As a school district, we are committed to developing and sustaining a comprehensive, coordinated effort to improve the overall safety and well-being of our students, faculty, staff, administrators, and the community at large. This is done by creating multiple layers of both preventative and responsive safety plans. Today, I am happy to announce that the District will soon launch an additional one:
The Say Something Anonymous Reporting System (SS-ARS) for students in grades 5-12.
This program has two elements: The first is teaching students, faculty, staff, and administrators how to recognize warning signals of friends and classmates who may be a threat to themselves or others. As many of these conversations take place on social media, we will also teach our students how to look out for one another in text, video and photos. The second is to provide a mechanism for concerned students, parents, and staff to Say Something. We will empower them to speak to a trusted adult and, at the same time, provide them with an anonymous
reporting system via a mobile app, website, or telephone hotline. This tool will give concerned
individuals 24/7/365 access to a Crisis Center staffed by trained mental health crisis response
counselors, who are also in touch with school administrators and local law enforcement.
The Say Something program is provided to our District via grant funding through Sandy Hook Promise (SHP), a nation-wide non-profit organization committed to school safety.
SHP’s programs are in 50 states – with 14,000+ schools and over 12 million students and adults trained. They have a track record, reputation, and knowledge of how to work effectively with children, parents, and teachers to improve school safety and culture. The program is age-appropriate and research-based. Most importantly, SS-ARS has evidence of helping stop multiple school shootings, suicides, and gun threats as well as other violent acts. Further, it is shown to have helped reduce other unhealthy behaviors and school climate concerns
such as bullying, cyberbullying, cutting, and drug-use.
If you have questions or concerns about this program, please do not hesitate to call, or email your child(ren)’s building principal.
Sincerely,
Brian D. Russ