Dear Parent/Guardian,
Given the recent unfortunate events in our state and nation, I know that you are understandably concerned when you send your precious child(ren) to school each morning. I realize you have concerns about their safety while at school, and I would like to address those concerns.
First, I ask that you consider the vast difference between the "possibility" of something happening in our schools and the "probability" of such an occurrence. Statistically, the chances of a particular school experiencing a shooting are very low. That is simply a fact. Secondly, as with any place within or outside our community, no one can guarantee the absolute safety of anyone. However, I can assure you that we have been continually taking steps, for years, to increase security at all our schools. Your children and our staff mean everything to us. In fact, we consider each other a second family. Therefore, there is no limit to the lengths we will go to protect our schools from danger.
Currently, I would like to share with you some of the safeguards and strategies we have in place:
1. Each school campus has at least one School Resource Officer (SRO).
2. All exterior doors are locked during the school day.
3. All classroom doors are locked during instructional time.
4. All visitors are electronically admitted into schools only after being screened and providing identification and valid reasons for being on campus.
5. The Office of the State School Security Marshal has compliance officers who conduct unannounced inspections of all public schools to ensure that safety protocols are being followed.
6. We have a trained Threat Assessment Team in every school.
7. The Kentucky Center for School Safety provides a wide array of services and programs to public schools directly related to current practices in school safety.
8. School staff are trained in Active Shooter Safety Protocols, including Run, Hide, Lockdown, and Situational Awareness.
9. Staff and students regularly practice lockdown drills in addition to fire, severe weather, and earthquake drills.
10. Local and state law enforcement partner with our district to provide additional assistance when needed.
11. We have established protocols for pre-event and post-event responses to address any issues that might arise.
12. We have a Statewide STOP Tipline for anyone-students, staff, parents, guardians, grandparents, law enforcement, and the community at large. All are encouraged to send tips if they see or hear something, allowing us to address potential problems early.
13. There are many state laws that directly address school safety in Kentucky (SBl - 2019, SB2 - 2024).
14. Each district has a School Safety Coordinator who works directly with the Kentucky Center for School Safety and the Office of the State School Security Marshal.
15. We engage in regular conversations with students. Children and youth of different ages understand and react differently according to their developmental stages and personal experiences. It is important to remember that their worries may not always mirror ours. By listening to them and understanding their feelings, we can better help them make sense of these situations.
16. The KCSS website offers valuable resources for everyone-students, staff, law enforcement, and parents. I encourage everyone to take the time to explore this valuable site.
Lastly, please know that our safety plans are, and will always be, a work in progress. We continually seek ways to improve and enhance our existing protocols to achieve maximum safety. That effort will never stop. In the meantime, you can contribute to our schools' safety immensely by frequently communicating with your child about the importance of 1) following all laws and school rules, 2) using relationship strategies to get along with and develop empathy for their peers, and 3) reporting anything they see or hear that could pose a danger to the school to an adult employee or parent.
Let's all make a determined effort to join hands and work together to maximize school safety for all. Please feel free to contact me at any time with any concerns you might have regarding your child's school experience.
Respectfully,
Tom Gambrel
Superintendent
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