Staff members follow safety and security protocols, model safety and security behaviors, reinforce behavior expectations, and provide behavior interventions. Staff members also plan and conduct emergency drills, participate in safety committees, and collaborate with CCIU personnel and community members to provide safe and secure learning environments. They also know how to identify potential safety and security threats and immediately report such concerns to the school administration. 

Students play a critical role in maintaining safe and secure schools. Students should follow all directions during emergency drills and should be willing to talk with parents, teachers, school counselors, school administrators, and police when they have concerns about their own safety or the safety of others. They should also practice positive interpersonal relationship skills to help sustain a safe and secure learning environment and to promote social competence.

Community members, including members of law enforcement, fire, and emergency medical services, work to collaborate with school officials to develop emergency response protocols.

This committee is composed of internal stakeholders tasked with reviewing current structures, practices, and procedures, as well as providing recommendations to the administration. Additionally, the committee assists in evaluating and screening the training programs offered to both staff and students.

Pennsylvania School Code requires each school entity to establish a Threat Assessment Team. A threat assessment is a prevention strategy and fact-based process for the assessment of and intervention with students whose behaviors may indicate a threat to the safety of the student, other students, school employees, school facilities, the community, or others. 

The key responsibilities of the Threat Assessment Team include providing information and materials for students, school employees, and parents/guardians; assessing and responding to reports of threats from varying resources; and making appropriate determinations, referrals, and notices. 

CCIU is working toward implementing Navigate 360, a safety platform application that will allow schools to increase safety standards using tools that provide advanced emergency notifications, improve response, grant staff instant access to safety information, and spread safety awareness. By using Navigate 360 as part of our emergency communication and safety protocols, CCIU can obtain a single line of emergency communication that could be accessed by all staff, from any location, and maintain a backup communication channel. 

School Visitors/Navigate 360 
CCIU is working towards implementing an electronic visitor screening system through Navigate 360 and their Visitor Management Suite. All school visitors are required to produce their valid state-issued ID to be scanned through the system at each school building. A visitor ID will be printed through the system and must be worn at all times during the visit. The system screens for individuals who should not have access to a school and alerts the administration if an unauthorized person attempts to visit one of our schools. 

READY ChesCo is Chester County's official source for emergency information and registration is FREE!  
 
READY ChesCo is used to notify you during a major crisis or emergency and delivers important alerts such as weather or community alerts. 

You can receive notifications and updates on all or some of your devices: 

• E-mail (work or home) 

• Cell phone via voice, text or both

• Smartphone 

Safe2Say Something is a youth violence prevention program, run by the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, that is designed to teach youth and adults how to recognize the warning signs and signals from individuals who may be a threat to themselves or others and to "say something" before it is too late. 

The Pennsylvania General Assembly passed Act 44 in 2018, which mandates the establishment of Safe2Say Something by every school district in Pennsylvania, and the training of all school district personnel, as well as students in grades 6-12. 

There are three ways to submit an anonymous tip: 

• Call the Tip Line: 1-844-SAF2SAY (1-844-723-2729) 

• Use the Website: www.safe2saypa.org 

• Download/use the Mobile App 

How Safe2Say Something Works: 

1. An anonymous tip is submitted via the mobile app, website or phone call to the Safe2Say Something Crisis Center. 

2. Crisis Center analysts vet and triage the tip, then engage the tipster in anonymous two-way chat in order to provide detailed and immediately actionable information to schools and dispatch. 

3. Crisis Center analysts deliver the tip to the impacted school and as needed, to local law enforcement via 911 County Dispatch. 

4. The school and, as needed, local law enforcement, assess and intervene with the at-risk individual. 

5. The school then closes out the tip and reports action taken as a record for their school. 

6. CCIU also encourages students and parents to immediately report any issues of concern to our personnel when someone sees or hears something that would pose a threat to others or the school. This direct reporting is a key piece to promoting and maintaining a safe school environment. Speaking to school personnel will trigger an immediate investigation of the concern. 

One critical aspect of emergency response planning is the reunification of students with their guardians in the event of a school crisis or emergency. 

Other key aspects: 

• The safety of our students and staff is always our top priority. A formalized and controlled student release process is sometimes necessary based on our students' best interest and/or advisement from local authorities.

