From the desk of Hamilton Heights Superintendent Dr. Derek Arrowood

Update No. 134

The Indiana Secured School Safety Board recently approved the distribution of more than $24 million to support school safety initiatives in all 92 counties.

The Secured School Safety Grant program, a dedicated state fund that provides matching grants to schools and districts, is administered by the Indiana Department of Homeland Security. Hamilton Heights has been a recipient of these funds in the past and we anticipate that we will be among the 499 schools/districts to receive some of this funding again this year.

Speaking of safety, one of our top priorities is to ensure a safe school environment for learning and teaching. This is a 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week responsibility. We have created protocols and best practices designed to protect lives and support all aspects of the safety and wellbeing of our students and staff.

With school back in session, I wanted to share that we have a comprehensive and multitiered safety plan that addresses all hazards that may affect our schools. We routinely review our procedures and perform safety drills with students throughout the year and are always working to improve our training and procedures.

Our coordinated safety and support system addresses facilities, school climate, the social and emotional domain, behavioral and mental health and wellness, emergency preparedness, and crisis intervention and response. It includes collaboration with community, county, and state organizations; conducting behavioral threat assessments; and the implementation of a multi-hazard approach to prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergency/crisis situations. We have inhouse trained safety specialists, onsite school resource officers, created individual building plans and safety committees, and strong partnerships with local law enforcement, first responders, fire departments, hospitals, and other agencies who will respond to emergencies within our schools.

While schools remain among the safest places for children, we know there is always the possibility of a crisis, act of violence, threat, or emergency. We assess and then react to determine what action is needed. We will communicate as soon as possible with information or a directive.

Of course, timing is everything – too soon and without the pertinent facts can cause a panic. Not soon enough can also cause a rub, so I ask for your grace and confidence that when these situations arise the driving factor for the decisions we ultimately make always revolve around your child’s and our staff’s safety.

The very best way to keep our schools safe and prevent acts of violence from occurring is to build relationships and keep open lines of communication. Be kind. Be alert. If you see something that doesn’t look or feel right, say something.

Protecting our children and each other is a shared responsibility and something in which we should all be deeply invested.

Entrusting us with teaching, protecting, and supporting your students is a privilege and a responsibility we uphold daily with great diligence and care. We appreciate your working with us, proactively, to support student safety and wellbeing every day.

#WeAreHuskies