Safety is a primary obligation of the school. The building has undergone a transformation that resulted in seismic stability, ADA compliance, and life safety. The security system and plans match the intent, upgrade, and integrity of the overall structure.
Fobs and Building Entry: Electronic fobs open the school doors outside of normal pick-up and drop-off times (during school hours only). They are handy if you need to pick up early, arrive late, drop off a lunch, etc. There is a rectangular black entry pad to the right of the door. When you wave your fob in front of it, the light will turn green, indicating the door is unlocked.
Every family is issued one fob. If your family needs additional fobs beyond the one we provide, they are available for $10 each. Please let us know immediately if you lose your fob. There is a $25 replacement fee. If you have any problems with your fob, please ask the receptionist at the front desk for assistance.
•We keep all exterior doors locked.
•We use a reputable security company to monitor the building at all times.
•We give access through the main front door to parents with the use of a fob outside of arrival and departure times during the school day. Fobs are recorded and monitored by a computer system. In the case of a lost fob, the family replaces the fob and the original is deleted from the system. Families immediately report a lost (or suspected lost) fob to the school administrative assistant.
•All faculty have access to the school through the use of fobs. Each faculty member is responsible for notification and replacement if the fob is lost. Faculty access is 24/7.
•There is a morning greeter at the door.
•A television monitor and intercom provide visibility when a guest’s arrival is signaled electronically.
•Outside play is supervised by at least two adults. The playground door is unlocked by a fob and the door remains locked during the day. There is a panic bar for emergency exiting.
Emergencies: There has been a great deal of media interest in earthquake preparedness recently. Ren School has been proactive in that regard, meeting high standards for building codes. Our building was retrofitted during our construction for such a catastrophic event. It is a very safe shelter.
Any such occurrence would be a surprise, couched in its own unique circumstances. While we have a plan, an emergency would require us to think clearly in the moment and adhere to that plan as it makes sense in the situation.
Please make sure your contact information is current and family plans are secure. Our faculty will remain with the children, of course, until every child is placed in the care of their appointed connection. We have a back-up generator, flashlights, water and snack supplies, and we have created a partnership with a local business in order to receive perishable foods and have access to staples during an extended stay.
More regarding emergencies…
Our building has been designed with the highest level of safety in mind. We are prepared.
•We practice emergency drills with a combination of “serious” and “lilt,” making sure we all know the procedures, knowing that if we have a plan in place, we will be safe. We also talk after the drills with the children about questions, or ideas for better reaction time and focus. We need to know if there is a safer way.
•We review our plans for fire, earthquakes, and lock-down with the children at the beginning of each term.
•We have stocked water, snack bars, and fruit leather for a first phase of an emergency stay.
•We have developed a relationship with a local restaurant and will be their priority for food distribution, prepared and non-perishable, should an extended-stay arise. Glass Castle.
•We have safety equipment stored and accessible.
•Please be sure to update your emergency forms. We will act in accordance with those instructions. Last minute call-ins will make a potentially chaotic situation more so.
We have had our water tested and our results are excellent.
Touching base in the case of a seismic event: Should we have any need to connect via communication points outside our local area (damaged local infrastructure or load issues), please note that we have planned for a triangulation with the following phone numbers. Please keep these phone numbers available and use them only in the case of a catastrophic occurrence:
Heidi Chamberlin (Maryland) 1-410-544-5423
Julia Pearce (Tennessee) 1-865-984-0662
Green!: We have a wonderful group of parents who authored a broad-based environmental policy. Please look at the website pdf to find their work and our community expectations, agreements, and practices for keeping the environment clean and our children healthy and safe.
Weather Reference: Please check the Portland Public Schools (PPS) decisions for inclement weather. You can listen to the radio, watch weather alerts on the television, or register for a PPS phone notification (www.flashalert.net/news.html?id=69) in the case of wicked weather. Ren school will follow the decisions made by PPS. That large district has the personnel and broad-based scouting mechanisms to make such predictions and calls. In the case of inclement weather and school closure, please do not come to school; we will ask our teachers to remain safely tucked at home as well. In the case of school delayed status, a two-hour start will put us at a 9:30 opening studio time and 10:30 morning meeting, with classes beginning at 10:45, Monday through Friday.
Charlie Muggins: Charlie Muggins continues her duties as school constable. She has been with us since she was two months old. While Charlie is on a limited attendance schedule, she is alert all day while she is at school, ably assisted by Professor Diggory Galileo Farnsworth. Charlie performs her work seriously and is exhausted by the end of the day. We are asking that no other dogs (or any pets) come onto school property without prior special arrangement for a specific, limited purpose (with the exception of working dogs.) Please respect Charlie’s sense of propriety and responsibility.
Safety is a primary obligation of the school. The building has undergone a transformation that resulted in seismic stability, ADA compliance, and life safety. The security system and plans match the intent, upgrade, and integrity of the overall structure.
Fobs and Building Entry: Electronic fobs open the school doors outside of normal pick-up and drop-off times (during school hours only). They are handy if you need to pick up early, arrive late, drop off a lunch, etc. There is a rectangular black entry pad to the right of the door. When you wave your fob in front of it, the light will turn green, indicating the door is unlocked.
