a letter will go home at the end of the school day, or the KISC emergency phone tree will be activated. Homeroom teachers will call their class according to the mailing lists so that each family should only receive one phone call.

If there are no phones in operation and you do not know whether KISC will be open, then please come to the KISC site to find out what is happening. We will also endeavor to send out e-mails and update our website with emergency details.

Advice

·      Do not answer any questions regarding KISC, with strangers.

·      Apologise that you are not allowed to give away any information (not even the simplest facts).

·       Refer all questions / people to the KISC Principals / Administrator

·      Be vigilant, suspect strangers. (We don’t know who is police, political party, journalist, Maoist, Nepal government).

·      Report any strangers / incidents to KISC Principals / Administrator

·      During bandhs etc… security will be tightened i.e. buses may not be used for transport of students, students will not be allowed off KISC premises at lunchtimes, exams / classes may be held away from the KISC site.

Responsibilities of Students

·      If your bus/transport does not come in the morning to bring you to KISC, do whatever your parents have arranged with you to do under these circumstances.   You may need to return home, you may be able to get alternative transport to KISC. If it seems like there’s a ‘bandh’ or there is no alternative transport, return home immediately. Either you or your parents should phone KISC to let us know what you are doing eg staying at home, or on your way to KISC.

·      If your bus/taxi/vehicle gets caught in a chukka jam or demonstration you should close all the windows, make sure the door is locked and sit away from the windows. If necessary duck down or sit on the floor and keep your head down. Do not attempt to leave the bus. Pray! Stay calm until the trouble clears. We expect older students to look after and comfort younger students. Do not leave the bus unless you are forced to by someone. If you do have to leave the bus/taxi, try to find a safe place, stick together, don’t leave anyone on their own. Try to phone your home or KISC.

·      Make sure you know exactly where you live/where your house is

·      Always have enough cash for using a taxi in an emergency.

·    Learn yours and KISC’s telephone number off by heart. KISC 5538720, 5522902. Mobiles 9851013774, 9851013775, 9851090772.

·      Be able to get into your house or an ‘alternative’ home arranged by your parents, at any time of the day.

·      If you live on the Kathmandu side of the city know whose home you should go to in the event of an evacuation or a bandh.

·      All students should know which evacuation group they are in and with which staff.

·      If evacuating – walk quickly but keep together. Keep calm. Do not be silly or shout/talk loudly. Be helpful.

·      Assume KISC is open on a bandh day and make suitable arrangements to attend

·      If you cannot attend on a bandh day then please give staff at least a days notice and collect the bandh work from them in plenty of time before the bandh.

Parents

Ultimately, decisions which involve the safety and education of your children lie with you. We are caught in the difficult position of wanting to ensure that the KISC community is safe and yet trying to keep continuity of education, particularly for older students on IGCSE and AICE courses.

·       If your child’s bus/transport does not come in the morning encourage your child to return home and evaluate the situation. If everything seems normal please arrange alternative transport eg taxi. If the situation seems dangerous or if you suspect a bandh/strike please keep your child at home. It is very important to ring KISC 5522902, 5538720 and explain what you are doing / have done. You may be assuming your child got to KISC - we may be assuming you’ve decided to keep him/her at home. If there is no answer at the KISC office please phone KISC mobiles 9851013774, 9851013775, 9851090772.

·      We will try to ensure that your child’s transport to / from KISC does not get stuck in a chukka jam/demonstration by anticipating these ahead of time, but this may not always be possible.   Please make sure that your child is well briefed about what to do if this happens. Please phone KISC if there has been an unusually long delay in your child returning home.

·      Please make sure your child knows where they live, where your home is and that they know theirs and KISC’s telephone number off by heart.

·      Please make provision for your child being able to get into your home or an alternative home by private arrangement, at any time of the day.

·       Please make sure your child always has enough cash for a taxi in case of emergency.

·      Please ensure that if you live on the Kathmandu side of the city your child knows which home they should go to on the Patan side in the event of an emergency evacuation.

·     Please make sure that you keep KISC informed and updated with phone number and e-mail address changes.

·       KISC will contact you by phone the evening before the following day if we have to close for security reasons.

·      If possible, KISC will also send out an e-mail and update our website in an emergency. So please regularly check your e-mail or contact to school for more information.

Staff

·     Please ensure that you have the latest emergency information including KISC telephone list at school and at home.

·      If you are a Homeroom Teacher please have a ‘mailing list’ so you know which pupils in your class to phone if necessary. Please also set up a class ‘mini’ telephone tree if you have a big class. Please speak to parents rather than students if at all possible especially with Grades 6,7,8.

·     Familiarize yourself with the backstreets if you are leading an emergency evacuation group

·     Have easily accessible at KISC, a copy of your evacuation group list and know where they live.

·      Know which group you are in charge of and be familiar with who all the students who are in it.

·      When walking home during an evacuation:

1.      Choose your evacuation route carefully. You may have to change or adapt if there are trouble spots.

2.      Keep your group tightly together but move swiftly and calmly.

3.      Duck into houses or shops if there seems to be trouble on the streets.

4.      Return to KISC if you have nowhere else to go safely.

·      Ring – Judith at school 5522902, 5538720 mobile 9851013774 when you have delivered all your group and arrived home safely. Andrew Kohn is the back up person at KISC if Judith is absent.

·      Please be prepared to set plenty of work if the bandh is likely to be for more than one day.

·      KISC will be setting up an emergency e-mail address to send to all parents and staff the latest news.

·     Staff who are not able to receive immediate information about curfews can be added to the curfew phone tree which will operate in term and holiday time.

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