Safety Summit Feedback

Contact Safety & Security

In Spring 2023, the district hosted Safety Summits where families, students, staff and community members were able to increase their understanding about several safety topics and had the opportunity to share feedback during table discussions.

School safety is a collaborative effort. Our families, students and staff have important perspectives that will help us determine our path forward.

Below you'll find a recap from the family and student safety summits highlighting common themes, trends and patterns.

Family Safety Summit

Safety & Security

Including secure buildings; ongoing safety trainings, drills and response; and security support staff

What was encouraging about what you learned?

All schools have a secured vestibule
Addition of and continued investment in cameras around schools
Continued investment in technology to help keep students and staff safe
The use of Raptor, a visitor management system, at all schools
Standard Response Protocol used districtwide
Continued partnership with local police departments and School Resource Officers (SROs)

What are your areas of worry or concern?

What else would you like us to be mindful of?

Schools need to be doing more Standard Response drills
More variation in types of drills, especially at our secondary schools
Not to overreact to incidents and be thoughtful with decisions as it effects so many students/staff
Need School Resources Officers (SROs) or campus security officers at all elementary schools
Would like to see more fencing around schools
More communication to parents about lockdown drills and what is being taught
Continue to research the best technology to help with security

Threat Assessment & Management

Including the threat assessment team and process, types of assessments, and student safety plans and intervention tools

What was encouraging about what you learned?

Transparency of the process so that both students and parents have a clear understanding of what is going on
All students are given due process
Appreciate that the threat assessment process helps provide additional supports
Multiple layers to the threat assessment process
Proactive instead of reactive approach
Appreciate the team approach, and that it's not a single person making decisions about students

What are your areas of worry or concern?

Bullying is not taken seriously enough at the schools, and the use of social media makes it hard to control
How do we address the growing mental health needs without putting it on the teachers
How effective is this for elementary students versus middle school and high school students
Is the School Resource Officer in the loop with this process, and how do they play a role moving forward
Concerned that students may be labeled because of having to go through a threat assessment

What else would you like us to be mindful of?

Student Wellbeing

Including mental health support staff and programming, bullying support and response, and student perception data.

What was encouraging about what you learned?

The continued commitment and addition of staff to support student wellbeing at all levels, and how they effectively work within the system and with each other to support students
The importance of elevating student voice and participation through the annual student survey and other opportunities
Families appreciate schools that regularly communicate ways to support a student's wellbeing at home
The increased emphasis on teaching skills such as, self awareness, self management, responsible decision making, relationship skills and social awareness skills which better prepare them for their future workforce goals

What are your areas of worry or concern?

Increase opportunities for parents to learn and receive support on topics such as: supporting a student with anxiety, the impact of social media, linking skills taught at school into the home environment etc.
Consistently share the results from the annual student survey, and build student and family awareness of how the data is utilized
Provide clear communication about how bullying is addressed in the district (pre and post incident) and provide supports for both the victim and the bully

What else would you like us to be mindful of?

Student Safety Summit

What makes you feel safe?

Elementary (Grades K-5)

Physical safety measures are important to students: the design of outside spaces (fences, lighting etc.) and the building design (locked doors, security cameras, bricks, glass, check in area etc.)
Consistently practicing drills, when knowing from staff that it is only a drill
Visibility of staff throughout the school day, especially in the hallways, cafeteria and recess
Relationships with all staff in the building that goes beyond academics
Knowing the school expectations and frequently revisiting the expectations
In building subs helped because the sub knew students and building expectations

Middle (Grades 6-8)

Having School Resources Officers and their frequent visibility throughout the school building
Consistently practicing drills, especially when we return from a break
Middle school students feel safe when their teachers know who they are
Visibility of staff throughout the school day, especially in the hallways, cafeteria and recess
Access to mental health and counseling supports
IDs and checking in visitors to the school
Activities such as clubs and middle school sports keep students busy and connected

High (Grades 9-12)

Students like that we have safety drills, doors locked, ID cards and vestibules for safety
Appreciate communication to students and home when there is a safety concern
Students love when teachers hear or see them as more than just a student
Classroom environments that allow students to make mistakes
Adults who listen to what we need for support and take action
Afterschool clubs, activities and athletics

What are areas for improvement?

Elementary (Grades K-5)

Active monitoring and reinforcement of expected behavior during unstructured times, such as lunch, recess, hallways and bus
Behavior expectations are consistently taught, reinforced, responded to and upheld
Consistent response process for communicating safety concerns and steps taken to address and resolve the matter
Creating bathroom spaces where students feel comfortable and safe using the bathroom facilities, including increased privacy and active monitoring for unexpected behaviors
Integration of discipline practices that allow all student to feel like they are treated with dignity when unexpected behavior is being addressed
Increased presence of School Resource Officers (SROs)
Students want more education and awareness about the impacts of social media, how to navigate social media and cyberbullying

Middle (Grades 6-8)

Increase supervision during passing periods, lunch and drills
Increase School Resource Officer (SRO) presence
Students notice and are aware of when adults are upset and worried and would like adults to model self-regulation
Students want more education and awareness about the impacts of social media, how to navigate social media and cyberbullying

High (Grades 9-12)

Students would like processes to improve connections with adults at the school
Improve supervision and visibility in parking lot
Increase School Resources Officers (SROs) at all campuses
Increase supervision in the bathroom to decrease vaping and gathering
Difficulty building relationships when staff turnover is high
Students want more education and awareness about the impacts of social media, how to navigate social media and cyberbullying

What else do you want the district to be aware of?

Elementary (Grades K-5)

Students notice and are aware of when adults are upset and worried and would like adults to model self-regulation
Students noted the importance of learning from their peers and increasing the modeling of and mentorship of students who are older than them
Transparent conversations about safety
Students want to learn about the students their school serves and to know how to support students in specialized programming
School Resource Officers (SROs) are appreciated and wanted at all levels as much as possible.

Middle (Grades 6-8)

Students want more adult visibility and monitoring during passing periods and in bathrooms
Consistent concerns on how many students are vaping at school
Students noted the importance of learning from their peers and increasing the modeling of and mentorship of students who are older than them.
Students want to spend the start of school reviewing expectations and safety drills

High (Grades 9-12)

The importance of communication during an incident (secure/lockDOWN) particularly to students who are off site and transparency following an incident
Consistency of drills at different times of the day and for all students (passing period, lunch, etc.), particularly at sites where students don’t spend an entire day
Reporting can be challenging if the culture isn’t clear and supportive - we need to work on encouraging a culture of reporting
Student voice - students want to be asked for their opinion/feedback consistently about important decisions, topics and changes and noted the importance of communication back to them about what will happen
Concerns about the stigma of metal detectors, particularly at the alternative schools
Relationships - the importance of learning from peers and increasing the modeling of and mentorship of students who are older than them
Staff connections that go beyond academics are vital, including with in-building subs that know students and building expectations