School Safety

Safety is Our Top Priority
 
 
We realize that school safety is on your minds, and it is important that all students feel safe in our schools. Safety is our top priority, even beyond a high-quality education. We take this responsibility very seriously and appreciate the partnership of students, staff, families, community members, and our first responders to keep everyone safe.
 
We want our students to learn in a healthy, supportive environment and want to share more about our safety practices, protocols, and procedures so you feel more informed and can understand our efforts to keep students and staff safe every day.  We also ask that you assist us by reporting any concerns you have...if you see something, say something. Please see below  for more information on our Safety Strategy.  If you have questions pertaining to our safety protocols or practices, please contact Scott Carpenter.
 
Of course, we realize that from time to time, there will be disruptions caused by inappropriate behavior. When this happens, we are prepared to treat each situation individually. We want students to learn that there are natural consequences for threatening or harassing behavior. At the same time, we want to support these children and their families as they learn from their actions. 
 
Please become familiar with our district’s policies and administrative guidelines for responding to reports of bullying or harassment (see below in the section “Student Conduct & Reporting Concerns”).   If you have specific questions or concerns regarding threatening behavior or district policies concerning bullying or harassment, we encourage you to please talk with your child’s teacher, bus driver, principal or other staff member who can assist you in seeking a prompt resolution to the situation.

We have a great deal of safety expertise in our community, and we appreciate those on the Safety Committee for dedicating their time and talents to these efforts. We also want to thank you for your continued partnership in keeping our students safe. We are committed to learning for life.
 
Your Partner in education,
 
Jeff Brown
Superintendent

Safety Strategy
There are 3 elements to our Safety Strategy:

Safety Plans - We are required by law to have safety plans for every building in our district. Those plans are reviewed annually by the Department of Homeland Security to ensure we have an effective plan in place.
 
Safety Committee - The committee is made up of staff, parents, first responders, community leaders, experts in the field of safety and security, and administrators. The committee meets throughout the year to review best practices and make recommendations in the interest of student safety.
 
First Responder Partnerships - Our primary partners are our first responders. They work with the district regularly through tabletop exercises, training, and situations to improve our efforts.
 
This strategy allows us to be proactive rather than reactive in our approach to safety. Our students continue to be our best and most reliable defense against threats to our schools. Through well-developed relationships with students, police, and fire, we get information that helps us proactively assess and maintain the safety of the student body. See something, say something is critical to our success.
 
We understand that it can be frustrating when a situation occurs and we are not able to share information immediately or provide specific details, for example, during an active investigation or when there is a rumor spread on social media that requires investigation. In addition to our responsibility to keep the student body safe, we are equally responsible for protecting individual student’s privacy and safety. You have our commitment to share what we are able as soon as we are able. Please know that when there is a concern for student safety, you will be notified immediately.
 
Safety Committee
 
The Safety Committee is made up of staff, parents, first responders, community leaders, experts in the field of safety and security, and administrators. The committee meets throughout the year to review best practices and make recommendations in the interest of student safety. We apply for safety grants as they are available. When awarded, the funds are used to pay for recommendations from the committee. 

The Safety Committee in cooperation with the Granville Police Department and the Granville Fire Department have been the catalyst for the following safety improvements:

• Placing numbers on all the exterior windows and doors so that staff and first responders can be precise with their response to an emergency.
• The addition of two-way radios across the district that have improved communication between the buildings and with first responders.
• All visitors have their driver's license screened upon entry into the buildings.
• Upgrades to exterior cameras as well as additional cameras to improve visibility and security. 
• Installation of door alert systems to alert personnel of any exterior doors being propped open. 
• Adding a night lock door barricade system in every classroom.
• Installation of shatterproof film on exterior windows.
• Installation of license plate identifying cameras on all three school campuses.
• Video door entry at each building.

First Responder Partnerships
 
We continue to partner with the Granville Police Department, the Granville Fire Department, and the experts in our community.  They are our primary partners, and work with us regularly on tabletop exercises, training, drills, and situations to enhance our safety and preparedness.  They conducted a refresher with all of the Granville School staff on medical responses and emergency lockdowns during a Professional Development day in the fall of 2025.  These trainings were specific to each building.
 
Our First Responder Partners and how we work with them: 

In addition to the safety training and drills mentioned above, we are proud to be designated a Heart Safe School (HSS) by Project ADAM, meaning we have successfully implemented a quality sudden cardiac arrest program of awareness, training and effective emergency response to promote a safe environment for students, visitors and staff. We partnered with parents and the Granville Township FD in the development, implementation, and continued monitoring of our program.