When it comes to school safety, Colorado Springs, CO takes the issue seriously. The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) works in collaboration with the Colorado School Safety Resource Center (CSSRC) to survey schools across the state and establish a baseline for emergency operations plans (EOPs). The Office of Compliance and Professional Standards has also released a report on school safety that covers topics such as victimization, bullying, school conditions, fighting, weapons, security personnel, drugs and alcohol, student perceptions of safety, and criminal incidents in higher education institutions. Parents should take certain measures to ensure their children's safety while attending school in Colorado Springs.
For instance, they should consider the type of backpack their children use. Rolling backpacks can create a trip hazard in crowded hallways, so it's best to opt for a backpack with ergonomic design features that improve safety and comfort. Parents should also make sure their children use both straps when wearing their backpack to distribute the weight evenly. The backpack should not weigh more than 5-10% of the child's body weight. The CDE conducts a statewide survey of risk and protective factors for teens every odd-numbered year.
This survey combines the Centers for Disease Control's National Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) and the Colorado Youth Survey to identify program priorities and funding, as well as evaluate the progress of prevention initiatives in schools. School resource officers are stationed at four high schools and one alternative school five days a week. The Office of School Safety provides resources, toolkits, and support to create safe environments for students. It also offers safety and security information to promote a safe environment for students and school staff. The Grant Unit was established in the Office of School Safety to manage funds available for school safety grants from state and federal authorities. It also provides training and consultation to schools across Colorado.
Threat assessment begins at the school level, with principals, counselors, and assistant principals receiving training on early warning signs of violence and specific instruction on the threat assessment process. The mission of the Colorado Department of Public Safety (CDPS) is to keep Colorado communities safe. The CSSRC has an important goal for fiscal year 2020: to increase the preparedness of schools for emergencies. With these measures in place, parents can rest assured that their children are safe while attending school in Colorado Springs.
