Focusing on School Safety

Recent incidents have once again stunned our nation and brought forth discussions questioning the safety of our schools. These incidents remind us that we must remain diligent in protecting our students, administration, and staff.

Many districts are asking a simple question following the tragedy in Texas, how safe is our school? Every school has several points of entry. If every door to the school was locked, someone looking to do harm would have to work extremely hard to gain access.

Critical to everyone’s safety is the ability to initiate emergency response plans while keeping harm locked out. The single best action schools can take today is to walk around the building and make sure that all points of entry are closed, locked, and secured. We recommend that all entry doors remain closed and locked at all times when children are present.

Additional conversations among school officials, local law enforcement, and other community first responders familiar with the district’s School Safety Plan can also provide critical details surrounding other vulnerabilities. 

Ohio School Plan encourages all districts to regularly conduct comprehensive reviews of their safety and security measures in place at each school building.

Questions? Contact an Ohio School Plan risk management representative for more information.