• If the event that CCIU needs to reunify students with their guardians, please do not travel to the child's school unless otherwise instructed, as reunification may occur at a different location. Each situation is unique and may require a different response.

• Initial communication and up-to-date information will be shared through the mass call system, website, and social media accounts. In order to receive prompt communication, it is important that ALL parents and guardians update their student emergency contact information in PowerSchool throughout the course of the school year when changes to contact information occur.

• When arriving at the designated reunification site, parents and guardians must:

  • Check in with school officials at a station based on the child(ren)'s last name.
  • Provide a valid source of identification so that the information provided matches the information on the student's emergency contact information.

10 Tips to Help you Rethink School Safety

What if our School Faces a Security Threat

Spectrum of Safety Awareness

Safety Umbrella 

National School Safety

PA Commission on Crime and Delinquency – School Safety and Security

Safe2Say Something

PA K-12 Threat Assessment

Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency – School Safety Planning Resources

Chester County Mental Health Resources:

A list of all Chester County mental health resources.

A Child's Light:

Provides mental health support for children and adolescents, ages 2 to 18, who have experienced severe trauma.

Teen Talk Line (Chester County):

Call: 1-855-852-8336

Text: 484-362-9515

(3:00pm-7:00pm daily)

Teens helping teens. No judging. No pressure. Anonymous. 7 days a week.

Warm Line (Chester County):

Call: 1-866-846-2722

Monday - Friday (8:00am-10:00pm)

Saturday - Sunday (10:00am-10:00pm)

If you are feeling lonely, depressed, or anxious and just want to talk, the Warm Line is operated by Certified Peer Specialists, who are individuals in recovery with a lived experience of mental health challenges.

Commonwealth of PA Mental Health Resources:

Find help and treatment, prevent suicide, COVID-19, and mental health. 

Family Support Line:

Call: 610-891-5275

Family Support Line's core mission is to advance the prevention and treatment of child sexual abuse.

Safe2Say Something:

Call: 1-844-723-2729

A youth violence prevention program run by the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General.

Struggling with Addiction:

A variety of mental health and substance abuse resources are available for people at any stage in recovery or in need of support.

Support and Referral Helpline:

Call: 1-855-284-2494

Skilled and compassionate caseworkers are available 24/7 to counsel Pennsylvanians struggling with anxiety and other challenging emotions due to COVID-19.

911 Emergency:

If there is an immediate risk of endangering oneself or others, call 911 and inform the operator that there is a mental health crisis.

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline:

988 is a direct connection compassionate, accessible care and support for anyone experiencing a mental health-related distress.

Child Mind Institute:

Call: 212-308-3118

Connect to children's mental health care resources.

Crisis Text Line:

Text "PA" to 741741

Free. 24/7.

A live, trained Crisis Counselor receives the test and responds from a secure online platform.

Mental Health America:

Call: 1-800-969-6642

Mental Health and COVID-19 Information/Resources

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's National Helpline (SAMHSA):

Call: 1-800-662-4357

SAMHSA's National Helpline is a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders

Suicide Prevention Lifeline:

Call: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

Provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

ACES Coalition of Chester County:

Call: 610-344-6225

A collective impact initiative to bring awareness, knowledge, prevention, and initiatives throughout the county on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), trauma, and toxic stress.

Domestic Violence Center of Chester County:

Call: 610-431-1430

Free and confidential counseling services, housing programs, legal assistance, education, and outreach.

Kennett Area Community Service (KACS):

Call: 610-925-3556

Life-sustaining, a nonprofit organization that provides essential services, food, shelter, and a path forward.

LCH Health and Community Services:

Call: 610-444-7550

A specialized and primary medical care provider.

National Association of School Psychologists:

Talking to Children About Violence: Tips for Parents and Teachers

American Psychological Association:

Managing Your Distress in the Aftermath of a Shooting

American Counseling Association: 

Coping in the Aftermath of a Shooting

Trauma and Disaster Mental Health

The Employee Assistance Program:

The EAP offer confidential counseling and referral services to help employees and their families at no cost.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration:

Suicide Prevention

The National Child Traumatic Stress Network:

Parent Guidelines for Helping Youth after the Recent Shooting

American School Counselor Association:

Helping Students After a School Shooting

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration