How Is The Superior School District Working To Keep Students Safe?

The recent, tragic news coming from schools around the country - as well as last weeks anonymous threat of violence that affected the Superior Senior High School - might have have parents concerned about the safeguards and precautions in place to protect their children.  While it's true that the world is a different place than it was when modern parents were kids, there are still smart principals that guide the advance planning in place.

While the Superior Senior High School incident turned out to be unsubstantiated - coming from an out-of-town source, and aimed at a school in Ohio - local parents have good cause to question the protocols and programs in place.  After last weeks situation was over, Superior Public School District Superintendent Jana Stevens followed up with a message via School Messenger to inform parents how the district works to keep kids safe. Here are some of the highlights:

• Police Liaison Officers:  The Superior Police Department has three full-time liaison officers stationed within the district, visiting school buildings and building relationships with students and staff.
• School Entrances:  All doors are locked after the school day starts; access after that time is only with a key card or by office "buzz in".  Most buildings also offer dual-entry systems - where visitors must be "buzzed in" at two points to gain entry; the district is working to make this happen at every building.
• Emergency Response Plans:  The district originated and annually maintains ERP's for a variety of situations - including an active shooter.  Copies of these plans are posted in every classroom and office.
• ALICE (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate training and skills:  All teachers and administrators in the district have been trained on strategies and procedures in case of an armed intruder.  This year the training was expanded to include support staff and substitute teachers.
• CPR and First Aid:  Although you might consider it a basic skill set, the district has trained designated staff in each building in life-saving techniques - which now include how to control blood loss in active shooter scenarios.
• School Guidance Counselors and Psychologists:  Trained staff are available in each building to support students in need.
• Surveillance:  The district has located cameras in strategic positions - both inside and outside of each building.
• "See Something,. Say Something" Campaign:  The district has posted brightly-colored posters in every building encouraging students, teachers, and staff to come forward and to share any pertinent information they may have.
• Human Development Center and Lake Superior Community Health Center:  The district contracts with these partner programs to provide additional mental health supports.
• Northwest Journey:  This program provides mental and behavioral support via day-treatment at Northern Lights Elementary School.

The Superior Public School District routinely reviews, updates, and makes implementation changes as needed to each of these programs.  While no plan can be foolproof, the district has a wide variety of safeguards in place to offer peace of mind to parents.