Our Mission
The Office of Safety and Security’s mission is to support schools in ensuring that all students feel safe, both physically and emotionally, and also feel welcomed, supported and respected by both peers and adults so that they can reach their full potential.
The Office of Safety and Security supports school leaders in promoting the safety of students and staff. By taking a holistic approach to safety, schools will proactively provide for the physical and emotional safety and create a culture that aims to build trusting relationships. School safety plays a critical role in positive youth development and academic success.
Our team is responsible for partnering with schools and communities to proactively identify and address safety concerns that impact our students, staff and schools. This team uses a combination of methods, including prevention, intervention and response to ensure that we are providing and safe and welcoming environment inside of every school. We are continuously working to change the paradigm of school safety from one of strictly enforcement to one that is supportive of all students in the district.
Teams
Network Safety
Manages the overall field safety support structure for each network and school. Every school has an identified point of contact from this team, who serves as a one-stop-shop to schools and is accountable for assisting in areas such as safety strategy development, security staff support, and incident investigation and response. Key responsibilities include:
- Working with schools to develop customized school safety plans.
- Training school-based security staff on various topics, ranging from technical safety skills to implicit racial bias to LGBTQ policies, using a trauma-informed approach in supporting students.
- Optimizing school-based security staff performance.
- Partnering with CPD and community stakeholders to support school safety plans inside and outside of schools.
- Partnering with school teams and CPD to conduct threat assessments.
- Conducting positive interventions for at-risk students due to factors including, but not limited to, social media events, environmental concerns, gang concerns, and any other issues that might jeopardize student safety.
Student Safety Services
Responsible for the overall operations of the Student Safety Center, the district’s 24/7 command center for safety communications. This team also manages the safety technology strategy and implementation for safety initiatives such as cameras and metal detectors.
Clinical and Crisis Management
Consists of licensed clinicians who are responsible for helping schools prevent, prepare, respond, and recover from school crises. This team also builds staff capacity to attend to the emotional and psychological well-being of the school community.
Safe Passage
Responsible for the planning and implementation of the Safe Passage program. The program partners with community-based organizations to hire Safe Passage workers to support students as they travel safely to and from school.
Safety Initiatives and Background Check
Responsible for key strategic areas including implementing the CPS district-wide background check process for employees, vendor employees, volunteers, Local School Council members, and charter school partners.
Safety Operations Team
Responsible for ensuring all schools and staff have met district safety standards for school safety integrity, including conducting safety audits and emergency preparedness. The team oversees school preparedness for emergencies that include fire, tornado, and active shooter, by training and supporting schools to conduct emergency drills. Safety Operations also provides real-time support in the event of a true emergency.