Safety & Security | Ridgewood High School

Ridgewood High School – Safety & Security Webpage

The safety of our students, staff, and visitors is the top priority for District 234.

🛡 ENSURING A SAFE AND SUPPORTIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

At District 234, we are committed to providing a safe, caring, and nurturing environment for everyone on our campus. We believe that a safe school is essential for students to thrive academically and personally.

Our district is committed to creating a welcoming and safe environment where learning can happen without the fear of intimidation, violence, or harm.

🤝 OUR COLLABORATIVE APPROACH TO SAFETY

Safety at District 234 is a community effort.
We partner closely with our local emergency responders, community partners, parents, students, staff, and administrators to maintain and improve safety.
This collaborative approach helps us create a secure environment for everyone.

🧭 OUR SAFETY STRATEGY

District 234 has developed a comprehensive strategy to ensure both school safety and emergency preparedness.
Our approach addresses the four key phases of emergency and disaster management:

Prevention: Implementing measures to avoid, deter, or stop potential incidents before they occur.
Preparation: Taking steps to protect students, staff, visitors, and property from potential natural or man-made threats, and minimizing the likelihood or impact of an incident.
Response: Activating necessary measures to stabilize a situation, save lives, and establish a safe and secure environment for everyone.
Recovery: Supporting the restoration of a positive learning environment following any incident.

👨‍👩‍👧 RESOURCES FOR PARENTS

How does District 234 prepare for school emergencies?
The safety and security of our students and staff is our highest priority.
We take a proactive approach to emergency preparedness by regularly practicing safety drills, conducting assessments, and staying current with best practices through conferences and professional learning.
Our team meets regularly to review and refine safety measures and systems, ensuring we continually grow and adapt.
We are proud to have a dedicated School Resource Officer, leverage advanced technology, and maintain secure and closely monitored facilities.
Together, these efforts help us stay ahead of the curve so we can provide a safe, supportive environment for learning.

How can Parents/Guardians prepare for school emergencies?
Keep your child’s information up to date:
In the event of a school emergency, communication from the District to parents/guardians will be sent via ParentSquare by email, text messaging, phone calls, and app notifications.
The district may also post information on the website and on social media.
Alerts will be sent to the phone numbers and emails listed in Skyward and ParentSquare, so it is important for families to keep their contact information up to date.

Follow Visitor Rules:
Exterior school doors are locked during school hours.
Visitors must ring the doorbell and then go to the window in the vestibule of the school.
Visitors are asked to verify their name and purpose of visit.
Visitors must present a current driver’s license.
Once approved, visitors will enter the building and wear the visitor identification lanyard around their neck while in the building.
Visitors will sit on the adjacent green bench while waiting for their host.
Visitors must abide by all rules and policies when on the premises.

Talk to your child:
Discuss the importance of school safety drills in preparing for an unlikely emergency.
Stress the importance of remaining calm and listening to the adults in charge during a drill or actual emergency.
Encourage your child to be vigilant and report information if they see or hear something suspicious.
Please stress that it is never okay to make a threat against anyone or the school.

📢 HOW DOES DISTRICT 234 COMMUNICATE EMERGENCY INFORMATION?

District 234’s top priority in a school emergency is the safety of all people in the building.
The District works closely with police and fire departments, and it typically takes time to gather and confirm accurate information.
District 234 will communicate crisis information to families as quickly as possible.

For more significant crises or emergencies requiring the parent/guardian's immediate response (i.e., early dismissal), District 234 will communicate with families and staff by notification sent through ParentSquare via email, text, phone call, and app notification.
All parents/guardians will receive alerts, regardless of whether they have activated their ParentSquare account.
It is important for parents/guardians to provide current contact information in ParentSquare or Skyward Family Access so that we can reach you with urgent alerts.

Depending on the situation, the district will also share information via the district website and social media (Facebook and X/Twitter).
District 234 aims to provide families and staff with as much detail and transparency as possible in our crisis communications.

Please note that by law, school districts cannot release confidential information or anything that could compromise an investigation.
If you receive an emergency message that lacks details, it’s because information cannot yet be shared.
If you see emergency responders at school, do not assume there is danger—many visits are for drills or educational purposes.

What should parents/guardians do during an emergency in a school?

Stay Calm and Stay Alert:
Remain calm and know that school staff, district personnel, and law enforcement are working to keep your child safe.
Updates will be provided via email, phone, district social media, and website.

Do Not Go to the School:
The school may be locked down, and arriving early can block emergency access and create safety hazards.
Only come if directed by District 234.

Keep Phone Lines Open:
Avoid calling the district during emergencies—this keeps communication clear for first responders.

Do Not Call the Police Department or 911:
Those lines must stay open for active emergencies.

Be Prepared with your Photo ID:
District 234 follows a standard reunification plan to safely return students.
Bring ID, follow posted directions, complete the reunification form, and wait patiently as staff escort your student to you.

🆔 VISITOR PROCEDURES AND BUILDING SECURITY

District 234 evaluates safety practices annually.
Visitors must:

Identify themselves verbally and visually.
State the purpose of their visit.
Present government-issued ID for background check through the Raptor System.
Always wear a visitor badge and follow Board Policy 8:30.

When outside organizations use D234 facilities, they must follow Board Policy 8:20.
Additional safety features include cameras, radios for staff communication, and partnerships with police/fire departments for ongoing building inspections and updates.

🔥 SAFETY DRILLS & PRACTICE

District 234 abides by the Illinois School Safety Drill Act (105 ILCS 128/) requiring schools to conduct drills during the school day:

Evacuation/Fire Drills: 3 annually (at least one with the fire department)
Shelter-in-Place/Severe Weather Drill
Lockdown/Active Shooter Drill (Run-Hide-Fight): At least one annually with police present
Bus Evacuation Drill

💚 PREVENTATIVE MEASURES AND MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS

District 234 prioritizes mental health and social-emotional well-being:

MTSS: Multi-Tiered System of Supports for academic and behavioral growth.
RAP Program: Ensures every student has a trusted adult.
Elyssa’s Mission Partnership – suicide prevention and mental health resources.
Staff Visibility (Positive Loitering): Adults in hallways for presence and support.
Relationship Building: Strong student-adult connections to encourage openness and trust.

✅ SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING

School safety is a shared responsibility.
District 234 encourages all students, parents, and staff to See Something, Say Something.

Report Bullying or Safety Concerns:
Use the Safety Concern / Bullying Report Form or contact Safe2HelpIL:

📞 Call: 844-4-SAFEIL (723345)
💬 Text: SAFE2 (72332)
📧 Email: HELP@Safe2HelpIL.com
🌐 Website: https://www.safe2helpil.com