School Safety

The Appleton Area School District's number one priority is the safety and security of our students and staff. Secure schools, highly trained School Resource Officers, and the I Luv U Guys Foundation’s Standard Response Protocol (SRP) help maintain high levels of safety and preparedness across the district.

SRO Program

School Resource Officers

The Appleton Area School District partners with the Appleton Police Department and the Grand Chute Police Department through our School Resource Officer (SRO) Program. This valuable part of our team serves to provide additional safety and supervision, teach our students about the importance of law enforcement, and to communicate about and respond to potential threats to student, staff, parent, and visitor safety. 

The Appleton Police Department's SRO program is one of the longest-running and well-established SRO programs in the state of Wisconsin. There are currently 12 police officers working in City of Appleton schools. Each has a primary office at the elementary, middle, or high school they are assigned to. Their assignments also include the parochial/private schools in the City. In addition to the SROs, there is a lieutenant who serves as a coordinator of the program and who also works on a variety of community initiatives to provide better services to juveniles and their families. 

SRP

Standard Response Protocols

Weather events, fire, accidents, intruders, and other threats to student safety are scenarios that are planned and trained for by students, teachers, staff, and administration.

Starting in the 2022-2023 school year, the Appleton Area School District will be utilizing Standard Response Protocol (SRP) to respond to security incidents. The Standard Response Protocol, developed by the i love u guys Foundation, will guide our emergency response. Standard Response Protocol offers clear, distinct, common language among first responders, students, and staff.

The SRP Parent Handout (English - Spanish) explains the five actions and the responsibilities of teachers and students. Each protocol has specific staff and student actions that are unique to the action ("Hold", "Secure," "Lockdown," "Evacuate," and "Shelter"). In the event of an emergency, the action and appropriate direction will be announced.

Students and staff will be trained and the school will drill these actions over the course of the school year.


HOLDHold

“In Your Classroom or Area. Clear the Halls.”

There may be situations that require students to remain in their classrooms. In a hold, students and staff remain in their classrooms, even if there is a scheduled class change, until the all clear is announced. Class continues as usual. Students in cafeterias or gyms remain there.

Possible reasons to Hold
• Medical emergency
• Altercation
• Spill

SECURESecure

“Get inside. Lock outside doors.”

Secure is called when there is a threat or hazard outside of the school building. In a Secure, staff ensure that all students return to the inside of the building and take attendance to account for all students. During Secure, all doors are locked and no one can leave or enter the building. While staff increase their situational awareness, the school day goes on as normal. 

Possible reasons to Secure
• Planned police activity in the neighborhood
• Criminal activity in area

You can read more details about what happens during a Secure in the Secure section of the Standard Response Protocol Operational Guidelines.

LockdownLockdown

“Locks, Lights, Out of Sight”

 Lockdown is called when there is a threat or hazard inside the school building. In a lockdown, staff and students move away from sight and remain silent. Teachers lock classroom doors, turn lights off, and account for all students.

Possible reasons to Lockdown
• Report of a weapon
• Intruder
• Angry or violent parent or student
• Active shooter

You can read more details about what happens during a Lockdown in the Lockdown section of the Standard Response Protocol Operational Guidelines. 

EvacuateEvacuate

“To the Announced Location”

Evacuate is called to move students and staff from one location to another. In an evacuation, staff lead students to the evacuation location. Students and staff bring their phones and leave other belongings behind. 

Possible reasons to Evacuate
• Fire
• Gas leak
• Broken water pipe
• Following a contained situation

You can read more details about what happens during an Evacuation in the Evacuation section of the Standard Response Protocol Operational Guidelines. 

ShelterShelter

“For a Hazard Using a Safety Strategy” 

Shelter is called when the need for personal protection is necessary. Examples include tornadoes or hazardous materials exposure.

Possible Reasons to Shelter

• Tornado
• Hazmat

You can read more details about what happens in a Shelter situation in the Shelter section of the Standard Response Protocol Operational Guidelines. 

Communication

We recommend that our families to keep their contact information and notification settings updated in Infinite Campus so they can receive timely updates. We also encourage our families to follow our social media channels for updates and relevant information. If multiple schools are involved, we will also utilize our emergency notification banners on our websites.

Proactive Steps

The AASD has taken proactive steps in increasing the safety of our schools. We will continue to make progress through constant monitoring and feedback.

District Level Steps

  • School-community partnerships to enhance safety measures for students beyond school property
  • Crisis plans and preparedness training (site-level teams; simulation drills; training teachers and other staff in how to respond to students’ questions, crisis awareness)
  • Threat assessment procedures with help from the Appleton Police Department 

School Level Steps

  • Controlling access to school buildings (designated locked entrances)
  • Monitoring of school guests (report to the main office, sign in, wear badges, report unfamiliar people to school office)
  • Monitoring of school parking lots and video monitoring
  • Monitoring and supervision of student common areas such as hallways, cafeterias, and playgrounds
  • Providing the presence of school resource officers (SRO’s)
  • Creating a safe, supportive school climate through Positive Behavior Initiatives and Support (PBIS) that provides school-wide behavioral expectations, caring school climate programs, positive interventions and supports, psychological and counseling services, and violence prevention programs (bully-proofing, social skill development, conflict mediation)
  • Encouraging students to take responsibility for their part in maintaining safe school environments, including student participation in safety planning. They, better than adults, know the hidden or less trafficked areas of the school that are more likely to be dangerous
  • Promoting compliance with school rules, reporting potential problems to school officials, and resisting peer pressure to act irresponsibly
  • Providing anonymous reporting systems (student tip lines, bully reporting)
  • Providing school preparedness drills (intruder alerts, weather, and fire)
  • Ensuring that schools undergo a school safety audit on a yearly basis to reassess safety needs that encompass all drills, building safety and playground equipment

Contact

Have questions about School Safety? 

Mark Hansel 
Chairperson of the District Safety Workgroup
email