Ideas from the Community Conversation on School Safety

Ideas from the Community Conversation on School Safety

On Tuesday, April 24, a community conversation on school safety was held at Tomah High School to provide an opportunity for those interested or concerned about this topic to come together and share their ideas on how to work toward increased safety of students and staff in our schools.  While the number of participants in this conversation was less than fifty, we had very meaningful and healthy debate and discussion on the topic.  I greatly appreciate the involvement of Greg Gaarder, the District’s Business Manager whose responsibilities include safety protocols and building security, Chief Mark Nicholson and Lt. Ron Waddell from the Tomah Police Department, and Monroe County Sheriff Scott Perkins in sharing their perspectives and insights as a starting point for the evening’s conversation.  Notes, which were taken at the community conversation, are available on the District website for review by anyone interested in gaining some insights into the discussion held.  However, I would like to share my perspective on some recurring themes I heard throughout the evening as I moved from one discussion table to another:

1. It is important to train students and staff to be prepared to respond to a crisis in a school.
   1. Provide extensive training for all staff- teachers, substitutes, aides, etc…- so they are able to react effectively in an emergency.
   2. Provide training to students so they know what to do in case of an emergency.
   3. Plan for multiple scenarios so that staff and students have a variety of possible responses to an emergency situation.
2. Parents would like to see the school district improve its communication with them on issues related to school safety. Ideas included:
   1. Utilize a crisis notification system which goes directly to parents’ phones if there is an emergency taking place within the District.
   2. Inform parents of when safety drills will be occurring at schools and provide a summary or script of the drill so that further discussion with children can occur at home.
   3. Educate parents on the training provided to students and staff on topics related to school safety.
3. Our entire community has a responsibility to keep our schools and our children safe. The notion of “see something, say something” must be an expectation for anyone aware of a threat or danger. This extends beyond a school shooting threat to sex trafficking, illegal drug use, and mental health issues.
   1. Utilize an anonymous hotline or phone app which anyone can call to report concerns.
   2. Work to bring more behavioral health/counseling/treatment options to our community.
   3. Educate the community on school safety issues.

Our community conversation on school safety has begun, but it won’t end here. We have work to do to ensure we are implementing the ideas which community members believe will increase safety in our schools. This topic will need to be revisited yearly to communicate the efforts which were undertaken and achieved and where work is still needed. I am confident that by working together our schools will continue to be one of the safest places for our children to be during the day.

If you have any questions or comments about the information and opinions expressed in this edition of The School Bell, please contact Cindy Zahrte, District Administrator, at cindyz@tomah.k12.wi.us or 374-7002.