Building security, incident response and threat assessments are vital components to safe schools, as are schools that foster a climate of support and respect and that instill a sense of learning and belonging.
Over the years in SASD, we have implemented many additional safeguards, including secured entrances with protective glass. Outside doors can only be accessed by a staff fob and are otherwise secured all day. We have building safety teams at each school which are also part of a district safety team that meets regularly to assess our protocols, provide additional training needed and more.
More on Building Safety Measures
Some of the many safety practices and technology in our schools include:
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ALICE Active Threat Response: All staff and students are trained to respond to an active threat using ALICE principles. This training is provided at an age appropriate level at each school.
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Secure entrances, security cameras and visitor check-in: Security cameras are installed in all buildings, including video and audio screening before visitors are let into our buildings. Visitors must present a state-issued identification card which, through a system called Raptor, collects the ID photo, name, date of birth, and first four digits of the license number on the identification to perform an instant sex offender background check against databases in all 50 states. Our office staff also have the ability to initiate a physical building lockdown and send immediate notification to District office staff.
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Emergency paging and notification: All district phones have the ability to make an announcement to the entire building in case of an active threat. SASD also utilizes two way radios for the ability to immediately communicate with school leaders and the Stoughton Police Department.
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Yearly and twice-yearly safety drills: Include fire drills (monthly), tornado drills (two times per year), evacuation drills, and active threat drills.
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SASD Safety Committee and building safety teams: Work with school administrators and school-based critical response teams to ensure our schools balance the physical safety of our students, staff, and school buildings with the importance of social and emotional safety.
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Threat Assessment Teams: Each school has a threat assessment team that meets on a regular basis. The threat assessment teams use the Wisconsin School Threat Assessment Protocol to analyze and document all possible threats to our schools.
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Speak Up Speak Out tip line: As part of our ongoing efforts to maintain safe and supportive learning environments, our tip line (Speak Up Speak Out) gives students and parents an easy, anonymous way to report unsafe situations.
While all these measures are important, so are the ways we work hard each day to really know and support all of our students and their families. We continue to prioritize mental health and early identification and services. We know this is a very important part of our prevention work, as it fosters a climate of support and respect that leads to learning and belonging for all students.
