Berkley Schools Safety Update

Good afternoon, Berkley Schools community,

Today, I wanted to share with you some updates about school safety and about a new team member we are bringing on board for the 2023-24 school year.

School safety is our number one priority. We continually invest in school safety systems and tools and have been fortunate enough to receive millions of dollars over the last few years through safety grants in addition to the safety updates that were implemented as a result of the 2015 Bond. This message will include information about an expansion of the Raptor Visitor and Emergency Management system, information on our Behavior Threat Assessment and Management protocols, new security cameras, vape sensor updates and an announcement about a new partnership with Berkley Public Safety.

Raptor Visitor & Emergency Management

Earlier this year, we shared about the Raptor Visitor Management system. This system was implemented to ensure our guests and visitors are screened and checked in prior to entering our buildings. We launched this District-wide in the winter. The system worked well and we heard from many families that it was well received. Starting with the 2023-24 school year, we will expand our use of Raptor and will begin using the Raptor Emergency Management system. This tool will serve two primary purposes: reunification and alert notification. If a building were to evacuate, our staff will pull up their class and building rosters through the Raptor app and take attendance at the reunification site. The system syncs daily with MISTAR, so Raptor will always be up to date. In addition, Raptor will help our reunification team to reunite families with their children. Secondly, Raptor allows our staff to conduct emergency drills and send/receive emergency notifications through the Raptor app. This means our staff can activate ALICE right from their phones as well as alert the entire building and District administration at the same time. Three buildings piloted the app at the end of last school year and it will launch District-wide in the Fall.

Behavior Threat Assessment Management

In the 2022-23 school year our mental health staff worked diligently and in conjunction with training at the county and state level, to create a process to manage and address threats. This process fulfills Board Policy 8400 which identifies the need for the District to establish a Threat Assessment team and a process to address threats. Our District process utilizes the Behavior Threat Assessment Management (BTAM) tool as recommended by the Michigan Department of Education and Michigan State Police. The BTAM is a fact-based, systemic process designed to identify, assess, and manage potentially dangerous or violent situations. Building risk assessment teams are the first responders to a BTAM. These teams are comprised of an administrator and at least two mental health staff.

A top level view of BTAM is as follows: If a threat of any kind is made, an administrator is notified. The administrator will consult with the core team to review the threat and determine if a full analysis is needed by following a flowchart and the BTAM protocol. If the threat is deemed transient or not substantive, the process is complete. If not, a deeper investigation is completed. By following the BTAM process we are ensuring we give each threat due diligence. Families will be notified if a BTAM was conducted for their child, however, it might not be until an investigation is underway or complete so the team can have a better understanding of the situation. In addition to the school team, members of the District administrative team are also involved in every BTAM process.

Security Cameras

In 2023, we purchased an additional 177 security cameras to place in all areas of the District that were considered a blind spot - any location inside and outside our buildings that did not have camera coverage. Installation of the new cameras has begun and will be in place before school starts in August. With this new purchase we will have over 500 security cameras in place throughout the District.

Vape Sensors

Earlier this year we also announced that vape sensors were installed in restrooms at Berkley High School, Norup International School and Anderson Middle School. Those sensors are now fully operational and are sending alerts to building administrators if they are set off by vape smoke. If you need resources to speak with your children about the harmful effects of vaping, visit our website for more information.

Partnership with the City of Berkley - School Resource Officer

Finally, I am pleased to announce a new partnership with the City of Berkley and Berkley Public Safety (BPS). Starting with the 2023-24 school year, we will be welcoming Sgt Dave Arney as our new School Resource Officer (SRO). Sgt Arney currently oversees juvenile investigations, emergency vehicle operations and is a detective for BPS. Sgt Arney has spent a lot of time in our schools as our school liaison officer over the last many years, conducting walkthroughs, connecting with students, bringing a fire truck and gear for fire safety assemblies and building relationships not only with our students, but also with our administrators. He is also involved in our BTAM processes if needed. As the Berkley Schools SRO, Sgt Arney will be stationed at Berkley High School. He will be visiting all our schools on a regular basis, will continue to form relationships with our students, will attend large District events and will be on site in case of an emergency. During the summer months, Sgt Arney will return to Berkley Public Safety full time. Both the School Board and the City of Berkley City Council have approved the SRO agreement.

In addition to these new updates, we have a lot of safety systems and infrastructure in place including the following:

• NightLock door security systems on every room in every building
• Equipping each classroom with a Go-Bucket and a first aid kit
• Testing all Emergency Call Buttons in every classroom
• Establishing a school reunification site and procedure for pickup for all schools in the event of an evacuation
• Conducting ALICE drills with both staff and students annually
• School Safety committees at each school as well as at the District level
• Ongoing collaboration with Public Safety Departments
• Signage inside and outside our buildings to allow easy access for public safety to find any emergency
• Critical incident mapping tool to create detailed floor plans for public safety to see and use during training
• Secure entrances
• Continuous staff training including: ALICE, Stop the Bleed, CPR/AED, Basic First Aid
• Background checks for all volunteers
• BHS has been designated a MI Heart Safe School with a newly formed cardiac arrest response team

One critical component of school safety is relationships. I am continually grateful for our staff for the relationships they develop and nurture with students, and for keeping student engagement, learning and growth at the center of all we do. I hope you continue to have a wonderful summer and please let me or your building administrator know if you have any questions regarding school safety.

As always, I am grateful for our school community and to be a part of the community.

Sincerely,

Scott Francis
Superintendent
Berkley Schools