The following message was shared by our Superintendent in light of today's school closure. A few highlights from the John Hopkins site referenced in her message address ways you may want to talk to your preschooler about school safety.
- After a brief explanation of a safety-related issue, let your child take the lead. Ask your child what questions he or she has and provide simple, age-appropriate answers, ideally in 1 to 2 sentences. Avoid providing too many details or alerting them to all possible sources of danger at school and in our communities.
- Reassure your child that they are safe. Emphasize that schools are very safe. Communicate that most people are good or nice and work with your child to identify "helpers" or people (s)he can go to in various settings for help.
ZPS Families,
Our motto in Zeeland Public Schools is ‘Safe, Valued, Loved, and Learning’. Safety is first for a reason, and the safety of our students and staff will always be a top priority. On December 6, ZPS was notified of threats that were circulating. Out of an abundance of caution, we met extensively with law enforcement and determined that a District closure was the appropriate decision to protect the safety and well-being of our students and staff. The Ottawa County Sheriff’s Department and other local law enforcement agencies continue to investigate and take action where appropriate on these potential threats to our school community.
ZPS takes all threats seriously. We have an established safety and security team along with systems in place to respond anytime an individual reports suspicious activity. At ZPS, if there is a potential safety threat reported, the individual in question is removed from the classroom by an administrator. A full threat assessment is conducted for the student, and parents are contacted. If there is reasonable suspicion, the individual’s personal belongings (backpack, locker, car, etc.) will be searched on campus, and our law enforcement partners visit the home to interview parents and conduct their own threat assessment. While this list of procedures may not remove all of the anxiety students, staff, and families may be feeling about this situation, it is important to us that we remain transparent and reassure you that we take all threats very seriously.
As a District, we’ve spent a great deal of time revisiting these safety measures to ensure that every child and staff member can feel safe to return to school tomorrow. We have brought together our collective resources and will be increasing law environment visibility at our school campuses. Additionally, our support team (counselors, social workers, and school psychologists) will be available to assist and talk with students who need additional support.
It remains vitally important to remind our community that if you see something, say something. Please talk with your children about the importance of communicating with adults if they see or hear something suspicious. Also, please make sure your children understand that we will take any comments about harming other people seriously; these are not jokes or pranks. ZPS participates in the OK2SAY tipline program, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Any suspicious activity can be made via phone (855.565.2729), via text at 652729, or by email at OK2SAY@mi.gov.
For families seeking age appropriate resources for talking to children about violence, a resource such as the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) may be a helpful place to begin. Additional resources appropriate for younger students may also include information from a source like the ones found on the Johns Hopkins site for children in grades K-2 and 3-5.
Finally, I want to reiterate that the safety of our students is of the utmost importance both to myself and the District. Despite the numerous divisive issues in our world today, the safety of our children is a common goal that unites us all. We rely and appreciate the expertise of our law enforcement partners. Thank you for the numerous messages of community support we’ve received. Together, with the help of family and community, we will continue to move forward together to prepare our students for a lifetime of learning.
Dr. Brandi-Lyn Mendham
Superintendent
Zeeland Public Schools
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