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Child found safe on Washington Avenue after leaving Jackson School without permission

By Howard B. Owens

A kindergartener at Jackson Street School apparently misunderstood instructions from a nurse today and left school grounds instead of waiting for his father to pick him up, according to officials.

The child was missing for only a few minutes, Officer Eric Hill told WBTA.

At about the same time the nurse was calling Batavia PD, a child was located, dressed in hat, gloves and coat, on Washington Avenue. 

The school district issued the following statement about the incident:

Today at Jackson Primary School, a kindergarten student who was being dismissed from school early, walked out of a side door as per his normal dismissal procedures and started walking home rather than going to the school office for release. School officials immediately instituted their Emergency Procedures and contacted the police. The child was located shortly thereafter and returned safely to school and his parent.

The District will be reviewing its procedures to determine how today's incident occurred and make changes as necessary. As always, we place the safety of our students first and will take the necessary measures to protect  them.

Our news partners WBTA and 13WHAM contributed to this story.

alvin tufts

There is no way an adult could walk that far in a couple minutes. Jackson School to Washington Ave. Are you sure you have the right street? It would probably take a kid that age a half an hour to an hour to get that far. "The child was missing for only a few minutes, Officer Eric Hill told WBTA" Really?

Jan 13, 2015, 7:27pm Permalink
Sheila McWethy

This happened to me with my older daughter years ago at Robert Morris. Exact same scenario. She was in kindergarten and it was in the first couple weeks of school. She was sick and went to the nurse and I got the call at work. I sent the babysitter to go get her and when she was coming down Union street she saw my daughter walking. The school had no idea that she had left the building. I was furious. The principal at the time tried to blame my daughter for not knowing "procedure". I lost it. She had been school three weeks. Had never been to the nurse and was five!! How was she supposed to know procedure?! And just to clarify this is not a principal that currently works in the district. I believe he was fired later on for an unrelated incident. The point is this shouldn't happen. I remember a letter went home the next day stating what had happened and that they were going to review procedures. It never happened again to my knowledge until this incident. Kudos to the individual that recognized this as an unsafe situation for this little one and nothing more serious happened.

Jan 13, 2015, 6:00pm Permalink
Cheryl Wilmet

When my son was at Robert Morris as a kindergartner was told within the first week of starting school that they would go outside after lunch. When he finished eating he went outside alone thinking he could just go out. Luckily he was found playing on the playground. I wonder how many more incidents of kids walking out of the school without anyone knowing.

Jan 13, 2015, 7:49pm Permalink
david spaulding

Believe it or not, kids wandering off happens all the time. Have you ever gone shopping with your children or maybe an amusement park and all of a sudden you can't find one of them? If you haven't, you are the best parent and we could learn from you.
Now imagine a teacher in charge of thirty kindergardeners where most of them have never heard nor understand the word NO.
A child innocently went home when he believed that was what he was suppose to do.
What do you want the school to do? Share your ideas with the school board.
My advice is to teach your child the safe way to cross the street.

Jan 13, 2015, 9:08pm Permalink
Raymond Richardson

Obviously, there are no safeguards in place at this school campus.

When I was in school, back before dirt was invented, if we were being sent home early, due to illness, we remained in the nurses office, and we were picked up there by a parent, or guardian.

Students in grades K-4 grade were not allowed to walk through the halls unless an adult was with us, to make sure we went to the destination we were sent to, and not wandering out a side door.

Jan 14, 2015, 8:35am Permalink
Mardell Lamb

Here in Pavilion the student remains in the nurses office until the parent (or designated person) picks them up. Then they go to the office to sign the student out.

Nurse Liz Milligan & ("watch-dog") coach, hubby Rob are AWESOME! Go "Miggilans! Absolutely why I love our school. I feel safe sending my son there every day.

Jan 14, 2015, 6:51pm Permalink

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