In 2024 the GvP School’s safety policy 2024-2026 was established. This policy describes what we do to create, maintain, and improve a safe climate at the GvP School. It emphasizes our fundamental goal: to foster a safe and inspiring learning environment based on mutual respect and inclusivity, that enables students to fully develop their talents.

Feeling safe and valued is vital to a student’s development. Learning suffers when students fear for their safety, worry about being bullied, or don’t sense the teachers have high expectations for their success. In a healthy, supportive climate, students are engaged and take intellectual risks. They follow the school rules and norms for behavior that the faculty models and maintains. Such a community is characterized by positive relationships between teachers and students, a place where genuine respect is the norm, and where all students feel they belong. The same is true for our faculty and parents/guardians, as together we make up the GvP School community. 

The GvP School’s safety policy is to guarantee and safeguard a safe and supportive school culture, through our school-wide strategies, expectations, and rules. It reflects our GvP School community’s shared values and considers the characteristics of our student body. It also includes developmentally appropriate support, including social well-being and mental health interventions. 

First and foremost, our safety policy focuses on:

• establishing and maintaining strong, authentic, and candid relationships with our students and their parents/guardians that show respect and reflect our high expectations for all students; 
• upholding the code of conduct, in which both the students and teachers are expected to work hard, show respect for the rules and one another, and make positive behavioral choices (see also the GvP School Social Agreement);
• zero-tolerance against (sexual) harassment, aggression, violence, bullying, and discrimination; and
• providing extra guidance, support and care to students with special needs, including behavioral issues.  

The safety policy also covers matters pertaining to security and emergency response situations, including fire prevention and control, and evacuation.