SAFE AND CARING SCHOOLS

Keeping Students Safe and Parents Informed

Safety is our number one priority in RETSD. 

You may have heard of lockdowns and hold-and-secures. These are important measures to respond to active threats inside and outside of our schools. But safety in RETSD includes a wide range of measures designed to protect students and staff while creating positive relationships with families and community members. Access to our schools is one part of safety, but creating safe, welcoming, and inclusive learning spaces requires a fuller approach than simply locking all the doors. 

Safety measures include, but are not limited to: 

• Ensuring staff and volunteers complete their Child Abuse Registry (CAR) and Criminal Record (CRC/CRA) checks. 
• Following divisional Policy JLEB – Children in Need of Protection (and many other policies). 
• Conducting emergency response planning and drills. 
• Including school resource officers in school activities. 
• Implementing visitor management procedures.
• Maintaining partnerships with community agencies and law enforcement when appropriate. 

Together, these practices contribute to a layered approach to safety so we aren't reacting under pressure. They ensure that we can handle situations such as: 

• Medical emergencies
• Students in distress
• Hazards in the community
• Intruders
• Coyotes on school grounds
• Nearby police operations
• And more. 

It’s important for parents and our community to understand how we approach safety in the division. We encourage you to read the articles below about safety or to follow the links on the left for more information.