SCHOOL SAFETY

The safety of students and staff is our top priority in the Whitnall School District. WSD remains diligent in our efforts to keep our children safe through a variety of practices.

See Something, Say Something. School safety is everyone’s responsibility! If you have concerns about your child’s safety or the safety of others, please contact administration or law enforcement to report the concern. For emergency situations please contact 911.

Our pupil services staff are trained in evidenced based practices to assess threats to self and others that inform our procedures to support student safety. When a student presents a risk toward self or others, our administrative and pupil service staff help to assess safety and provide crisis intervention.

These processes may include, but are not limited to:

Completing a safety assessment to identify risk associated with harm toward self or others
Informing parent(s)/guardian(s) of safety concerns regarding their child(ren)
Referring families to community agencies for additional assessment or follow-up care

Our staff collaborates with trained professionals and families to address concerns in order to ensure appropriate safety planning and measures are taken. Our practices align with the teachings and trainings from the Department of Justice, Trauma, Illness and Grief Consortium, Prevent Suicide Milwaukee / Greater Milwaukee Prevention and Department of Public Instruction.

WSD has a partnership with the Greenfield, Franklin and Hales Corners Police Departments. We have a district School Resource Officer (SRO), who supports safety and wellness for district families. When safety concerns arise at school, our staff may inform our SRO or local law enforcement to assist with safety responses and crisis intervention.

SPEAK UP, SPEAK OUT

Whitnall is proud to partner with the Wisconsin Department of Justice’s confidential reporting system. Speak Up, Speak Out (SUSO) confidential reporting system. SUSO allows students and parents to report weapons, threats of violence, bullying, sexual harassment, threat of suicide, drugs, and any other activity that could potentially endanger students, staff, and property. By using SUSO, students and parents can help keep schools safe, and it’s completely confidential. Learn more on our Speak Up, Speak Out web page.

SAFETY DRILLS

The safety of our students and staff is very important to us. In order to maintain a safe environment to learn and work, it is necessary that we practice our emergency and crisis response plans by having drills designed to exercise our procedures.

These safety drills are not intended to frighten anyone. Their purpose is to ensure that all students and staff know what to do in the event of an actual emergency. Drills will never include props, actors, or simulations of violence. Before each drill, staff talk with students about what to expect and why these practices are important. After every drill (except fire drills), families will receive a follow-up notification confirming that the drill took place.

Please remember that these safety practice drills are done to help maintain the safety of our school. If you have any questions regarding any of these Safety Drills or other safety concerns, please contact your school's principal or assistant principal.

Whitnall students and staff practice 5 primary safety drills each year. Each type of drill is explained below.

EVACUATE/FIRE DRILLS

The school will conduct a “evacuate/fire drill” each month that school is in session. This is a Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction requirement per Wisconsin state statute 118.07. We want each student to understand and be aware of the importance of this drill and not be afraid when the fire alarm is sounded. By practicing they will know what to do and how to do it.

HOLD DRILLS

The school will conduct one “hold drill” at the beginning of each school year. A "hold" is used when the hallways in the school need to remain clear. Classroom learning will still take place as normal during this drill, but students may not be able to change classes until after the "hold" has been lifted. For example, medical issues may require keeping students out of the halls so outside medical assistance can be provided and easily move through the hallways. During this drill no one will be allowed to enter the building unless administration directs otherwise.

SECURE DRILL

The school will conduct a “secure drill" twice throughout the school year. This type of drill requires any staff and students outside of the building to return inside the building and to make sure all entrances to the building are secure. During this drill no one is allowed to enter or exit the building without administrative approval. While this drill is being conducted, students and staff are free to go about their regularly scheduled day. The purpose of this drill is to keep the students safe from any dangers outside of the building / neighboring vicinity.

LOCKDOWN DRILL

The school will conduct a "lockdown drill" twice throughout the school year. This type of drill requires staff to immediately close and lock their classroom doors; direct students to the safety wall in the classroom (an area in the room that is not visible to anyone outside the room in the hallway); turn off the classroom lights; and remain silent. The purpose of this drill is to keep the students and staff safe from any dangers / threats that are present in the building.

SHELTER DRILL

PARTNERSHIPS

Whitnall School District is proud to partner with the Franklin Police Department, Greenfield Police Department, and Hales Corners Police Department to ensure a safe learning environment for all of our staff and students. The following safety plans and practices are in place:

School Resource Officer provided through collaboration with Greenfield Police. The SRO is stationed at Whitnall High School but also responds to Whitnall Middle School.
DARE is provided through collaboration with Hales Corners Police. DARE is offered at both Edgerton Elementary and Hales Corners Elementary.
District representatives meet regularly with Greenfield Police to ensure that our procedures are up-to-date. We also regularly provide professional development to staff to prepare them for potential crisis situations.
Safety plans are reviewed and approved by the Whitnall Board of Education.
All required safety drills are completed annually.
Per Wisconsin Statute 118.07, ACT 309, each school maintains records of every fire, tornado, and safety drill. As of November 2019, the school board receives a monthly report of drills.
All external doors are locked during the school day and main entrances feature a monitored buzzer system for visitors.
A visitor registration process is used at each building. All visitors are required to show ID and meet guidelines in order to enter the building.
Security cameras are used in each building.
Background checks are required for all volunteers working with students.

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