Safety/Security

At KPS, school safety outweighs all other priorities. Parents must be able to send their children to school with the confidence that they will return “safe and sound” each afternoon. We are all too aware of the potential of tragedy and violence in school settings. While not everything is preventable, we must ensure that processes and policies are in place to safeguard our children from unexpected catastrophes and violence as much as possible. There are many components in the school district’s safety and security plan. The following are some of the most significant:

• The See It-Say It-Send It App provides an opportunity for anonymous reporting of concerns regarding harassment, weapons, drugs, and other potentially dangerous issues. While this is not intended to replace 911 calls or face-to-face contact, it does offer another option to our students and their families.  For Information:  https://www.seeandsend.info/      For the IOS App:  https://apps.apple.com/us/app/see-something-send-something/id1341671234   For the Android App:  https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.seeandsend
  

• We use the nationally recognized I Love You Guys safety protocol:  Secure, Lockdown, Evacuate, Hold. 
• Emergency preparedness is essential for schools to be safe. The Standard Response Protocol “I Love You Guys” is a common implementation practice throughout the district. Staff and students should be trained in uniform classroom response to an incident at school. Weather events, fires, accidents, intruders, and other threats to student safety are scenarios for which our students and staff are trained and prepared. For additional information:  https://iloveuguys.org/
  

• Card Access Control Security Systems are installed in all of our schools. These systems help to ensure that our buildings are protected from intruders both during the school day and after hours.

• School Resource Officers (SRO) are a vital part of school-based security. With an officer assigned to the high school and another to the middle schools/elementary schools, armed and trained personnel are available to quickly respond as needed throughout our district.  Meet our school resource officers here.

• Automatic External Defibrillators (AED) have been installed in all schools. Many staff members are trained at each school location.

• Threat assessment protocols are essential so that schools have specific procedures in place to determine the appropriate reaction and safeguards for any reported danger. A team of professionals meets on a regular basis, as mandated by the State, to discuss possible threats and determine actions.

•  Frequent building-based and district-wide drills and simulations help to ensure that staff and students are prepared to knowledgeably and effectively respond to any emergency.

• Annual Security Audits are conducted by the Kearney Police Department and adjustments are made as discovered.

• Security Cameras and motion sensors are installed in KPS schools and offices.