Emergency Procedures
Emergency procedures
The following procedures are to be followed in the event of an emergency:
The Director will post on Brightwheel information about any school relocation plans. Parents should check Brightwheel to know where to pick up their child.
Parents: Please DO NOT call the BECC. We have a plan in place to contact every parent and/or emergency contact we have on file and we will need our phone line.
BECC-ONLY EVACUATION:
(cause example: fire at BECC, Structural damage to BECC buildings)
TEACHERS Carrying their emergency backpacks, first aid kits, emergency phone numbers, and personal cell phones (if available), will lead classes to our predetermined meeting areas (swing set, picnic table, tunnel slide, red maple tree, green maple tree, or in adverse weather conditions the far end of the parking lot) where they will call parents to appraise them of the situation and give them our location. If parents cannot be reached, EMERGENCY CONTACT people should be called. TEACHERS should ensure that EACH PARENT is called.
DIRECTOR Will post a message on Brightwheel.
PARENTS should immediately come to the evacuation point to pick up their children. Our whereabouts, if other than our property, will be posted on Brightwheel. Staff will remain with children until they have all been accounted for.
IMMEDIATE AREA EVACUATION:
(cause example: chemical spill from trains in N. Bennington)
TEACHERS carrying their emergency backpacks, first aid kits, emergency phone numbers, and personal cell phones (if available), go with children to the area designated by local law enforcement (Our location will be posted on Brightwheel):
where they will call parents to appraise them of the situation and give them our location. If parents cannot be reached, EMERGENCY CONTACT people should be called. TEACHERS should ensure that EACH PARENT is called.
DIRECTOR Will post a message on Brightwheel
PARENTS should immediately come to the area designated by local law enforcement (our location will be posted on Brightwheel) to pick up their children. Staff will remain with children until they have all been accounted for.
AREA-WIDE SEEK EMERGENCY SHELTER:
(cause example: tornado warning)
TEACHERS carrying whatever emergency materials they can immediately access (may include: their emergency backpacks, first aid kits, emergency phone numbers, and personal cell phones (if available), go with children to the hallways outside of the North wing bathrooms, the kitchen, or the basement of the building.
After danger has passed and director has assessed the situation, teachers will notify parents to appraise them of the situation.
DIRECTOR After danger has passed, director will assess whether returning to the classrooms is feasible and either remain intact or move children and teachers to safest spot.
AREA-WIDE EVACUATION:
(cause example: terrorist action)
TEACHERS, carrying their emergency backpacks, first aid kits, emergency phone numbers, and personal cell phones (if available), will immediately load children into staff cars. Double buckling will be done, if necessary, only adults should ride where airbags deploy if at all possible.
will then proceed WITH CHILDREN to the area designated by local law enforcement (our location will be posted on Brightwheel):
When teachers arrive at their destination, they will use their emergency forms to contact parents/emergency contacts and will wait with children until their parents, or another authorized person picks them up.
DIRECTOR Will post a sign on the front door and post a message on Brightwheel.
PARENTS should come to the evacuation destination when able to pick up their children. Our whereabouts will be posted on Brightwheel. Staff will remain with children until all are accounted for.
BOMB THREAT
In the case of a bomb threat,
Follow BECC-only evacuation procedure
LOCK DOWN
If a situation arises where we cannot leave the building,
UNSAFE PERSON:
DIRECTOR will make sure all doors are locked.
Children and staff should stay away from windows. The hallways outside of the North wing bathrooms, kitchen, or basement of the building can be evacuated to if feasible.
If the unsafe person is already in the building, a staff person should make every effort to leave the situation and call 911 from either the classroom phone or a cell phone. If it is possible and feasible to escape the building, teachers can bring children to the field at the back of the property.
ENVIRONMENTAL DANGER: (when evacuation is not advisable)
Teachers will lock their doors, close windows, block gaps with rolled up towels, and will try their best to keep the children calm and simulate their normal day as best they can.
When necessary, teachers should use emergency supplies
History of Bennington Early Childhood center
In 1933, one year after the founding of Bennington College, a nursery school was started on the campus to provide college students with the opportunity for direct observation and experience with young children. The school was also a link between the College and the community, being most of the children enrolled in the school were from the surrounding towns.
The Nursery School was housed in Cricket Hill for several years before relocating to a building between the College’s Library and Maintenance buildings in 1939.The Nursery School was one of the few schools for young children in the community.
In 1973, with the addition of an all-day preschool for threes and fours, as well as a preschool program for children with developmental disabilities, the Nursery School became the Early Childhood Center. At that time, there was no other program for children with special needs under the age of six in the Bennington area. When the public schools began to provide programs for children with developmental delays, the Center offered a mainstream program for those children who could benefit from learning within a typical preschool classroom. In 1982, the Center started a Twos group in the space previously used for the Individual Learning Program.
Parent fundraising and volunteering over the years made possible many building renovations and additions, as well as program enhancements. The years 1977, 1980, 1983, 1985, 1989 and 1992 saw spaces improved and expanded to give children room to grow as the program expanded to include Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, and expanded afternoon opportunities. The playgrounds benefitted from parental involvement as well, including the construction of a wooden dinosaur, designed and built by one of the Center mothers.
In 2003, the Center earned accreditation from NAEYC (the National Association for the Education of Young Children), recognizing it as an excellent preschool program. This prestigious recognition has been achieved by approximately 7% of early childhood programs nationwide. NAEYC accreditation is a rigorous, voluntary process by which early childhood programs demonstrate that they meet national standards of excellence. In 2008 the Early Childhood Center became one of the first Early Childhood programs nationally to achieve accreditation under the new more stringent NAEYC criteria.
2008 saw the Center celebrate its 75th anniversary. It was applauded for its innovation in programming including a second language program, ongoing gardening/nutrition learning, and emergent curriculum. Recent initiatives included a partnership with Shaftsbury School District to provide placements for their pre-kindergarten children, continued development of the playground with the teaching garden, rebuilding of the tree house, and the construction of a play/performance stage.
In June 2009, a core group of staff, parents and friends worked together to create the Bennington Early Childhood Center after Bennington College decided to close the program due to their inability to continue to provide structural support to the Center. Space was rented on Harwood Hill and opened with two classrooms in the fall of 2009. In the summer of 2010, the program expanded to three classrooms. In the summer of 2012, the program expanded to four classrooms and included pre-kindergarten partnerships with five local school districts.
In May 2016, the BECC purchased the property at 1506 Harwood Hill and in June 2016 started construction to add a fifth classroom for the 2016-2017 school year, make the building more energy efficient, and make the property both safer and more enriching. In June of 2017, the walk-out basement was renovated to create a music and movement space. In 2022, work was done on the playgrounds and driveway/parking lot to make things safer and more welcoming for our families. Playground work continued through 2026 to create a more natural and inviting outdoor play space.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Shira Sternberg* – President
Carlyn Mickle* - Secretary
Melinda Paquin* - Treasurer
Jordan DiSano* - Vice-President
Emily Waterman*
Moritz von Stuelpnagel*
Lani Lovisa
*Current Parent Representative
The Board of Directors is responsible for the fiscal and legal management of the program, through approval of the annual budget, oversight of the financial records and practices, the execution of an annual fund drive and/or other major fundraising endeavors, and all legal matters related to the program. They meet on an every-other-month basis, and consist of 7-15 members of the community, including parent representatives. Please contact one of the current Board members if you are interested in joining the Board for a three-year term.
