Safety & Security Update

Safety has always been and will always be a priority in Perry Local Schools. We are unwavering in our commitment to providing our students and staff with a safe learning and working environment so that our staff and students can learn and thrive.

Through long-standing partnerships with the Perry Police Department, Perry Fire & Rescue, and the Allen County Sherriff’s Office, we have strong support and ready resources for our district. All of these partnerships help in our response plan, threat assessments, and investigations of potential threats to our schools.

We recently joined forces with the "I Love U Guys" Foundation, a national non-profit organization dedicated to standardizing crisis response in schools. The “I Love U Guys” Foundation's programs, the Standard Response Protocol (SRP) and the Standard Reunification Method (SRM), offer a standardized and shared language for crisis response. These programs have been implemented in over 50,000 schools, creating a common understanding among first responders, students, and staff. It acts as a tool for training which develops the muscle memory necessary to appropriately act in moments of crisis.

The SRP is a simplified, communications piece that supplements our safety plans/drills/protocols and in no way replaces the ALICE/Active Aggressor training provided to us in the past.

In addition to our township and county supports, we also keenly mind the following resources:

• School entrances have secure card reader access locks
• Visitor registration system in the elementary
• Security cameras on campuses and school buses
• Help Alert panic button systems with a real-time locating system
• Updated doors and locks for the high school
• Customized Classroom Window Line of Sight Coverings
• School security window film to reinforce glass in existing windows
• Administrators Continuous Door Checks
• Emergency response operations, plans, and protocols are frequently revised and practiced
• Strict adherence to processes for signing students in and out of school
• Mandatory drills and safety audits
• Safety tip line to report safety violations or concerns
• Bullying and harassment prevention and reporting programs
• No access to weapons assurances from parents/guardians in safety planning
• Staff awareness and radio communications to enhance campus perimeter defense
• Continued investment in staff training focused equally on prevention and response
• ALICE AWARENESS
• Standard Response Protocol (SRP) i love you guys foundation
• Standard Reunification Method (SRM) i love you guys foundation

The Perry Local Schools uses The Comprehensive School Threat Assessment Guidelines (CSTAG) and has certified all administrators and numerous support staff, who comprise our Threat Assessment Team. Our Threat Assessment Team’s roles include:

• Identifying students and situations that raise concern
• Gathering Information and facts to assess risk of violence
• Developing intervention and management strategies to support the student and prevent violence

We take every threat seriously and investigate each one thoroughly. It's important to remember that hoax threats are not a joke, and they can have devastating consequences—both for the public and for the perpetrators. Issuing a hoax threat—even over social media, via text message, or through e-mail—can be a federal crime.

Schools nationwide have recently received increased hoax reports about threats and school violence. Many of these reports circulated on social media and caused a significant amount of fear, anxiety, and chaos across our county, state, and nation.

Perry Local Schools will not tolerate this type of behavior. We need and want all students and staff to feel safe at school. School safety is a priority for our district, and as such, every report received is taken seriously and investigated thoroughly. Every. Single. One.

Parents, we need you to talk to your children about responsible social media behavior. Monitor their social media pages. Remind them about the damage posting or sharing false information can cause. Remind them that there are serious consequences for posting threats or reporting false information. Remind them that students who violate the Student Code of Conduct and/or Board of Education policies governing behavior and technology use will receive appropriate consequences from the district, and charges from law enforcement may occur.

We urge you and our students to continue to report threats or suspicious behaviors through our Speak Up! anonymous tipline or by contacting an administrator or law enforcement.

1. Closely monitor and review your student’s online and social media posts.
2. Every morning, check your student’s backpack for dangerous items before they leave for school.
3. Ensure all types of weapons maintained in the home (all types of knives, airsoft guns, toy guns, real guns, etc.) are secured/locked in a safe place at home and not accessible to your student(s).
4. Seek help from school if your student is talking about violence, is angry or making any type of threat towards self or others. We are thankful for the many resources we have available to assist every member of our school. We have a registered school nurse, licensed social worker, certified school counselors, the Perry Health Clinic's full service staff, and multiple onsite counseling partnerships.

We can connect you with resources or help needed. Just call us!

Perry Health Center Behavioral Health (419)812-2915

Please contact me with any questions at 567-940-1414. Thank you for partnering with us so that together, we can keep our schools safe.

Sincerely,

Kelly L. Schooler, Ed.D.

Superintendent