School Safety & Security
Every student deserves a safe, supportive environment where they can focus on learning and growth. Safety and security efforts work best when they’re proactive, consistent and built into everyday school culture.
School Safety & Security highlights key areas of focus, including building security measures, positive school climate, digital safety and cybersecurity and gun and weapons safety. These efforts are designed to protect students and staff while promoting a sense of trust and readiness across all schools.
Safety isn’t just a system—it’s a shared commitment.
Building Security Measures
Visitor Check-In
- All visitors must enter through the main entrance of the school.
- Upon arrival, visitors are required to check in at the front office. Please be prepared to present a valid photo ID at the camera before entering the school.
- Visitors will be issued a visitor badge, which must be worn at all times while on school premises.
Pre-Scheduled Appointments
- Whenever possible, visitors should schedule appointments in advance. This helps us ensure that the necessary staff members are available to meet with you and minimizes disruptions to the school day.
- You can schedule appointments by contacting the school office directly.
Access Control
- Our schools are equipped with secure entry systems. Visitors will be asked to identify themselves and state the purpose of their visit through an intercom system before being granted access to the building.
- Access to classroom areas may be restricted during school hours. Visitors will be escorted to and from their destinations by school staff.
Visitor Guidelines
- For the safety of all, we ask that visitors limit their movement within the school to the areas necessary for their visit.
- Unauthorized visitors are strictly prohibited. Anyone found on school grounds without proper authorization will be asked to leave immediately.
Emergency Protocols
- In the event of an emergency, visitors must follow the instructions of school staff and adhere to all emergency procedures.
- Visitors may be required to participate in lockdown or evacuation drills if they are present during these times.
Special Events
- For larger events, such as school assemblies or parent-teacher conferences, specific entry and exit procedures will be communicated in advance.
- Additional security measures may be implemented for special events as needed.
Gun/Weapons Safety
Laws & Policies
- Michigan Weapon Free School Zone - a law prohibiting possession of firearm in a designated school zone.
- Eaton RESA Board Policies
- Michigan Secure Storage Law - a law requiring secure storage of firearms went into effect Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024.
- See the MDHHS "Secure Storage Law" website for additional information
Firearm Safety Programs
- Project ChildSafe
- Information on how to obtain a FREE gun safety kit and where to obtain a FREE gun trigger lock in 230 cities in Michigan.
- Information on responsible gun ownership and how to have a conversation with your kids about gun safety.
- Gun Safety and Children - C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital | University of Michigan Health. Includes resources for:
- Gun Storage
- Guns at homes of others
- Teaching children about what to do in the presence of a gun
- Adolescents, teens, and guns
- Non-powder guns, BB guns, and toy guns
- BeSMARTforKids.org - A framework for families designed to help parents and adults normalize conversations about gun safety and take responsible actions that can prevent child gun deaths and injuries.
- Secure all guns in your home and vehicle
- Model responsible behavior around guns
- Ask about the presence of unsecured guns in other homes
- Recognize the role of guns in suicide
- Tell your peers to BeSMART
Safe Storage of Guns
Providing our students and staff with a safe, educational environment remains one of our top priorities. We are all aware of incidents of gun violence in surrounding communities and nationwide.
Studies on school-based gun violence consistently indicate that addressing students' unauthorized access to guns at home is a significant factor in preventing such incidents. For example, a recent Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center study of targeted school violence incidents from 2008 to 2017 found that students from the home of a parent or close relative obtained 76% of firearms.
Unsecured guns in the home pose a risk to students beyond gun violence in schools. Every year, 350 children under 18 unintentionally shoot themselves or someone else. Gun suicide among children has reached the highest rate in over 20 years.
Research shows that safe firearm storage practices are associated with up to an 85% reduction in the risk of self-inflicted and unintentional firearm injuries among children and teens. Storing firearms securely protects any child in the home and students throughout the school district and community.
