Sharing our district's proactive work on school safety, Superintendent Cheryl Logan, Ed.D., communicated the following message to all district staff and families on Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2022.

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Dear Omaha Public Schools Families,

 

Safety is always our top priority. We are focused on providing safe, welcoming and supportive environments for our students and staff.

 

Proactively setting expectations

 

Each school in our district is teaching student expectations to begin the new school year. We build from the same model: Multi-Tiered Systems of Support for Behavior, or MTSS-B. It focuses on common expectations from the classroom to the lunchroom and recess, or extra-curricular activities.

 

Our district uses one Student Code of Conduct. The discipline outlined in our Student Code of Conduct reflects how seriously we take the safety and well-being of our students and staff. Consequences are designed to be a learning experience for students.

 

Safety is everyone’s responsibility

 

Families play an essential role in this work. There are many ways a student’s loved ones can join:

• Regularly discuss behavior expectations from school to home as a family. That includes the consequences if students do not use good judgment for their safety and the well-being of others.
• Check in daily with your child, listening for what is going well and what may be a challenge. If your student is struggling, support is available.
• If you or your student see concerning behavior, report it immediately.

 

Communicating concerns

 

Students and families should always report concerns to a trusted staff member at school. For 24/7 support, Omaha Public Schools partners with the BoysTown National Hotline to offer Safe2Help Nebraska. Trained counselors can help students and families in crisis or take anonymous reports about safety concerns. Hotline staff relay appropriate information to law enforcement, school leaders and our District Safety Office. A Safe2Help Nebraska link is installed on all student iPads. Families can also call (531) 299-SAFE.

 

We value open communication with our students, staff and families. Though privacy concerns often limit what information we can share, our schools communicate directly with staff and families about concerns and incidents on campus.

 

Responding in case of an emergency

 

Students and staff will regularly practice our district’s Standard Response Protocol, or SRP. It explains the actions that students, staff and visitors can take during an emergency (fire, evacuation, severe weather and more). SRP is used in schools across our country.

 

 

We care deeply about the community we serve. Thank you for your partnership in promoting safe, welcoming and supportive schools.

 

 

Cordially yours,

 

Cheryl Logan, Ed.D.

Superintendent

Omaha Public Schools