New Whole School Safety Policy
CPS is currently developing a new Whole School Safety Policy for the District. The draft policy was presented at the Board of Education Meeting on May 23, 2024 to authorize the policy for public comment.
Two ways to make your voice heard:
1. Public Comment
The Chicago Board of Education’s public comment period is open for the policy from May 24 to June 24, 2024. Complete the form with any comments, recommendations, concerns, etc. as we would like to get the voice of all stakeholders to make this a success before the final vote in July 2024.
2. Join an Event
Please join us for one of the below community engagement sessions to let your voice be heard about your thoughts on the proposed Whole School Safety Policy.
| Organization | Audience | Date | Time | Register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COFI POWER PAC |
Parents |
6/4/24 Virtual | 10:30am - 12:30pm | COFI Registration |
| MIKVA Challenge & VOYCE | Youth | 6/12/24 In Person |
12:00pm - 2:00pm | MIKVA & VOYCE Registration |
| COFI POWER PAC |
Parents |
6/18/24 Virtual | 5:30pm - 7:30pm | COFI Registration |
| BUILD Chicago | Community | 6/24/24 In Person |
5:00pm - 6:00pm | BUILD Registration |
Supporting the Whole Student
At CPS, we recognize that student safety goes beyond just the physical spaces where learning and growth occur. It also involves ensuring the emotional well-being of our students and fostering trust in relationships with caring adults.
To address these safety needs, we have developed the Whole School Safety Framework. This framework operates on the premise that the physical and emotional safety of our students are deeply interconnected. A safe physical environment is crucial for fostering a healthy emotional and learning atmosphere to ensure the social and emotional well-being of our students.
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What is a Whole School Safety Plan?
A Whole School Safety Plan is a detailed document that outlines a school's vision, priorities, and strategies to cultivate an environment of physical, emotional, and relational safety.
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Who Created the Whole School Safety Plan Framework?
A diverse Steering Committee, made of principals, students, teachers, and representatives from Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), worked together to design the framework.
This template serves as a guideline for schools in formulating their individual Whole School Safety (WSS) plans.
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How are Whole School Safety Plans (WSSP) Created for Each School?
The plan is collaboratively developed by a Whole School Safety (WSS) committee, incorporating views from teachers, staff, parents, and students. The committee concentrates on the following key areas:
- Implementing holistic restorative practices
- Increasing access to social-emotional learning and mental health resources
- Creating a safe and welcoming physical environment in schools
- Boosting investments in student leadership and participatory decision-making
Pillars of School Safety |
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| Physical Safety | Emotional Safety | Relational Trust |
|---|---|---|
| Responding to threats of violence, neighborhood incidents, emergency management, etc. | Supporting teachers/students, restorative justice practices, active supervision of students in hallways, classrooms, cafeterias, etc. | Interpersonal relationships between teachers, students, administrators, and staff are founded on trust |
Proactive (Climate Development) |
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| Example: Controlling the flow of who and what enters the building: ensuring the safe passage of students |
Example: Creating a school climate that is calm and conducive to learning |
Example: Ensuring that teachers and students have trusted individuals in the building to whom they can bring concerns |
Reactive (Safety Response) |
||
| Example: Responding to an active threat in the building |
Example: Maintaining discipline systems that support students and teachers |
Example: Executing mandated reporting when issues are shared/discovered |
Pillars of School Safety |
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| Physical Safety | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Responding to threats of violence, neighborhood incidents, emergency management, etc. Proactive Initiatives (Climate Development) Example: Controlling the flow of who and what enters the building: ensuring the safe passage of students Reactive Protocol (Safety Response) Example: Responding to an active threat in the building |
||
| Emotional Safety | ||
|
Supporting teachers/students, restorative justice practices, active supervision of students in hallways, classrooms, cafeterias, etc. Proactive Initiatives (Climate Development) Example: Creating a school climate that is calm and conducive to learning. Reactive Protocol (Safety Response) Example: Maintaining discipline systems that support students and teachers |
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| Relational Trust | ||
|
Interpersonal relationships between teachers, students, administrations, and staff are founded on trust Proactive Initiatives (Climate Development) Example: Ensuring that teachers and students have trusted individuals in the building to whom they can bring concerns Reactive Protocol (Safety Response) Example: Executing mandated reporting when issues are shared/discovered. |
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The Curie Way
See how Curie High School transformed its culture to put “care” at the center of its approach to school safety.