Dear Parents & Guardians,
In light of the recent school tragedies we all have experienced a wide range of emotions as these senseless acts of violence continue to occur across the country. Unequivocally schools are a place where children deserve to learn without fearing the worst. The responsibility of keeping our schools safe belongs to everyone. In these times of heightened awareness, schools, parents, staff and the community at large have an obligation to remain vigilant in our efforts.
As you know, we have many security measures in place in our school district. I want you to know that the safety of students and staff in our facility is paramount in our district. The Tri-Village Local School District considers our school facility among the safest places in the community due to the fact the district plans and prepares for a myriad of situations.
The district purposely exceeds the number of required safety exercises on a yearly basis. It is only through purposeful drills such as lockdown (school safety), fire and tornado that students and staff can be prepared for an emergency. The school system has an established safety committee that meets regularly to discuss any safety measures that need addressed while managing an extremely collaborative relationship with law enforcement. The district continues to evaluate safety protocols and procedures across every level throughout the school year. Additionally, we also have a comprehensive network of internal and external security cameras, a single point of entry throughout the day and school security personnel who are available in our school every day.
Further, it is important to recognize that everyone plays a critical role in school safety. Students, staff and the community are encouraged to be observant and let a trusted adult know if they see or hear something that makes them feel uncomfortable. If you ever have any doubt, contact school administration and/or law enforcement immediately. We all have the responsibility to treat information regarding school safety with caution.
The district also strongly encourages parents and guardians to monitor students’ online activity and employ the following strategies:
Know what websites and social media sites your child is using. Look at what they are posting and who they are following.
Stress that making a threat is not be taken lightly and that there are severe consequences.
Talk with your child about recent local and national incidents.
Watch for changes in behavior and seek help if your child needs assistance dealing with anxiety or feeling safe.
Contact the district and law enforcement if you believe your child is capable of making a threat with follow through.
Keep an open line of communication with your children and encourage them to tell you or another trusted adult if they become aware of a threat or rumor of violence.
Working together at school and at home, we can make a difference for our children and community. The district will continue to work with law enforcement and mental health agencies as we do our best to keep our campus safe for all. As superintendent, we have no greater responsibility than to educate our children in a safe environment where they can learn and grow, without carrying the weight of fear and anxiety on their shoulders. Thank you in advance for partnering with us in this important work and for your assistance in keeping our children and community safe.
Sincerely,
Josh Sagester