Let's Talk School Safety!

It is always good to talk to your children about what to do in an emergency prior to ever needing to know this information. Just as you should talk about and practice fire safety at home and what to do in case of a house fire; we live in a world that school safety needs to be talked about and "practiced" at home; as well as, at school.

Here is a link to an article I put together with information on SVVSD School Safety Protocols and Procedures. https://www.parents-step-up.org/school-safety-protocols-and-procedures/ Below I also have attached links to copies of the LOCKDOWN and STANDARD RESPONSE PROTOCOL (for Students and Parents) that our school district produced.

I HIGHLY recommend that you review all the information and speak to your children about this subject (and talk about it more than one time throughout the year). Although every school has required drills and practices, by talking about these things at home it helps make sure that everyone understands and any questions or concerns can be addressed before needed.

Also, remind your children that if they see something or hear something that is concerning, makes them feel unsafe, is "strange, scary or weird", or is a threat to anyone they need to tell an adult. They can tell a teacher, the school's SRO, or any trusted ADULT. Discourage your child from only telling their peers or repeating information they heard from a peer as this can cause rumors to grow and the help and information that might be needed might not get to the proper people.

Lastly, become familiar with and have your child become familiar with the Safe 2 Tell Program https://safe2tell.org/  This program is a great tool we have available to report any threats and safety concerns.

Students safety is the top priority at any school but it doesn't just start and stop at school. There has to be a direct tie between safety at school and home. Us parents and caregivers must do our part to make sure our children are informed and we also have to be active in their lives to be aware of any red flags so we can be prepared to help our children.

Thank you for stepping up to help keep all of our children safer!

STANDARD RESPONSE PROTOCOL  and LOCKDOWN PROCEDURE can be found at: https://www.svvsd.org/departments/safety/