Safety Audits Have Been Completed Districtwide | Safety Update Message to the Shen Community

Written by on June 9, 2022

Shen Community,

As a district, we have taken numerous steps over the years to enhance safety precautions with a continuous process of reviewing protocols and safeguards. In line with our annual review process, we wanted to share this message that all safety audits have been completed over the last two weeks. Each safety audit consisted of the following team members: district personnel, law enforcement, and first responders. 

Significant safety protocols include: personnel, physical safety, and training. Personnel precautions range from increased presence of law enforcement on school premises, to school security personnel on 24/7 shifts. Physical safety protocols range from strategic hardening of facilities to surveillance. Training is based on best and standard practices in consultation with law enforcement (local, state and national), first responders and risk management specialists. A major component of any training focuses on “repeatable” and “practical” applications, therefore age and cognitive development are factored into variations for situational awareness. Effective training, for staff and students alike, is a vital component, along with situational awareness training for the community at large, which is currently being planned.

Bottom-line, safety is a major, major priority. Illustrated in the accompanying graphic, our comprehensive Safety and Emergency Response Plan is made of three components:

  • Preparation and Prevention
  • Response and Mitigation
  • Recovery

As the district looks towards comprehensive next steps for improving safety and security, it is important that our Shen community is reminded of the following resources:

  • If you see something, say something. Complete this form if you have a safety concern.

  • If you have an emergency after hours, please call the district’s 24/7 emergency line at: 518-603-4923. And also remember, you can always dial 9-1-1.

  • Have a suggestion for improved safety within the district? Email safety@shenschools.org with your specific suggestion.

School safety is a shared responsibility, please talk with your students about the need to always be aware and alert. If you see something, hear something or someone says  something, SAY SOMETHING!