From the Superintendent's Corner: Safety & Security

by Dr. Patrick Shelton 

Each year, we watch schools across the country become victims of acts of violence that have caused schools across the country to examine all the safety measures that are in place to protect students and staff. While student and staff safety has always been a top priority for District #7, the past two years have found us expanding the number of resources available to schools. In District #7, we place the highest possible priority on providing a safe environment for teaching and learning. Throughout September, schools both locally and nationally saw an increase in threats made online. These incidents, whether credible or not, caused understandable worry among students, parents and staff.  

I want to reassure our families and our communities that the safety and security of our students and staff is always our top priority. We take all threats seriously and work closely with our local law enforcement to ensure a quick and effective response.  

This year, District #7 has procured two new tools that are available to building administrators to utilize in the event of an emergency. First, District #7 adopted the Crisis Go Platform which provides building administrators and staff with the opportunity to launch an alert and provides essential tools that can be used for communication. CrisisGo provides the tools for District #7 staff members to recognize, prepare, address, and review incidents at all levels and to gain knowledge and experience along their designated pathways.   

It also unifies communication from all parties including school staff, district leaders, and first responders. Upon the event of an emergency, it provides the crisis team with real-time incident status and situational awareness. 

District #7 also recently launched a partnership with SirenGPS that provides access for building and district administrators to 911 calls which are made from a specific proximity to schools. Providing notice to danger as quickly as possible provides our building administrators with the ability to respond accordingly, saving vital time in the event of a true emergency. 

In addition to these two programs, at the beginning of the 2024-2025 school year, we committed to implementing more layers of security in our schools. This includes, all students and staff wearing IDs; all visitors being required to show an ID; School Resources Officers at our high and middle schools; a strong partnership with local law enforcement; the use of Light Speed - the software used to monitor student online activity and document creation on our district devices for key words and phrases; district and building emergency plans; and drills to practice our response in emergencies.  

We will continue to evaluate and enhance our safety protocols in response to evolving risks and concerns. Safety is not just a priority—it is a commitment that we take seriously every day. By working together as a community, we can create a secure and supportive learning environment where our students can thrive.