Atholton High School is committed to providing a safe environment for all students. This includes physical safety and security, mental and physical health, and safe driving.
School Resource Officer (SRO)
Atholton, along with all HCPSS High Schools, has a School Resource Officer from the Howard County Police Department who works closely with staff and students. Officer John Martin teaches safety lessons, offers safe driving presentations, and works in classrooms to enhance lessons on student well being.
Bullying, Harassment, and Intimidation
Parents, students, and staff can report suspected bullying, harassment, and intimidation using the Maryland State reporting form found here – Bullying and Harrassment Reporting Form. Please complete this form and turn it in to an administrator. Feel free to call any administrator if you have questions or concerns regarding bullying and/or harassment.
HCDrugFree
Atholton High School and Howard County Public Schools have partnered with HCDrugFree, a non-profit organization that is committed to preventing teen drinking and drug use. For more information on this organization and partnership, please visit their website at www.hcdrugfree.org.
Visitor Procedure During School Hours
In order to ensure the safety and security of all of our students and staff members, please note the following safety procedures with regard to entering AHS during the school day (7:50am – 2:35pm). Some procedures are new for this school year.
All exterior doors to the school (excluding some main entrance doors) may/will remain locked during school hours. Upon entering a school, all visitors must check in at the Front Office, regardless of their destination.
Visitors with legitimate school business will obtain a visitors pass by accessing a new computerized entrance system that has been installed at the start of this school year. In order to use this new system, visitors must scan their driver’s license in the computer. Please remember to bring your driver’s license into the school if you wish to have building access for meeting with a teacher, volunteering, picking up your child from the health room, etc. A feature of this new system is that it uses information from a driver’s license to scan law enforcement databases to ensure that visitors do not present a safety concern for our students. Once approved for entry a visitor’s pass is printed on a sticker which must be worn at all times while in the school building.
The visitor must return to the Front Office to sign out of the building. This ensures that there is an accurate record of who is in the building at any given time.
To limit interruptions and distractions to teaching and learning and to maximize safety for all, persons who wish to visit our school campus to meet with a teacher or staff member are strongly encouraged to contact that individual in advance to schedule an appointment. Understandably, interactions between visitors and school staff and students will be limited unless an appointment is made with that individual in advance.
HCPD Collision Avoidance Training
The Howard County Police Department offers monthly collision avoidance training courses for new drivers. These courses teach students how to handle vehicles in emergency situations and include lessons on steering, braking, and cornering. For dates of classes and registration information, please visit the HCPD website.
Building Safety and Security
This is to notify you that periodic drug scans will be conducted on school premises by K-9 teams from the Howard County Department of Police. This action is being taken to protect you and to work towards a drug free school environment. You are being given prior notice of this program pursuant to school system policy.
For information on HCPSS building safety and security procedures, please visit the HCPSS Website.
Personal Device Policy
Per HCPSS Policy:
- Students will keep personal technology devices away and silenced and ensure they are not a distraction during the student day.
- Smart watches may be worn during the student day but may not distract instruction or be used for reasons other than checking the time.
- A staff member on a school-sponsored field trip may permit the use of a personal technology device by a student in limited situations where capturing a picture or video may be appropriate or contacting a parent/guardian is necessary.
- School administrators and school administrators’ designees may authorize use of a personal device in rare instances such as an emergency for communication purposes, and when allowed as described in a student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP), Section 504 Plan, or Health Plan.
- Personal laptops may be used for instructional activities in high school.
Consequences for general violations of policy
- First Incident: The personal technology device is confiscated until the end of the student day. Students should turn off or lock devices prior to confiscation. A device that is confiscated during the final period of the student day will be confiscated for the entire next student day. The student may retrieve the device at the end of the day it was originally confiscated to take home but must provide it to the front office upon arrival on the next student day.
- Second Incident & Beyond: The personal technology device is confiscated until it is retrieved by a parent/guardian. Students should turn off or lock devices prior to confiscation.
Consequences for violations of policy by students who may use personal technology as part of an IEP/504 plan/health plan
- First Incident: A phone call to the student’s parent/guardian.
- Second Incident & Beyond: Required conference between the school administrator and parent/guardian, and level 3 responses aligned to the Student Code of Conduct at the school administrator’s discretion.