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Safe Schools Program

Safety Message From the Superintendent

Dear parent(s)/guardian(s) of Walla Walla Public Schools’ students:

Safety has and continues to be our district’s top priority.  Over the last few years we have taken many important steps to help further safeguard our school community to ensure a safe environment for our students, staff, and visitors. 

The foundation of our district’s safety plan focuses on three tenants; prevention, response, and recovery. As part of our prevention efforts, Walla Walla Public Schools works closely with local law enforcement and regional agencies, regularly conducts emergency drills, hires campus safety officers, maintains a full time Sheriff’s Deputy on staff, and utilizes many tools for internal response and stakeholder communication. In addition, we have implemented a Safe School’s Tip Line, a Hear Something Say Something Campaign, initiated multiple independent campus safety audits to inform our improvement efforts, and support various student-led groups and initiatives in order to foster a safe and inclusive environment.

Our district’s response measures, should a threat or actual safety event occur, are supported by a number of personnel and procedural safeguards. Walla Walla Public Schools regularly participates in exercises and advanced training to ensure we are able to respond swiftly and appropriately if such a situation occurs. Table-top simulations with local first responders, reunification drills, unified threat-response plans, and CRASE(Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events) and ALICE (Active Shooter Civilian Response) trained experts on staff help ensure our response efforts are sound.

The district has made great strides in its recovery and communication efforts over recent years. Our pledge to you is that we will always err on the side of communication if a situation occurs on any of our campuses involving a threat or safety event. In such emergency situations we will communicate information to families as soon as possible via our ParentSquare notification system in addition to the district’s social media and other communication venues.

If you have any questions about our processes, preventive safety measures, or response plans, please do not hesitate to contact the appropriate school administrator or the district office. My colleagues and I welcome your input and ideas as we continue to refine our practices to ensure the safest environment possible for students and staff. 

Sincerely,

Dr. Wade Smith, Superintendent of Schools

WWPS Safety Magnet     Magnet.Spanish.small

Safe Schools Vision

Students and staff learn and work in schools that are free from violence, intimidation, threats, harassment and fear. Because of wise, consistent enforcement of the rules and ethical decision making by both youth and adults, the school environment is attractive to students and creates the most favorable conditions in which to learn.

Notification System

In an effort to improve communications with parents and staff members, Walla Walla Public Schools has teamed with SchoolMessenger to provide an instant notification system.

This service allows each school and the district office to send out telephone calls and e-mail messages to parents and staff in a matter of minutes.

How will the notification system be used?

  • School activities/events reminders
  • School and district level crisis/emergency information and instructions
  • School delays/closures messages
  • Attendance calls to parents

Report threats on Tip Line

WWPS Safety Magnet    Magnet.Spanish.small

 

Students, staff, and parents can submit safety concerns to district administration through the following Tip Line number:

Safe Schools Tip Line: 855.976.8772

Online Tip Reporting Website: 1057.ALERT1.US

Safe School Tip Line Flyer: Download (pdf)

Easily report tips on bullying, harassment, drug use, vandalism or any safety issue concern. 

Every tip received about Walla Walla Public Schools is immediately logged in the system and the administration is notified so that they can investigate and take appropriate action. Tips may also be submitted anonymously.

Contact Communications Director Mark Higgins for more information: (509) 526-6716 or mhiggins@wwps.org.

Threats of Violence

Safe Schools State Law References

Schools Safe Emergency Plan

District and School Safe Schools Plan Components include:
Area 1 -- Prevention/Intervention
Area 2 -- All Hazards/Crisis Response
Area 3 -- Post Crisis Recovery

Emergency Drills

- Evacuation

- Lockdown (Avoid, Deny, Defend)

- Shelter-in-Place

- Earthquake

- Table Top Scenarios

- Incident Command System

Safety Summit

Annual Safety Summit conducted in August to prepare for new school year. Emergency preparedness activities ongoing during school year.

- Mark Higgins, Chair

Incident Command Team

* WWPS uses the Incident Command model for emergency preparedness.

Safe Schools Online Resources

 

WALLA WALLA PUBLIC SCHOOLS • 364 South Park St. • Walla Walla, WA 99362 • Phone: 509-527-3000 • Fax: 509.529.7713

Vector Solutions - Vector Alert Safe Schools Tip Line: 855.976.8772  |  Online Tip Reporting System