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Safety and Security Guide

Safety is our top priority. 

Day in and day out, ensuring student and staff safety across our 11 schools is “priority one” at Kingston City Schools. Throughout the year, we seek to maintain environments that are secure, clean, healthy, and free of hazards. We provide faculty and staff with training and resources on how to protect themselves and their students. Our curriculum includes lessons for students at all levels on topics such as personal safety and security - physically, environmentally, emotionally, and socially.

We always act.

KCSD always takes reported threats to our schools seriously. We work closely with our partners in law enforcement to determine each report’s credibility as soon as possible. In most cases, those charged with the investigation are able to quickly ascertain that there is no substance to the threat and therefore regular activities can continue as normal.

We’ll communicate.

When there is a safety concern, KCSD alerts parents and guardians via our Blackboard Connect email and  text systems. Please make sure your contact information is updated at all times with your child’s school office. Direct any questions regarding your notifications to:
communications@kingstoncityschools.org.

KCSD strives to inform students, staff, and families about incidents in as timely a way as possible, however the first priority is always given to managing the situation and restoring safety. KCSD is committed to sharing accurate information, which sometimes requires a more in-depth exploration into the details of the incident. These factors impact how quickly we are able to release information. In some instances, we may be able to share partial information as the incident ensues and follow-up with additional information as we are able. Others may take longer. We appreciate your patience and understanding at these times.

It's important to avoid rumors.

Please help us avoid the spread of rumors. When unsubstantiated information is spread by word of mouth, social media, or other means, it can hinder the investigation and cause unnecessary concern in the community.

See something? Say something!

Please remember that it takes us all working together to keep our students safe. It is important to be alert and vigilant. If you or your child hears of a possible threat or sees something that does not feel right, contact your school administrator or local law enforcement immediately. We’d rather check something out that only “might” be an issue than not be aware of a potential threat.

We also have an anonymous tip line to report issues called iWitnessNYTM that can be found on the main menu of the District’s homepage at www.kingstoncityschools.org. In the case of an imminent life threatening emergency, call 911.

CRISIS RESPONSE - ACTIONS AND DRILLS

Practice Makes Perfect - Drills
To help ensure preparedness and responsiveness, the District conducts drills for each of the following procedures. To keep an authentic response environment, notifications to students and families are typically not made in advance of a drill, but rather immediately prior to the drill or once it has ensued. Notifications are delivered via our Blackboard Connect email and text systems. During an emergency, having shared vocabulary for students, staff, and first responders is paramount. Here are the common actions taken and what they mean.

Being prepared for crisis situations is an integral part of our district safety plan. KCSD maintains detailed procedures for responding to a wide variety of potential crises, all designed to ensure students are secure and accounted for while first responders, police, school officials, and other emergency personnel respond to a situation. Sometimes it may feel like a lockdown or evacuation is an overreaction, especially if the perceived threat turns out to be nonexistent. However, it’s usually easier to downgrade or cancel a protective action than it is to try to elevate a response in the middle of an event.

CRISIS RESPONSE - ACTIONS AND DRILLS

More Information

For additional information, view the KCSD Safety Plan on our website. For questions, contact your child’s building principal or the District Coordinator of Safety and Prevention LeShawn Parker at lparker@kingstoncityschools.org.