I remind principals that ensuring student and staff safety is our number one priority in the Needham Public Schools. Without a sense of security, safety, wellbeing, belonging and care our schools will not nurture and support learning environments that will allow students to thrive.
Sadly, schools around the nation spend an increasing amount of time, money, and human resources thinking about, planning for and addressing matters of school security and student safety and wellbeing. I have written before about school violence, and, unfortunately, it remains top of mind each day of the school year for every school leader.
While there are no guarantees that we will never experience the kind of senseless and horrific school violence most recently experienced in Nashville or Uvalde, I believe we have implemented a balanced and thoughtful approach to school and student safety:
• The Town of Needham and the Needham Public Schools have come together in several ways to ensure public safety in our schools and community. For example, after the Newtown tragedy Town Manager Kate Fizpatrick and I teamed up to create the Needham Schools Emergency Advisory Team (NSEAT) to provide a collaborative and community-based approach to school and student safety.
• The Needham Police Chief and I have collaborated on a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that details the role of the police and School Resource Officers in the school setting. We are deliberate in stating what police officers can and can't do in the school setting, and we are equally clear that school administrators and personnel must not take on law enforcement responsibilities within the school building. While some school districts locally and around the country have paused or ended their relationship with local police departments, I am proud of the partnership we have established with the Needham Police and look forward to ways we can strengthen the relationship to benefit our students, their families, and the staff.
• Two Needham School Resource Officers (SRO), one primarily assigned to the elementary level and one to the secondary level, provide a regular and daily presence in our schools and classrooms. They consult routinely with building principals and staff and provide guidance to students and families in need. Both of our SROs also assist with safety drills and planning throughout the school year, and they have been involved in helping to lead the Needham Police and Fire Departments in active shooter drill trainings, most recently held during a school holiday period at one of our schools.
• In collaboration with public safety officials, we conduct four to five fire and active shooter drills in our schools annually. School staff receive training around these protocols, and each school and classroom is equipped with safety manuals that provide guidance for responses to emergency situations. In addition, staff are able to access emergency protocols and tools using a phone app. Before active shooter drills take place, principals and staff work in developmentally appropriate ways to train and alert students. A sample elementary lesson outline can be found here: Elementary Drill Lesson This 2016 video outlines the general plan for the school response to an active shooter: Needham Schools Spotlight: School Safety and ALICE.
Finally, and more than anything else, it's important to ensure all students feel welcome, included, and safe within the school setting and that a caring and trusting community, guided by responsible adults, exists for each child.
Teachers, guidance counselors, nurses, teacher assistants and building administrators provide the social and emotional and mental health supports that empower students to help them experience a sense of belonging essential to their wellbeing and growth. Ultimately, it is the human capital we have invested in and the human interactions we nurture that will keep our schools and community safe, secure, and open for learning.
