School safety came to the forefront again recently as a 16-year-old was arrested Sept. 9 after a loaded handgun and ammunition were found in a backpack at Preble High School in Green Bay.
The school quickly moved to require students to bring only clear and colorless backpacks and bags into school. The policy took effect Sept. 22.
With concerns about weapons easily getting into a school, NEW Media checked in with school district superintendents in Shawano, Oconto and Menominee counties to see what they do to prevent incidents like what happened at Preble from taking place.
Kurt Krizan, superintendent for the Shawano School District, noted that the schools have locked doors and controlled access points with protocols about who can come in or out during school hours. He said that regular safety drills take place to ensure preparedness for potential school shooters or other violent incidents.
The school district has two school resource officers in partnership with the Shawano Police Department to monitor safety and respond to concerns. There’s also an anonymous reporting system that allows students or anyone in the community to confidentially share concerns.
“At Shawano School District, we take school safety very seriously and have implemented multiple layers of prevention and support to protect our students and staff,” Krizan said.
Besides the physical safety measures, the school district tries to defuse any incidents attributed to students’ mental well-being, including social-emotional learning programs integrated into the curriculum that provide healthy coping strategies, along with peer mentoring. Krizan said the district partners with local organizations to expand access to mental health resources.
“We believe that fostering a safe and supportive environment requires ongoing collaboration between schools, families and the community,” Krizan said.
He added that the district has not considered requiring clear backpacks like Green Bay has, but he noted that students are not allowed to carry backpacks in between classes.
Other school district superintendents had similar comments.
All doors are locked from the outside during the school day at Gresham School, according to its superintendent, Newell Haffner. During the day, the front doors provide a detour to the main office for students. Gresham shares a school resource officer with the Bowler School District.
“At Gresham, we try hard to foster a collaborative culture and a safe environment for students,” Haffner said.
Other measures Gresham utilizes to deter violence and weapons in schools include a school counselor who provides students with support, along with a telehealth service to cater to mental health needs.
“At Gresham, we believe that relationships matter,” Haffner said. “All of our teachers take time to make relationships with students. We have had a number of students talk to staff when a classmate is struggling during their day. Gresham staff prioritize spending quality time with all students.”
Besides locked doors, Bowler School District also has staff present at the entrances before and after school to greet students and monitor them, according to Superintendent Glenda Butterfield-Boldig.
“This allows us to monitor students as they come into the building and notice if anyone is behaving unusually or is attempting to conceal something in their clothing,” Butterfield-Boldig said. “We currently do not have metal detectors, but we do have a handheld metal detecting wand that can be used when we have reason to suspect something is being concealed.”
Besides the shared school resource officer with Gresham, Bowler also continuously goes through training for school critical incidents with the sheriff’s department and neighboring school districts to be prepared in case the worst happens.
“Just as important as these reactive measures, though, is working to build a school culture and climate of respect and belonging,” Butterfield-Boldig said. “The Bowler School District continues to engage in work around developing systems where every student feels seen and heard, is connected to at least one caring adult at the school and feels safe to report any unsafe or concerning activity. When students feel connected, supported and valued, they are less likely to engage in behaviors such as bringing weapons to school or harming themselves and others.”
Gillett School District also has secure entry protocols, school resource officers and safety drills and training in place to provide security, according to Superintendent Nathan Hanson. Creating an environment of support is also important, he said.
“Just as importantly, we believe in and are working toward fostering a supportive environment for our students,” Hanson said. “We believe that a truly safe school is one where students feel supported and connected. Our districts have invested in resources that address the social and emotional health of our students. We provide access to school counselors and allow families to choose and work with mental health professionals on campus as families need and choose.”
Lena School District Superintendent Ben Pytleski listed similar resources, saying prevention is important.
“While we will never be fully immune to these sensitive issues, I believe we continue to put a premium on building positive relationships with students and families,” Pytleski said. “We know our kids and make it a point for everyone to stay vigilant with any concerning behaviors. We continue to be a welcoming place for law enforcement and continue to increase our law enforcement presence in the schools.”
Wittenberg-Birnamwood School District Superintendent Garrett Rogowski noted that having plenty of participation options available for students and their families provides a supportive environment expected to deter anyone from resorting to violence.
“We provide multiple family nights to engage our district families in positive activities that allow parents to get to know our school staff and develop relationships that foster positive school experiences,” Rogowski said. “We try to offer multiple extra- and co-curricular opportunities for our students at all levels to provide them with a positive outlet beyond the academic experience in school. These connections create a sense of belonging and ownership.”
lpulaski@newmedia-wi.com