Parent/Staff Notification System
Our SchoolMessenger parent/staff notification system helps us communicate with parents more effectively through telephone, text and e-mail. Your contact information is obtained through our student information system - Infinite Campus.
Different types of messages
- General Messages (Staff & Parents) - Email | Text |Occasionally Phone
Messages about upcoming events and general notifications. - Early Release/No School Reminders (Parents) - Text | Email
- School Cancellations Due to Weather (Staff & Parents) - Text | Email | Phone
- Emergency Notifications - Emergency notifications are used to help assure we contact parents as quickly as possible. (Staff & Parents) - Text | Email | Phonr
Cancellations, Late Starts & Early Releases
Parents who believe the weather conditions are not safe for their children have the option of keeping their child at home. If you do decide to keep your child/children at home, contact the school to report a "parent excused" absence.
School Closing
Inclement weather is the most typical school emergency that results in school cancellation. If school is cancelled, the decision will be made prior to 6 am. A phone, email and text notification will be sent to parents and staff.
Late Starts
Breakfast will not be served on the days that the district has a late start. Preschool will be held. A late start on a scheduled early release day will result in a normal release time.
One Hour Late Start - BMS 8:40 am | BHS 9:15 am | Elem 9:35 am | Preschool: 9:45 am
Two Hour Late Start - BMS 9:40 am | BHS 10:15 am | Elem 10:35 am | Preschool: 10:45 am
Early Dismissal
In some emergencies, such as inclement weather, we may deem it prudent to send students home early. The district has made the commitment to make any early dismissal decisions by 10 am. If there is a special situation, your child’s school or the district may contact you to pick up your child early. Please make sure you provide your school office with up-to-date information so we can reach you if necessary.
One-Hour Early Release - Preschool 12:45 pm | BMS 1:56 pm | HS & Elem 2:25 pm
Two-Hour Early Release - Preschool 11:45 am | BMS 12:56 pm | HS & Elem 1:25 pm
Three-Hour Early Release - Preschool 10:45 am | BMS 11:56 am | BHS & Elem 12:25 pm
Safe + Sound Iowa Safety App
Safe + Sound Iowa is a free anonymous K-12 school safety reporting system available from P3 to help prevent violence, unlawful possession of weapons, self-harm, and other forms of victimization and threatening behaviors in schools across Iowa.
The Governor’s School Safety Bureau is sponsoring Safe+Sound Iowa for students, school staff, parents, and concerned community members to help identify and provide interventions for students in crisis before they hurt themselves or others. Reports of safety concerns can be made securely and anonymously three ways:
- Downloading and using the free Safe+Sound Iowa app
- Going to SafeandSoundIowa.gov, or
- Calling 800-224-6018
Visitor Check-In Procedures
To help provide a safe environment for our students, staff and visitors, the Bettendorf Community School District has a check-in procedure for school visitors (including parents and volunteers).
Middle & High school PROCEDURES
- Check in at the school office
- Provide a government photo ID
- Sign in
- Wear a visitor’s badge
- Sign out
Elementary Procedures
- Check in through the front office
- Provide a driver’s license or government photo ID
- Sign in and out via our visitor management system. Please be prepared to provide a driver’s license or government ID for scanning.
- Wear a visitor’s badge
Generally, the process should be very quick and efficient. Most importantly it will help us ensure we are not providing inappropriate access to our students or schools.
Parents & School Safety
The safety and security of Bettendorf Community School District students and staff is of utmost importance. The district has a comprehensive crisis plan developed in cooperation with Bettendorf police and local emergency management agencies. The plan is reviewed and updated on an annual basis.
Our schools also have well-established security measures for the safety of students and staff including: visitor check-in procedures, locked doors after the start of the school day, surveillance cameras, and police liaison officer support.
How can parents help with school safety?
