Important Information About School Safety

Información Importante sobre Seguridad Escolar
Vandalismo - Responsabilidad de los Padres

Naperville School District 203 understands that there is nothing more precious than our children and, as such, take our responsibility for the safety of all of our students very seriously. As part of this commitment, we are enlisting your support. Please take a moment to review the following information with your student, and, in particular, ensure that he/she understands the serious consequences associated with making threats and/or bringing weapons, or look-alike weapons, to school. We promise to do the same at school.

The text below is taken from the School Safety letter from the Superintendent and Naperville Chief of Police

Students Who Bring Weapons to School

Possession of a weapon or a look-alike, or implying the possession of a weapon or look-alike, while on school property, including the school building, school grounds, or in transit to and from school (bus and walking routes) will be presumed to constitute a threat. Any potential weapon is based on the threat of injury it can pose to others or the disruption it can create in the educational setting. Anything that fires a projectile, ejects a cartridge, and/or produces a flash will be considered a weapon. As such, they are not allowed on school property under any circumstance. Banned weapons include air soft pistols, spring guns, BB guns and knives. Students and parents are advised that violations of the weapon policy will result in discipline up to and including expulsion. Additionally, the involved student(s) may face legal consequences.

Students Who Engage in Threats of Large Scale Violence

The Naperville metro area has seen bomb threats or threats of large scale violence, written anonymously in schools, prompting school closures or extensive police and school response to ensure the safety of our students. What once may have been viewed as a prank (a way to get a day off school) has now, in fact, eroded parents’ confidence in school as a safe environment for children to learn and thrive. We want to assure our school community that District 203 takes these threats very seriously. To that extent, we will continue to work closely with our local police departments in prevention and response to these incidents. Persons who choose to engage in these types of threats will incur school discipline, up to expulsion, and legal action will be pursued. Legal action can include criminal charges up to a Class 1 Felony, as well as civil action for reimbursement of all additional expenses involved in the police and school response to the threat.

Students Who Vandalize Public Property

It is imperative that students understand that vandalism is not a prank, it’s a crime – one that costs everyone. Money spent on repairing damage could be better spent on any number of positive programs to benefit the schools. Persons who choose to engage in vandalizing school property, including outside of the normal school day, will incur school discipline, up to expulsion, and legal action will be pursued. By Naperville city ordinance, parents and/or guardians are fully liable for reimbursement for damaged property.

Please discuss these important matters with your student, as well as with those designated as emergency contacts. As always, your support is greatly appreciated.

Vandalism Ordinance - Parental Responsibility

10-2-4-2: VANDALISM; PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY:

1. Definitions: For the purpose of this Section, the following definitions shall apply:

ACTS OF VANDALISM: Include any of the following acts:

1. Recklessly or knowingly damaging or destroying any property of another person without his consent; or
2. Recklessly, or knowingly by means of fire or explosive device, damaging, debasing or destroying any property of another person without his consent; or
3. Recklessly, or knowingly starting a fire on land of another person without his consent; or
4. Recklessly, or knowingly depositing on the land or in the building of another person, without his consent, any stink bomb, any offensive smelling compound or any other offensive or dangerous compound or item and thereby interfering with the use and occupancy by another, of the land or building; or
5. Recklessly, or knowingly and without authority entering into or obtaining control over any building, house trailer, motor vehicle, aircraft or watercraft, or any part thereof, of another person without his consent.

LEGAL GUARDIAN: Includes a foster parent, a person appointed guardian of a person or given custody of a minor by a court of competent jurisdiction, but does not include a person appointed guardian only to the estate of a minor, or appointed guardian, or given custody of a minor under the Illinois Juvenile Court Act (98) .

MINOR: Includes a person who is above the age of seven (7) years, but not yet seventeen (17) years of age.

PARENTS: Include the father and mother of a minor child, whether by birth or adoption, and shall include the parent having legal custody of the minor in the event the parents are divorced or separated.

PERSON: Includes any individual, firm, partnership, association, corporation, company or organization of any kind.

PROPERTY: Includes any real estate including improvements thereon, and tangible personally.

RESTITUTION: Includes paying to a person who owns property damaged or destroyed by an act of vandalism in an amount equal to the damages incurred as a result of the act of vandalism and shall also include undertaking at the direction of the Police Department Juvenile Officer tasks designed to correct damage resulting from acts of vandalism or other work which will provide a benefit to the City and its citizens. (Ord. 77-147, 9-6-77; amd. 1984 Code)

2. Participation in Police Social Worker Program: A minor, who has allegedly engaged in an act of vandalism, may be offered the opportunity by the Police Juvenile Officer to voluntarily participate in the Police Social Worker Program. Said offer shall be communicated in writing to the minor and his parents or legal guardians and if accepted in writing by all parties within thirty (30) days after its date and if the terms thereof are complied with together with any restitution required, no further prosecutions under this Section shall be instituted.

3. Vandalism Prohibited: It shall be a violation of this Section for any person to commit an act of vandalism.

4. Restitution Required: It shall be a violation of this Section for a person who has been found by a court of law to have committed an act of vandalism to fail to make restitution thereof.

5. Parents or Legal Guardians Responsible: The parents or legal guardians of a minor who is found by a court of law to have committed an act of vandalism shall be jointly and severally responsible for making restitution thereof. The parents or legal guardians shall be made defendants to the hearing at which a determination is made by the court as to whether an act of vandalism has taken place.

6. Enforcement Proceeding: In the event that a person alleged to have engaged in an act of vandalism shall refuse to comply with the provisions of Subsection 2 hereof or shall begin such program and shall not complete it or provide restitution as may be required, then the Corporation Counsel shall institute an ordinance enforcement proceeding to establish that the person has committed the act of vandalism and to enforce compliance with the provisions of this Section against said person, and if a minor, his parents or legal guardians. In addition to enforcing compliance, the Corporation Counsel shall seek the penalties provided for in Subsection 7 hereof.

7. Penalties: Any person who violates the provisions of Subsections 2, 3 or 4 hereof shall be fined in an amount of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00). The parent or legal guardian of a minor who violates Subsection 5 hereof shall also be subject to a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) for each violation. (Ord. 77-147, 9-6-77; amd. Ord. 95-71, 4-5-95)