District 287 Final Safety Decisions

District 287 Families,

It has been a tragic year for our District community related to school safety. As a trauma-informed school district, we know that when people fear for their physical or emotional safety, it compromises all other aspects of our work, in particular, our responsibility to educate and serve the mental health needs of students. As we continue to process and heal, many are understandably re-traumatized by the increasing safety incidents in our schools. I have spent this legislative session pleading with policymakers to better fund our needs related to safety, professional development, and mental health.

One of my actions this spring was to convene a Safety Response Team tasked with identifying solutions to addressing safety in our schools. The team conducted stakeholder engagement with District 287 students, families, and staff to understand their perceptions of safety and presented safety recommendations based on their discussions. 

On Thursday, May 12, the School Board held a closed session to discuss the survey results, Safety Response Team safety recommendations, and participate in a Racial Equity Impact Analysis on the use of metal detectors. The School Board signaled their support for me, as superintendent, to make final decisions on the safety recommendations.

I fully support the Safety Response Team Recommendations, focused on five areas of safety, with added specifications on metal detectors. Metal detectors will be installed and studied multiple times over the course of two years, beginning the 2022-2023 school year, after which the superintendent will review the decision. 

This special edition communication focused on safety will cover:

• Safety Response Team Safety Recommendations and Survey Findings
• Final Superintendent Decisions on Safety Recommendations
• Metal Detector Considerations and Racial Equity Impact Analysis
• Current Safety Practices

The use of the Racial Equity Analysis tool offered leaders an opportunity to use a systemic examination of how our students, Black, Indigenous, and Students of Color, in particular, will likely be affected when we reinstall metal detectors. It’s imperative that we keep race up front and center on this matter. 

Final Safety Decisions for Next School Year

 

Sincerely,

Sandy

Sandy Lewandowski
Superintendent