We are excited to welcome back our students on Wednesday, August 21! We are committed to a safe learning environment using national standards, best practices, and student data to keep our district secure for all.

Proactive Approaches to Safety:

• Red Hawks Care provides students and their households with free, confidential counseling, 24/7 support, legal, financial, elder care consultations, and access to online wellness resources. Call 800-442-0809 and press 1 to schedule an appointment.
• Our partnership with the Kent County Sheriff’s Office is part of our proactive approach. CSPS is fortunate to have received grants to fund two School Resource Officers (SRO) on campus, ensuring a safe atmosphere for your children.
• Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management (BTAM) model is a threat assessment process that is fact-based and provable and endorsed by Michigan State Police. For every threat to harm, the BTAM/STAT team gathers facts about the student, the threat and their situation.
• Critical Incident Stress Management system that helps rebuild structure and order after a critical event.
• The district is trained in the I Love You Guys Standard Response Protocols (SRP) to handle any situation effectively. The SRP provides a proven and effective way to respond to emergencies, ensuring the safety of everyone on campus.
• Regular District Safety Team meetings to review issues, concerns and reflect and plan for future needs based on local, state and federal data regarding school safety.
• Schoolwide practice drills and debriefing.
• CSPS Mental Health Team is a trained team of professionals that help eliminate student barriers and build an inclusive place where all students can learn.
• Ok2Say as a fast, reliable and anonymous reporting mechanism for threats of harm and suicidal ideation.

Proactive Communication:

• We believe in proactive communication about our safety measures, covering everything from the physical environment to mental health support. You can learn more about our safety initiatives and ongoing training on our Campus Safety and Security page.
• In case of health emergencies or isolated incidents, information will be kept confidential to protect student privacy under FERPA and HIPAA. For any concerns, please contact the building or district office directly instead of commenting publicly.

Environmental Approaches to Safety:

• Secured entrances, locked classroom doors.
• The Bluepoint Alert System in all buildings provides a fast and effective way to alert the district and law enforcement of safety concerns.
• Emergency Protocol signage.

Parents and guardians play a crucial role in school safety. What Parents can do to help the district stay safe:

• Review the student handbook with your student. Ensure that your student has a clear understanding of prohibited behaviors and the consequences of those behaviors. 
• Remember during a crisis: Official updates will be communicated directly via email and text messages after assessment and approval from law enforcement. The District will send communications in collaboration with local law enforcement and the National Weather Service. 
• Please refrain from posting information on social media during emergencies to prevent the spread of misinformation. We request parents not call the school directly to keep our phone lines free as this is crucial during an emergency. 
• Encourage your child to fully participate in every drill and to ask questions so that they have a clear understanding of what actions they need to take.
• To receive timely updates during emergencies, keep your contact information current. Contact the front desk of your student's building to update your information. To opt-in for text messages, text "Yes" to 79041. Ensure your number is listed as an emergency contact in our system to receive texts.

School safety is a shared responsibility. At Cedar Springs Public Schools, we believe a prepared school, is a safe school. 

For any additional questions, please contact our district office at 616-696-1204.
Sincerely,
Cedar Springs Public Schools Safety Team