Inside MMSD’s Commitment to Safe Schools

When students walk into their school each morning, detailed behind-the-scenes work has already gone into making the day safe — from staff who greet them by name to teams who plan, train and coordinate safety measures year-round. The District Safety Plan outlines a proactive approach to school safety that focuses on creating a positive and secure climate using methods of prevention, protection and recovery.

“Safety isn’t tied to a single effort,” MMSD Executive Director of Safety and Security Sedric Morris, Sr. said. “It’s a comprehensive system that reinforces strong, caring school environments.”

Prevention: Creating a Positive School Culture and Partnerships

School safety begins with proactively eliminating or reducing the likelihood of unsafe behaviors or events from taking place, whether at school, at home or in the community. MMSD partners with multiple agencies and uses platforms and practices to achieve this, including:

• SPEAK UP, SPEAK OUT, an anonymous reporting system available 24/7 created by the Wisconsin Department of Justice, is available for the MMSD community.
  • Anyone can make a confidential report 24/7 by going to speakup.widoj.gov, by texting “SUSO” to 738477, by calling 1-800-MY-SUSO-1 or downloading the Speak Up, Speak Out app for Android or iPhone.
• Securly, an online monitoring tool that flags potentially harmful or concerning internet searches on student Chromebooks.
• Partnerships with the Dane County Early Intervention Services Unit and Madison Police Department Mental Health Unit allow staff to intervene early and provide targeted support to students in need.
• Emphasis on social-emotional learning and access to skilled school counselors, psychologists and social workers are available to all students.

Preparedness and Protection: Equipping Our Schools

To ensure that our schools are always ready to respond, key measures are in place:

• Regular drills help students and staff know how to respond in an emergency. Each year, schools must conduct at least nine fire drills, two tornado drills, two school safety incident drills (such as Evacuate, Hold or Secure) and a school violence event drill (Lockdown). 
• All schools follow the Standard Response Protocol from the "I Love U Guys" Foundation, endorsed by the Wisconsin Department of Justice, as the cornerstone of our emergency procedures.
• School security assistants and behavioral education assistants promote school safety by establishing trusted and supportive relationships, reinforce positive and safe behaviors and promote racial and social justice.
• Staff participate in extensive trainings, such as Nonviolent Crisis Intervention and PREPaRE curriculum to ensure the most up-to-date practices are followed.
• Safe and secured entrances and welcome centers requiring multiple ID checks before entry — with more schools set for entrance upgrades soon.
• Visitor Aware, a secure check-in system, helps review and account for visitors in schools.
• Teams conduct risk assessments and maintain strong protection measures with the help of school security and behavior education assistants.

Response and Recovery: Supporting Our Community After Incidents

In the event of an incident, schools are prepared to respond swiftly and effectively. Some of these steps include:

• Communication between school leadership and the District Critical Response Team to provide support in following safety protocols, connecting with local agencies if needed, informing families, providing resources for students and staff and more.
• Each situation is debriefed with an emphasis on learning and improvement, and we prioritize using restorative practices to address harm and rebuild community trust.
• Providing ongoing support through our dedicated student services staff to help students and staff recover and thrive after difficult events.

Visit the MMSD Office of School Safety website to learn more. For questions, use Let’s Talk.