Every family is issued one fob. If your family needs additional fobs beyond the one we provide, they are available for $10 each. Please let us know immediately if you lose your fob. There is a $25 replacement fee. If you have any problems with your fob, please ask the receptionist at the front desk for assistance.
•We keep all exterior doors locked.
•We use a reputable security company to monitor the building at all times.
•We give access through the main front door to parents with the use of a fob outside of arrival and departure times during the school day. Fobs are recorded and monitored by a computer system. In the case of a lost fob, the family replaces the fob and the original is deleted from the system. Families immediately report a lost (or suspected lost) fob to the school administrative assistant.
•All faculty have access to the school through the use of fobs. Each faculty member is responsible for notification and replacement if the fob is lost. Faculty access is 24/7.
•There is a morning greeter at the door.
•A television monitor and intercom provide visibility when a guest’s arrival is signaled electronically.
•Outside play is supervised by at least two adults. The playground door is unlocked by a fob and the door remains locked during the day. There is a panic bar for emergency exiting.
Emergencies: There has been a great deal of media interest in earthquake preparedness recently. Ren School has been proactive in that regard, meeting high standards for building codes. Our building was retrofitted during our construction for such a catastrophic event. It is a very safe shelter.
Any such occurrence would be a surprise, couched in its own unique circumstances. While we have a plan, an emergency would require us to think clearly in the moment and adhere to that plan as it makes sense in the situation.
Please make sure your contact information is current and family plans are secure. Our faculty will remain with the children, of course, until every child is placed in the care of their appointed connection. We have a back-up generator, flashlights, water and snack supplies, and we have created a partnership with a local business in order to receive perishable foods and have access to staples during an extended stay.
More regarding emergencies…
Our building has been designed with the highest level of safety in mind. We are prepared.
•We practice emergency drills with a combination of “serious” and “lilt,” making sure we all know the procedures, knowing that if we have a plan in place, we will be safe. We also talk after the drills with the children about questions, or ideas for better reaction time and focus. We need to know if there is a safer way.
•We review our plans for fire, earthquakes, and lock-down with the children at the beginning of each term.
•We have stocked water, snack bars, and fruit leather for a first phase of an emergency stay.
•We have developed a relationship with a local restaurant and will be their priority for food distribution, prepared and non-perishable, should an extended-stay arise. Glass Castle.
•We have safety equipment stored and accessible.
•Please be sure to update your emergency forms. We will act in accordance with those instructions. Last minute call-ins will make a potentially chaotic situation more so.
We have had our water tested and our results are excellent.
Touching base in the case of a seismic event: Should we have any need to connect via communication points outside our local area (damaged local infrastructure or load issues), please note that we have planned for a triangulation with the following phone numbers. Please keep these phone numbers available and use them only in the case of a catastrophic occurrence:
Heidi Chamberlin (Maryland) 1-410-544-5423
Julia Pearce (Tennessee) 1-865-984-0662
Green!: We have a wonderful group of parents who authored a broad-based environmental policy. Please look at the website pdf to find their work and our community expectations, agreements, and practices for keeping the environment clean and our children healthy and safe.
Weather Reference: Please check the Portland Public Schools (PPS) decisions for inclement weather. You can listen to the radio, watch weather alerts on the television, or register for a PPS phone notification (www.flashalert.net/news.html?id=69) in the case of wicked weather. Ren school will follow the decisions made by PPS. That large district has the personnel and broad-based scouting mechanisms to make such predictions and calls. In the case of inclement weather and school closure, please do not come to school; we will ask our teachers to remain safely tucked at home as well. In the case of school delayed status, a two-hour start will put us at a 9:30 opening studio time and 10:30 morning meeting, with classes beginning at 10:45, Monday through Friday.
Charlie Muggins: Charlie Muggins continues her duties as school constable. She has been with us since she was two months old. While Charlie is on a limited attendance schedule, she is alert all day while she is at school, ably assisted by Professor Diggory Galileo Farnsworth. Charlie performs her work seriously and is exhausted by the end of the day. We are asking that no other dogs (or any pets) come onto school property without prior special arrangement for a specific, limited purpose (with the exception of working dogs.) Please respect Charlie’s sense of propriety and responsibility.
Our play-space continues to evolve, responding to the requests and interests of children and families, balancing imagination, physicality, and leisure pursuits alongside safety and access.
Our school day is from 7:30 to 4:00 (except Friday, of course). During that time, the space is reserved for play and scholarly pursuits, supervised by faculty and scheduled by the school.
Renaissance Families are welcome to use the play-space at the end of the school day, after 4:00 PM dismissal, when there is no conflict with insurance guidelines and the possible use of exploratory classes. Once parents pick up their children, the school does not assume responsibility of supervision. Parents and carpool adults are expected to remain vigilant and mindful of all school safety and equipment-use expectations.
As a reminder: We have sent out protocols for safe behavior on our grounds. Children are not to run in the passage ways, play on the bulkhead (ivy), or twirl on the bike bars with cement underneath. Those areas must remain as safe zones for children. Please be respectful of the gardens and structures that welcome you.