Town Hall Recap – May 2023

Annual Office of School Safety Survey

The Office of School Safety will be administering its first annual survey this school year. This survey is a way to gather your feedback and assess your perspective on numerous topics that impact your work environment. Your responses to the survey are anonymous and will help us measure progress towards our strategic plan and improve our operations. If you take the survey you have the chance to win a $100 Visa GIft Card. The Area Manager with the highest percentage of participants will also win a $100 Visa Gift Card. All School Safety Staff can access the survey here. The Annual Office of School Safety Survey will open on May 19, 2023 and close on June 14, 2023. If you have questions about the survey, email Dr. Blasko at bblasko@philasd.org.

Operations 

• Student Intervention and Responses Review
  All personnel has been trained in the current Use of Force Policy and must adhere to the guidelines of that policy. Please review and make yourselves familiar with the appropriate responses to student aggression for the safety of our students and yourselves.
• End of Year Plan Radio Collection
  All Area Managers will be required to retrieve the school safety officer’s 800 mhz radios for end-of-year inventory on June 15, 2023. Officers will be required to turn in the radio by themselves without the battery. Officers will keep their hand mic, battery, and antennae to their radio. The Area Managers will receive a check-off listing of their respective officers in their region for collection. School safety officers that are working a summer program will retain their radios for summer work. Safety Officers will be made aware via email to location and time for drop off. Once all radios are collected, they will be dropped off at 440 to Assistant Vincetta Williams to be cataloged into the OSS database.
• Uniform Fittings
  All officers who missed their uniform fitting appointment on May 5th will be sent an email for one final uniform fitting on June 15th. If unable to be fitted at this time officers will be responsible to get fitted on their own for any uniform parts needed.
• Call Off Procedure
  As we approach the end of the school year we want to thank all the officers who come prepared and ready to work daily. Understanding that at times you will be sick, need to utilize a personal day or some other unforeseen incident occurs that requires you to take off ensure you are following ALL steps in the call off procedure. For reference think of how SAD you are to be missing work and remember to notify your S-school/supervisor A-aesop/frontline D-dispatch at 215-400-6000 so your absence is processed correctly
• Summer Work
  All officers who were unable to bid and who are interested in working summer work will need to send an email to Director Godwin (tlwright@philasd.org) and Vincetta Williams (vbsnead@philasd.org) stating their interest and you will be added to the list for any eligible positions or assignments that arise.
• Scan Protocols & Firearms
  Please review the current scan processes and procedures and ensure while assigned to the scan you are alert and aware of your surroundings and paying full attention. No cell phones or distractions are allowed while performing this essential function of your job. If a firearm is recovered please follow protocols for the safety and welfare of all. Additional communications regarding the discovery of a firearm All information concerning this information will come to you in an email soon.

Training 

• Course Approval from PCCP
  Last month, the SDP Office of School Safety was approved by PCCD to be an official training provider of Act 67! This means that our department will now train our own staff on Act 67, a training previously completed by external vendors NASRO and/or Cardinal Point – your peers will be leading new officers through this 5-day, 40-hour course, sharing their personal experience and preparing our officer to serve in an SDP building! This will still be in addition to department training and a full review of SDP OSS Directives.
• Call for PSSP Coaches
  The training team is looking for individuals interested in becoming a PSSP Coach! The Positive School Safety Program (PSSP) trains newly hired officers on trauma-informed, positive interactions with students in their building. If you are interested in becoming a coach, please reach out to Lead Coach, Anthony Pastore at aspastore@philasd.org.
• Back-to-School Training Reconveining (August All Hands)
  This year’s back-to-school training will take place on Tuesday, August 29th through Thursday, August 31st from 8:30 AM- 4:30 PM, daily. Over the last 7 months, the Executive Team has been working to finalize a location for the 3-day training. We are currently waiting on final accommodations and pricing for 3 locations including an SDP school, a multipurpose religious facility, and a hotel. While we continue to search for the best space for our needs, please send any questions or concerns to Director Keller Brown at tkbrown@philasd.org.

New Ticketing System for Security Technology System Repairs

The process to report School Safety security technology equipment issues has moved to a new ticketing system. Please report all School Safety equipment issues in the new system, which is accessed via the SDP Employee portal under the new “Safety Equipment Repair” icon. The ticket system will be used to report  all camera, intrusion alarm and Aiphone (buzzer) issues as well as alarm code and camera footage requests. School Safety equipment and service issues will no longer be accepted through the Office of School Safety’s Google Request Form, which is being deactivated. Any emergency issues occurring during morning admissions, pertaining to the x-ray/scan or metal detector walkthrough devices are to be directly reported to Marquise Mitchell at 773-793-4864. Click here to access the School Safety webpage for more information.

Emergency Management

• Threat Assessment
  Student threats to use a weapon, or a threat to kill, inflict severe injury  to self or others with intent and a plan to carry out the threat must be immediately reported to the  Threat Assessment Hotline at 215-400-6736.
• HOLD/ SECURE/ LOCKDOWN Procedures
  Used when a situation exists inside or outside the School or District site that threatens the safety of staff and students.
  • HOLD – used when there is an emergency in or around the building i.e., group/major fight, medical emergency, student abduction.
  • SECURE – used when there is danger outside of the building or in the surrounding community, i.e. bomb threat, police searching for a criminal suspect in the area.
  • LOCKDOWN – used when there is a direct threat to the school, i.e. active shooter, armed intruder.

Safe Path

This year the Office of School Safety has partnered with the Institute for the Development of African American Youth (IDAAY) to implement its Safe Path program, which provides additional supervision and support for students traveling home from school.  Currently we have our Safe Path program active in 13 schools throughout the city, with plans to expand to at least 9 additional schools in the upcoming school year. If you are currently assigned to a Safe Path school, please be sure to reach out to me if your school has any questions, concerns or issues with the Safe Path Monitors or their deployment.  Through active communication and collaboration, we can ensure that the program serves its intended purpose by helping to make our students feel safe while they walk home after school. All questions and concerns about the Safe Path program should be sent to erosa@philasd.org.