Campus Safety

First established in 1957 when then Superintendent/Principal George Shattuck hired retired Norwich Police Officer Alfred Patterson, the Campus Safety Department now has a director, assistant director, administrative assistant, and a complement of Campus Safety Officers to provide a safe and secure environment for everyone on the NFA campus.

To oversee student safety and campus security, Campus Safety officers are proactive. They identify troubled students and potentially hazardous conditions threatening disruption of a safe and secure learning environment and physical plant. The staff then works with administrators and support services to resolve any and all identified campus safety concerns and participates in a host of educational activities for students and professional development for faculty and staff.

During the school year Campus Safety’ hours are Monday – Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Saturdays, 7:00 a.m. to 3 p.m.; and on Sundays and other times when required by events and activities.

During school hours Campus Safety Officers will be in the Visitor Check-In Station at the South (Main) Entrance on Crescent Street, the Campus Safety Station in the lot at the North Entrance on Broadway and the Campus Safety Station in the lot at the East Entrance on Joseph Perkins Road. Campus Safety personnel will also be available in The Campus Welcome Center in Slater.

During the evening and on Saturdays, Officers will generally be located throughout campus. A message may be left for them at 860-425-5597 . If you are on campus you may also reach Campus Safety in an emergency via the Blue Phones located:

• Behind Allis House, toward the Cranston clock tower
• At the back corner of Tirrell, on the Slater Museum side
• Halfway down the Frank Center on the football field side

NOTE: These phones do not connect to 9-1-1 and will only be answered if Campus Safety is on campus.

NFA has detailed plans to respond to large and small emergencies, developed in collaboration with a wide variety of emergency response agencies, including fire, police, and EMS.

NFA’s Campus Safety Director and Associate Director have extensive law enforcement experience as crisis response supervisors and emergency responders. Through a variety of regular tabletop exercises, NFA's Incident Management Team trains with police, fire, emergency medical services (EMS), and other community agencies

Parents & Guardians:

It is also important that families have a plan of response in the event of an emergency. Your response is a vital factor in ensuring your child’s safety.

During an emergency:

1. KEEP PHONE LINES CLEAR: Please do not telephone the school. Our telephone lines will be required for emergency communications.

2. REMAIN OFF CAMPUS: Please do not come to the school until requested.

Access to the school must be kept clear for emergency vehicles. “Self Responding” to the campus may actually jeopardize the safety of your child.

3. FOLLOW DIRECTIONS: Please impress upon your child the need to follow the emergency directions of school and emergency personnel.

4. DEFER TO OFFICIAL SOURCES OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION: Please do not call or text your child; doing so may create unsafe electrical charges or communicate directions in conflict with those of school officials and emergency responders. In an emergency, adults on campus have a clearer picture of necessary action to keep everyone safe.

NFA will provide regular updates of the current status of the emergency.

Decisions regarding relocating and/or sending students home will be collaborative between NFA administration and local responders. To facilitate the release of students to their families, NFA may elect to establish a reunification center on or off campus.

In the event that NFA does establish a reunification center, students will be released only to parents or persons listed on the emergency sheet submitted on the first day of school. Staff members will ask you or your designee to show a form of identification to insure your son or daughter is leaving with an authorized person. Your patience during this process will be an important factor.

For these and other reasons it is important to keep your emergency contact information current. Should it change during the school year, please update your information here.

It is our sincere hope that you will never have need of this information. We will do all in our power to make that hope a reality. Should an emergency occur, however, know that we are prepared. We also want you to know that, like you, we believe that nothing is more important than the safety and welfare of your child.