February, 2024
I applaud Superintendent Rob Werden for bringing together educators and law enforcement officials to discuss mental health and other safety related topics that impact the Madison County (IL) area.
School Safety and Emergency Management Programs are most effective when collaborative stakeholder groups are formed to discuss common safety and security matters. A robust school safety collaborative group is one that meets often, and if properly nourished, may take years to develop into a powerful influential voice in the community. In other words, the foundation of a powerful School Safety and Emergency Management Program starts with people, the right people in the room, and the right grassroots person leading the group, over time, toward a common safety and security purpose.
According to Peter Senge, the author of The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of the Learning Organization, “Small changes can produce big results – but the areas of highest leverage are often the least obvious.” So while investing time to develop and maintain a collaborative school safety program is not an immediate return on your investment, it will certainly pay dividends in the future.
A secured school perimeter is only effective when operational practices maintain its integrity. This case highlights how opening an unattended gate before dismissal can create serious school safety, security, and standard-of-care concerns.
