Safety and Security

Responses in emergencies are a critical part of the district’s safety efforts. Regular practice for staff and students helps ensure that best practices are followed automatically in the case of an actual emergency.

Fire Drills
The school will conduct one fire drill each month that school is in session in keeping with fire code requirements and state statute.

Tornado/Severe Weather Drills
The school will conduct two tornado or severe weather drills annually. Typically tornado drills will be practiced during severe weather awareness week held statewide in spring.

Lockdown Drill
The school will conduct two lockdown drills annually. During a lockdown drill, classroom doors are secured and students remain inside the room until instructed by the teacher to resume their activities. All exterior doors are locked and no one is permitted to enter or leave the building.

In the case of all drills, it is important for students and staff to practice what would happen in such a situation. It is also just as essential that student emotional well-being is considered. Staff members and teachers will talk with students about what to expect and what they should do during each drill using age-appropriate language. It will also be made clear that our school is a safe place and that these drills are only for practice.

All building entrances are locked and during the school day visitors may enter at only one set of locked doors that lead visitors to the school office. Classroom doors are locked during the day and can be pulled shut to secure interior rooms.

During the school day, our campuses restrict access to, and document all guests and visitors within our schools, to ensure that only those with legitimate business are granted access. We control access through several measures, including:

• Use of a visitor management system (Raptor, which completed a national background check for sex offender registry for all visitors and also criminal history for new employees and volunteers)
• Designation of a single point of entry at buildings for visitors during the school day
• FOB access for all external doors and select internal doors
• Alarm system on select doors

When the construction from the 2024 facilities referendum is complete in fall 2028, all schools of the West Bend School District will have a secure entry sequence at the main entrance. Until that time, schools require all who enter to ring a buzzer and appear on a camera stating their reason for visiting before the door is opened to enter the building. 

As we work together to ensure a safe, productive, and positive learning environment for all students, we ask for your help in reinforcing some important guidelines about what items should not be brought to school. Certain items, while seemingly harmless at home or in other contexts, could be viewed as threatening or cause concern if brought to a school environment. 

Items NOT Allowed at School

Toy Weapons or Replicas: Toys or replica guns, swords, knives, or water guns or related toys. Even if an item is a toy, it can always be mistaken for a real weapon.
Costume Accessories: Items such as fake knives, handcuffs, or other costume props that resemble dangerous objects.
Pocket Tools (Multitools, Pocket Knives): Real tools like Swiss Army knives, even if intended for practical purposes, can be considered dangerous in a school setting. 
Sharp Objects: Items like nail clippers, scissors, or even certain art supplies could be seen as hazardous if used or handled improperly. Teachers usually provide any necessary supplies for class activities to avoid these concerns.
Laser Pointers: Although often used for presentations, laser pointers can cause distractions and may be harmful if pointed at someone’s eyes.
Medication: Any medication (even over-the-counter items like ibuprofen or allergy pills) should be managed through the school nurse. Students should not carry (unless authorized) or share medications.
Lighters or Matches: While sometimes brought to school innocently by students who may not understand their potential danger, they can obviously be very dangerous. 
Self-defense items: Items meant for personal protection, such as pepper spray or small tasers, could be alarming to many as they are typically viewed as weapons in a school environment.
Hunting Equipment, Ammunition, or Ammunition Casings: Hunting equipment like bows, arrows, knives, and guns are always prohibited at school. Keep in mind that bringing a single bullet or bullet casing to school, even without a gun, can also raise serious concerns.

Other safety and security resources in the schools:

• Video surveillance systems 
• Emergency evacuation signage within buildings to identify exits
• AED accessibility and trained medical response teams trained in CPR and AED use
• Public address systems for alerting staff and students

The schools and ESC of the West Bend School District use the Raptor Visitor Management system to track visitors in our building and run a check to see if any are on the Sex Offender Registry. Any visitors to a school building during school hours are required to produce a government-issued ID or driver's license and wear an ID badge while in the school. 

Please discuss with your child(ren) the expectation to tell a trusted adult as soon as possible if he or she EVER hears or sees anything regarding the safety of students, the schools, or the community. In addition, it’s important to talk with your children about safety and following instructions in the event of an emergency. Do not hesitate to contact local law enforcement agencies to share concerns. They will work with us as needed and can provide immediate response when necessary. In the event of an emergency call 911.

See more on two safety tip lines that the West Bend School District utilizes. 

The West Bend School District and our schools have a close relationship with the West Bend Police Department, Jackson Police Department, and the Washington County Sheriff’s Department. They advise us regularly and are integral to our staff training and preparation. They are especially helpful in monitoring traffic around our schools during peak travel times. In addition, they visit schools throughout the year and have full access in case of emergency.

The West Bend Police Department and the West Bend School District partner to have four full-time school police officers support the West Bend School District. 

There are two officers assigned to the high schools. Another officer splits time between the high schools and Silverbrook. The fourth officer is assigned to Badger and also covers elementary schools. 

The relationship between the WBPD and the schools is very positive, with the officers not only protecting our schools, but also building positive connections with students.

Our district has dedicated time to educating our staff about safety and security measures and practices. Many of our staff receive additional training and certification in Non-Violent Crisis Intervention. We offer first aid, CPR, and AED training to all staff members with each school having a trained First Responder Team. Campuses have AEDs onsite. Our district nurse works with families to develop specific response plans for students with health concerns. Kitchen staff members receive additional food safety training. Our schools are also used by local law enforcement for training purposes.

• Do not call or rush to your child’s school. Telephone lines and staff are needed for emergency response efforts. Emergency personnel need clear access to buildings.
• Do not call your child. Staff and students are discouraged from using mobile phone communication for safety reasons.
• Do not call 911 for information.
• Rely on official communication from the school or public safety officials.
• Impacted families should watch for official reunification details if reunification is required.

Please rely on official communication from the school or public safety officials. We are committed to keeping our school community informed of critically important matters. We work intentionally to send messages that provide clear and accurate information to our staff and families. Our goal is to provide information in a timely manner, ensuring that the information that we release is accurate. Our forms of communication include: 

• West Bend School District website 
• Emails and phone calls to the phone numbers and email addresses in Skyward
• West Bend School District Facebook and Instagram accounts, although questions in the comments may not be answered in a timely manner

Important to note: While we recognize that families may want detailed information regarding some situations, it is important to note that, according to the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, schools are not allowed to share out with their school community specific details of an incident if it includes any personally identifiable information about a student or information that a reasonable person in the community can use to identify a specific student.

The West Bend School District uses the I Love You Guys Foundation K-12 Standard Response Protocol. Please become familiar with the terms and detailed information on this Standard Response Protocol brochure. 

Links to aide in age-appropriate discussions about school violence:

Helping Your Children Manage Distress in the Aftermath of a Shooting
How to Talk With Kids About Violence / 4 Tips For Discussing Current Events With Children
Talking to Kids about Violence
Talking to Kids When Scary Things Happen
Resources to Help Children in the Wake of a School Shooting
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network: Age-Related Reactions to a Traumatic Event