School Safety
In the Fitzgerald Public Schools (FPS), our number one priority is ensuring a safe and welcoming environment for all students, staff and visitors. To support this priority and ensure everyone is prepared in the event of a school emergency, each of our schools has a safety plan that is unique to the building and aligned with best practices. Each school has a safety team, and all staff receives information outlining emergency procedures. Throughout the year, schools are required by law to perform various safety drills including fire, bus evacuation, severe weather, building evacuation and lockdown. All schools conduct lockdown drills during which students and staff practice emergency procedures. These drills are designed to protect against an intruder in the building. Lockdown procedures are evaluated for improvements after each drill.
Current research tells us there are better ways to protect our students. To ensure schools are prepared to proactively handle the threat of an intruder or active shooter, all district staff, including the Board of Education members, have been trained in ALICE (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate). Scenarios and lessons have been developed so our staff and students can practice a variety of lockdown and evacuation drills in the event of an emergency. The drills may look different than what we have done in the past. For example, in some instances instead of locking down, students may be asked to evacuate for their protection. Staff will continue to practice these drills for the remainder of the 2018-19 school year. In the fall of 2019 we will start the process of scheduling intruder drills during the school day, while students and staff are in session. Click here to find frequently asked questions related to ALICE.
Parents should know that the plans and scenarios for drills have been carefully developed for all grade levels and will be shared in a thoughtful, sensitive and age appropriate manner, even for our youngest students. At the elementary level, lessons and scenarios will follow the book called, I’m Not Scared…I’m Prepared. Is it the #1 Best Selling book in the School Counseling – Crisis Management category on the Amazon Best Sellers list. The book is written for teacher use with elementary students. The book enhances the strategies taught by ALICE training and makes them applicable to children of all ages in a non-threatening manner. By using the story book along with the activity book, children can develop a better understanding of what needs to be done if they ever encounter a “dangerous someone.”
You may hear from your child that we are practicing these important drills at school. Please help us in reassuring your children that schools are safe places to be and that there is an entire team of dedicated, trained adults that work hard every day to make sure they are safe. Continue to talk to your children about the importance of reporting any situation that makes them feel uncomfortable. Remind them to talk to you, a teacher, an administrator or another trusted adult.
To support the needs of each of our schools, The Department of School Safety and district personnel work closely and collaboratively with school leaders, local emergency responders, community agencies as well as out of school time partners. To date, the district completed the following tasks to improve student and school safety.
- City of Warren Police School Resource Officers (2)
- ALICE Trained Staff (Alert – Lockdown – Inform – Counter – Evacuate)
- Improved 2-way Radio Communication Supply and Protocol
- Secured entries in all schools
- Security Desk at the High School with stationed security personnel
- Mandatory ID Requirement at Check-In
- Mandatory staff and student ID (Secondary level)
- Improved Cameras
- Revision of Board of Education policies related to School Safety
As a parent/guardian of a Fitzgerald student, we encourage you to become familiar with procedures at your child’s school. Click here to access the following documents:
Emergency Communication with Families
What Parents Should Do if There is an Emergency
Terms and Procedures in the Event of a School Emergency
Student/Parent Support Services
Board of Education Policies