With the sad news coming out of Georgia today, I wanted to take the time to share our safety measures with our families. School safety and threat assessment is a regular part of yearly planning for Bethel Grade School.
I would first like to point out our Student Safety and Wellness page on our website. You can get there by clicking HERE. You can find policies and reporting forms concerning bullying and potential threats. These reports come anonymously to me for any needed action.
Bethel is fortunate enough to have a School Resource Officer (SRO). Captain Ryan Weeks has been with us for two years and has been helpful in various crisis/emergency planning efforts. He has also been a great advocate for the needs of schools when it comes to law enforcement.
The staff conduct drills with our students to practice in the event of an emergency. Last year, we began using Crisis Go to help us better communicate with each other during a safety event. This app allows us to quickly call 911 and alert each other to dangers in the immediate area. We also carry two-way radios while outside at all times. These help to quicken any response that might be needed.
Our emergency and threat assessment plans are evaluated and revised each year as needed. We include various members on these teams who have either mental health or safety expertise, or a great working knowledge of the building. We have been able to create emergency plans that are efficient and easy enough to follow even for a substitute that might be new to the building.
We have even made changes to the grounds in recent years. Our fence was added to secure the property and act as a barrier to any unwanted intruder. We moved the main visitor entrance to the north side of the building to better screen those wanting to enter. It is very important to us that our kids are shielded from any potential safety threats.
All this is a lot to be proud of, but the reality is that we will always need help from our students and the community. If you see or know something, please say something. It will be taken seriously.
If you ever have questions regarding our safety procedures, I am happy to help. Feel free to call the office or email me at ccass@bethelschool.net.