- Parents should keep their contact information up-to-date in Infinite Campus, our student information system
- Encourage and support school safety, violence prevention and emergency preparedness programs within the schools
- If requested, provide volunteer services for school emergency preparedness
- Provide the school with requested information concerning emergency situations
- Practice emergency preparedness in the home to reinforce school training and ensure family safety
In an Emergency
How can parents and guardians be assured they receive information in an emergency?
Parents should keep their contact information up-to-date in Infinite Campus, our student information system. In the case of an emergency, a phone message, email and text message will be sent to parents and guardians.If the school has a non-emergency situation that we believe parents should be informed about, the school will send parents an email notification.
How and when will I be notified if there is an emergency at my child’s school?
The means and immediacy of communication will depend on the type of the event and on the potential or actual impact to the safety of the students. While it’s difficult to describe all possible scenarios, the following can be used a guide to gauge the district’s level of notification and systems used to communicate with families:
| Impact Level | Notification Response |
| LOW IMPACT INCIDENT Poses no or minimal risk to the safety of the school. There are no disruptions to regular school activities, and the incident is an isolated one. | |
| MODERATE IMPACT INCIDENT Poses a moderate risk to the school. Results in some disruption to school activities such as a change of schedule or cancellation of some activities. |
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HIGH IMPACT INCIDENT The incident poses a significant risk to the safety of the students, which results in a significant disruption to school activities, change of schedule, evacuation, cancellation of activities and impacts many students. |
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Should I report to the scene of the incident/emergency?
In the case of a high-impact emergency situation in a school or at a school-sponsored activity DO NOT respond to the school. Keep roads/lots clear for EMS responders.
Parents are encouraged to remain close to their sources of communication, phone or email, to ensure they are receiving accurate and timely updates on the emergency from district staff.
Once the emergency is declared "over," will parents be able to report to their child’s school?
When BCSD communicates to parents that the school emergency has ended, direction will be provided on how parents will reunite with their child. Parents will be directed to a specific location that could be located off campus. It is important that parents follow these directions for the safety of all students, staff and parents.
Remember, a student can only be released to an adult that is documented as an emergency contact. If you are a non-custodial parent, you must be listed in the student information system with a relationship to the student that has mailing rights and show proper identification.
If the school building is evacuated, how will I be able to locate my child?
If an evacuation occurs during the school day, there is a possibility that the students will return to school and normal bus service will resume. The district will notify parents if an alternate reunification site will be used.
Please monitor your phone or email closely to ensure you receive updates on the emergency from district staff. Your child may text or email you about the evacuation before the district is able to notify you. Be aware that student texts and social media can cause confusion and further disrupt safety protocols.
Remember, a student can only be released to an adult who is documented as an emergency contact. If you are a non-custodial parent, you must be listed with your child's emergency contact information as a guardian and show proper identification.
Asbestos Notification
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1987 enacted the Asbestos Containing Materials in Schools Rule, often referred to as the AHERA Rule. This rule requires that all of the nation’s nonprofit elementary and secondary schools, both public and private, inspect their school buildings for asbestos-containing building materials, develop a plan to manage the asbestos for each school building, notify parents and staff regarding management plan availability and provide asbestos training to appropriate staff.
The original Asbestos Management Plan for Bettendorf Community School District was completed in 1988. That plan included a set of plans and procedures designed to minimize the disturbance of any assumed asbestos-containing materials, as well as periodic surveillance of these materials. A re-inspection by a certified asbestos inspector is required every three years and was most recently completed in August 2017, by Terracon Consultants, Inc.
All of our District Buildings meet or exceed standards for asbestos management and are considered safe. The District is actively pursuing the removal of asbestos-containing materials through the use of funding from (LEVY, TIF, or some other funding/budget taxes).
A copy of the asbestos management plan is available for review by appointment in each building’s office and at the Operations Center Office during regular business hours. All inquiries regarding the plan should be directed to:
BCSD Safety and Compliance Coordinator
(563) 332-8600 ext. 6506