Following the recent events in Florida, Provo City School District immediately began to re-evaluate the procedures and practices that take place in our schools. We take the safety and well-being of our students and staff extremely seriously. The following list outlines many of the steps the district takes to be prepared for these serious situations:

• All of our schools hold active shooter/intruder drills throughout the school year.
• All of our schools practice lockdown and lockout drills throughout the school year.
• Provo City School District is in full compliance with all existing state and federal laws/regulations regarding safety and security in schools.
• The SafeUT app has been promoted in each school in the district.
• Every threat or referral received by the district, school or law enforcement is quickly acted upon.
• The district runs periodic security audits to constantly improve the safety and security of our schools.
• The district has formed a Safety Committee, comprised of law enforcement,counselors/social workers, city agencies, and district/school administrators, which meets throughout the year to be current with school safety matters. We are constantly seeking new ways to improve refine, and align our efforts with local partners.
• Crisis response plans are in place at all district locations and are reviewed regularly.
• The district has implemented the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (P.B.I.S.) system to positively impact students and school culture. Through this program, schools are actively and consciously encouraging care and awareness among students and staff.
• Provo City School District probably has more social workers than any other district in the state, which allows schools to proactively interact with students and families.
• The district has hired family liaisons to work closely with students and families to provide needed resources.
• The district and each school has developed check-in procedures that must be followed to enter any district building.
• The district has worked to improve physical school security matters, including, cameras at all schools, a fob system at all buildings requiring an electronic fob to enter the building, additional personnel to monitor the schools, and all new schools are designed to drive route visitors to the front office.
• Each of the 5 new schools recently built include the most up-to-date safety and security features. For all other schools, in addiction to a heightened awareness of drill procedures, the district is looking to address security measures as part of its annual budget planning.

This list is a snapshot of some of the work being done in Provo City School District to ensure the safety and security of our students and employees. Additionally, the district is seeking new ways to work more closely with local agencies such as Provo City, United Way, Centro Hispano, and Wasatch Mental Health, to name a few. We are coordinating with Congressman John Curtis and Provo Mayor Michelle Kaufusi to proactively identify ways to improve school safety. The district is actively involved in the creation of a new community organization, Communities That Care, which consists of agencies throughout Provo that are working together to support and strengthen the well-being of Provo students.

Provo City School District is committed to doing all that it can to preserve and improve the safety of students, staff, and patrons. We encourage all Provo community members to keep their eyes and ears open and to report any concern you might have to local law enforcement or district/school officials. The reports will be taken seriously.