Verdugo Hills High School WASC Self-Study Page 1

Verdugo Hills High School WASC/CDE Self-Study Reportatmosphere that includes trees, groundcover, and lawns is maintained andinviting to students. As a part of the SLC funding, in Fall 2012 the campusreceived new outdoor tables, benches, umbrellas, signage and new displaycases for each SLC’s common areas. The renovation of restrooms andfacilities to meet the needs of all students and staff is fully functioning. Amarquee high above the street informs and encourages students andcommunity to take notice of important events and timelines.Safety, Clean and Orderly EnvironmentPolicies and use of ResourcesSchool policies at VHHS serve to ensure a safe and orderly place ofinstruction that promotes and encourages learning. The school maintains aclosed campus policy, and all visitors to the campus must check in withschool security in the main entrance and be identified using a visiblenametag. In the event that a potentially dangerous situation may arise; theschool in conjunction with proper authorities such as Los Angeles PoliceDepartment, Los Angeles School Police Department and Fire Department hasan effective procedural lockdown policy. Notification via the school-widepublic address system of any potential danger is a quick and efficient meansof communication. To prepare for the onset of a disaster, VHHS is readiedwith a safety plan of which the school conducts frequent drills for fire andearthquake insuring that all students and staff have practiced and arefamiliar with a safe and efficient evacuation.To maintain a safe school culture, issues such as child abuse reporting,sexual harassment, and disease control are addressed through workshopsand professional development, followed by written instructions to allmembers of the school community. Other policies to promote safety andcomfort include explicit requirements for extracurricular activities and theuse of personal technology, such as cell phones and iPods. These policiessupport an orderly learning environment and minimize the interruptions toinstruction. There are also District Bulletins that inform teachers aboutdealing with issues of discrimination and hatred. Assemblies andpresentations on these issues support these efforts.Students who wish to take advantage of the Internet through the school’sservers must adhere to a District mandated Acceptable Use Policy approvedVerdugo Hills High School WASC Self-Study Page 165