Student Safety

Fire Drills and Other Emergency Preparedness

Each school year, ten fire drills are conducted at Princess Margaret School. In order to familiarize children with leaving the school safely in adverse weather conditions, drills may be conducted in the cool weather. As well, two lockdown drills are conducted during the school year.

Emergency School Closure

In the event that the school is closed early due to an emergency, (eg. severe weather, flooding, etc.), our school Evacuation Plan has the children going to Springfield Heights School at 505 Sharron Bay or Springfield Heights Mennonite Church, at 570 Sharron Bay. Please do not attempt to call us at the emergency site as this will tie up the telephone lines. We will contact parents as soon as possible. Please also be sure your child has an alternative place to go in the event you are not home if there is a school closing.

Parking Lot and Stopping Restrictions

Parents who drop off their children are reminded to observe the street signs regarding the NO STOPPING ZONES. As a visual reminder, the school places sandwich boards with the message NO STOPPING ZONE—Please protect our children’s safety. These signs are placed out in the morning and remain outside until after school is dismissed. Also, an additional sign with the message: DRIVERS! STAFF VEHICLES ONLY, CHILD SAFETY RELIES ON YOUR COOPERATION is placed at the entranceway to the staff parking lot. Patrols are stationed in the parking area during regular safety patrol duty times.

Safety Patrols

All patrols receive an extensive training program through Princess Margaret School and the Winnipeg Police Service. Bus patrols receive their training directly from River East Transcona Transportation Department.

Our patrols are chosen from the senior students who have displayed leadership and citizenship qualities. They are on duty at the following times:

• 8:45 a.m. - 8:55 a.m.
• 11:45 a.m. - 11:55 p.m.
• 12:35 p.m. - 12:45 p.m.
• 3:25 p.m. - 3:35 p.m.

They are stationed at all crosswalks within a one-block radius of the school. Parents are encouraged to assist Kindergarten students since there are no special kindergarten patrols.

Bus Patrols -Patrols are provided by Princess Margaret School to help provide a safer ride for the bus students. These patrols assist with lining students up, loading and unloading of the bus and, assisting the driver as needed. Additionally, the bus patrols meet the Kindergarten bus students at the classroom and escort them to the bus lines.

Extreme Weather Guidelines for Student Street Patrols: 

During extremely cold weather, the following guidelines for an abbreviated student patrol schedule will be followed:

Windchill W/M2

-27C to -34C It is recommended that time on post not exceed 10 minutes. Warm clothing is essential. Facial protection is recommended.

-34C to -42C It is recommended that time on post not exceed 5 minutes. Posts located more than a five-minute walk from the school will not be patrolled. Warm clothing and facial protection is essential.

Below -42C No student patrols on post.

Divisional policy: When the temperature plus the wind chill is -45C or greater at 6:00 a.m., school bus transportation will be cancelled.

Visitors

All visitors to the school are required to REPORT TO THE SCHOOL OFFICE. All visitors within the school are required to sign a school register and wear a visitor button.

To help protect student and staff safety, ALL DOORS WILL BE LOCKED between 9:00 a.m. and 11:50 a.m. and from 12:50 p.m. onward, EXCEPT for the middle set of doors on Hawthorne Avenue. This helps ensure that all visitors report to the office.

Volunteers

Princess Margaret School encourages parents to be involved as volunteers in the school. All volunteers are required to complete a child abuse registry check and pledge of confidentiality form. All volunteers are asked to sign in at the office and wear a volunteer nametag while volunteering at the school.

Playground Use After School

• Children who walk home are to go directly home at dismissal time – 3:25 p.m.
• Children are not to use the playground between 3:25 p.m. and 4:00 pm. unless accompanied by a parent.
• We recommend adult supervision for all after-hours playground use.

Play Structure Safety Guidelines

• Each day of the school cycle is designated to a specific grade level for the whole day—this includes the play structure and the entire pea gravel area.
• No sitting or standing on any equipment which is round or high.
• No tag or running games in the play structure area
• One-way traffic only on the wheels with the start line at the platform.
• Only three people at a time on the steering wheel by the fire pole.
• Sliding only feet first, sitting up, with no lingering at the bottom of the slide.
• Down only on the fire pole.
• Up only on the mountain climber.
• No hanging by knees, hands always on the bars.
• All stones stay on the ground.
• Supervisor has final say about safety.