Health, Safety & Emergency Policy

digiTIES / The Islamic Education School District

Health, Safety & Emergency Procedures Policy

ADM-005 · Administrative · Policy & Procedure

Policy Number

ADM-005

Category

Administrative

Effective Date

2026–2027 School Year

Last Reviewed

March 2026

Next Review Due

December 2026

Approved By

Principal, digiTIES Online School

Standards

WASC A6 · NSQ L2 · CA Ed Code §32280, §49423 · FERPA

Policy Contact

Principal – principal@digities.org

Scope

All enrolled students, families, and staff – online and physical school contexts

Replaces

Health, Safety, Emergencies, and Guidance sections – TIES USA Family Handbook 2024–2025

Policy Overview

Purpose & Statement

digiTIES is committed to maintaining a safe, healthy, and secure environment for all students, staff, and families. As an online school, digiTIES’ safety responsibilities extend to the virtual learning environment, digital safety, and the well-being of students during all school-sponsored activities. This policy establishes health, safety, and emergency procedures for both the online learning context and any in-person school events.

Scope & Who This Applies To

This policy applies to all enrolled students, families, and digiTIES staff during all school-sponsored activities – including live sessions, school events, and any in-person programs. Separate procedures apply for physical campus operations where applicable.

Student Health – Online Learning Context

Illness During Live Sessions

  • If a student appears to be in medical distress during a live session, the teacher and/or school administrator will immediately contact the student’s parent/guardian using the emergency contact information on file.
  • If the parent/guardian cannot be reached within 10 minutes, the school administrator will contact the next listed emergency contact.
  • In the event of an apparent medical emergency observed on camera, administration will contact emergency services and the family simultaneously.
  • Students who are visibly ill or in distress may be asked to exit the session by the teacher. The family will be notified.

Medical Information on File

  • Families must disclose all relevant medical conditions, allergies, and special health needs at enrollment.
  • This information is maintained confidentially in the student’s digiTIES SIS record per ADM-007.
  • Medical information must be updated annually and any time there is a change in the student’s health status.

Digital Safety & Online Environment

Virtual Classroom Safety

  • All live sessions are conducted on approved, monitored school platforms (Microsoft Teams).
  • Uninvited participants may not join live sessions. Teachers must remove any unrecognized participant immediately and report to administration.
  • Students may not record, screenshot, or share session content without explicit teacher permission.
  • Cyberbullying, harassment, or threatening behavior during sessions results in immediate session removal and disciplinary action per STU-002.

Prohibited Substances & Weapons – Online Context

  • If a student appears to be under the influence of substances or if weapons are visible during a live session, the teacher will immediately ask the student to turn off their camera and will notify administration.
  • Administration will contact the family and, if necessary, law enforcement.
  • The student will not be permitted to continue in the session. A formal review will follow.

Child Protection & Safeguarding

All digiTIES staff are mandatory reporters under California law. Refer to HR-004 – Mandated Reporter Policy for full obligations and procedures. Key principles:

  • All staff must report any reasonable suspicion of child abuse or neglect to the Principal and appropriate authorities immediately.
  • Confidentiality is maintained in all reporting processes.
  • digiTIES will cooperate fully with any child protective services investigation.

Child Custody

Without a court document, both parents/guardians are assumed to have equal legal custody. digiTIES will enforce current court orders upon receipt of a certified copy. The school will not mediate custody disputes – families must provide current documentation.

Emergency Procedures

Missing or Unresponsive Student

  1. If a student goes missing from a live session without explanation, the teacher attempts contact immediately via session chat.
  2. If no response within 5 minutes, the teacher notifies administration.
  3. Administration contacts the family using emergency contact information. If unable to reach anyone within 10 minutes, appropriate authorities may be contacted.

Medical Emergency During Live Session

  1. Teacher and/or administration immediately calls 911 if the student appears to be in a life-threatening situation on camera.
  2. Teacher and/or administration simultaneously attempts to contact the parent/guardian.
  3. Administration is notified immediately.
  4. Teacher documents the incident in writing and submits to administration the same day.

Platform/Technology Emergency – School Closure

  1. Administration notifies families in writing by 6:00 a.m. if school is canceled due to platform or technology failure.
  2. If outage occurs during the school day, teachers notify students via platform and administration notifies families.
  3. Work scheduled for that day may be converted to asynchronous completion or rescheduled per administration direction.

Physical Events – Safety Standards

For any in-person digiTIES events (recognition ceremonies, workshops, camps):

  • Children are only released to authorized persons on their emergency release contact list.
  • Staff conducting in-person events must have current background clearances per HR-003.
  • Any medical emergency at an in-person event follows standard first aid and emergency services protocols.

Standards & Legal Alignment

Standard / Law

Reference

How This Policy Addresses It

ACS WASC 2026

Standard A6

School implements clear policies for student health, safety, and emergency response aligned with applicable law.

NSQ Online Programs 2025

Standard L2

Program staff collaborate with families to support student needs including accommodations and safety considerations.

CA Education Code

§32280, §49423

Safe school plan requirements; medication administration by school personnel for private schools.

HR-004

Mandated Reporter Policy

All staff obligations under mandatory reporting law are defined separately in HR-004.

Related Policies & Documents

  • ADM-004 – Communication & Family Engagement Policy
  • ADM-007 – Student Data Privacy Policy
  • HR-003 – Background Checks & Clearances Policy
  • HR-004 – Mandated Reporter Policy
  • STU-002 – Student Behavior & Discipline Policy

Annual Policy Review Log

Per NSQ Standard C4 and ACS WASC Standard A6, all policies must be reviewed annually with documented stakeholder input and governing body approval.

Date

Revised By

Approved By

Summary of Changes

03.2026

Manal Nachef

Principal / Board

Initial adoption

digiTIES Vision, Mission & Values – Policy Alignment Reference

VISION

By 2030, digiTIES will stand among the world’s most respected virtual schools – a premier destination for Muslim youth seeking rigorous academics, global opportunity, and a community rooted in faith and integrity.

MISSION

digiTIES delivers a rigorous, WASC-accredited virtual education that prepares Muslim youth for competitive university pathways and meaningful futures. We combine academic excellence, innovative digital learning, and a values-driven community rooted in the Islamic tradition to develop confident, ethical, and future-ready leaders.

CORE VALUES ALIGNMENT

Before adoption, confirm this policy supports: Academic excellence · Islamic values · Digital innovation · Student agency · Community partnership · Continuous improvement