October 2007 Parent Newsletter
School Safety: What Every Parent Should Know
Parents are encouraged to get more involved in school safety efforts. There are two easy ways to accomplish this: understand exactly what the school and district are doing to ensure your children’s safety, and talk with your kids regularly about their well being.
Understanding Safety
First, investigate what the school system is doing to establish and maintain a safe learning environment. For example, how is access regulated at your school? How many doors offer unsupervised access? Does your school have security cameras, sign-in procedures and visitor badges? Are teachers communicating safety information regularly to students? Other questions include:
- Are background investigations performed on all staff?
- What are the policies and procedures covering emergencies?
- Is there a nurse on site at all times while children are present?
- What are the parent notification and student pickup procedures during an emergency?
Second, explain these security procedures to your children. Then put their minds to ease by explaining the odds of injury: the U.S. Department of Education reports the chance of being killed in schools is less than one in a million. Indeed, it’s vitally important parents communicate the importance of school safety without raising a child’s level of fear. If a child sees his parents discussing the topic comfortably, he’ll often mirror that behavior.
It’s also imperative parents understand how each of their children processes safety issues so they can watch for behavior changes (warning signs) and intervene accordingly. Make sure your children have at least one adult at home and school with whom they feel comfortable to report safety concerns. If there is a problem, parents should know how to access school and community resources immediately.
How Parents Can Ensure Safety in their Children’s Schools
The answer is simple. Become as active in your child’s school as your schedule permits.
- Visit often, and be sure to register with administrative personnel as soon as you arrive.
- Volunteer in your child’s classroom or elsewhere in the school, like the library or lunch room. Encourage other parents to volunteer as well. The more parents are present and visible, the safer the school will be.
- Join the parent-teacher organization. Parents learn so much about the inner workings of their child’s school when they regularly attend meetings and volunteer at school functions.
- Get to know your children’s friends and their families. Knowing their friends is just as important as knowing when their next project is due. A coordinated effort among teachers, parents and other members of the community will keep children safe.
2008 Parent Newsletters
2007 Parent Newsletters