ASD School Safety Update

Dear Avonworth Community,

At the foundation of our goal to maximize learning for every student every day, we have the responsibility and opportunity to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for students, staff, and parents. Strengthening school culture requires a collective commitment from all stakeholders. 

Over the years, Avonworth School District has strengthened its multi-layered approach to safety and security practices, including physical, technological, and school environment considerations. Promoting a safe and secure learning environment is foundational to our daily focus on learning for every student. Our approach to safety and security is integrated, emphasizing establishing a positive school culture. Each step we take that improves our school culture also enhances our physical safety and security. By building relationships, supporting mental health, and ensuring awareness of various reporting mechanisms, we proactively take steps to decrease the likelihood of a crisis in our schools, ensuring your peace of mind.

The Ohio Township Police Department is a key partner in our safety and security plan. Ohio Township Police Officer Corporal Chris Simcoviak has served as the District’s School Resource Officer for many years. The district also works with Capital Asset Protection, Inc. to provide an evening security guard on the secondary campus. 

Additional information about the Avonworth School District safety and security measures can be found on our website.

If an emergency occurs, parents/caregivers will be contacted via our rapid call system and receive a telephone call and email. As mentioned in the rapid response system email sent yesterday, text messaging will be added to our rapid response system this school year. Please verify that your emergency contact information is up-to-date in Alma. 

Directions for Updating Contact Information in Alma

Primary Center Alma

Elementary School Alma

Middle School Alma

High School Alma

The Ohio Township Police may close a school or an entire school campus in the event of a serious emergency. It is also possible that the other Avonworth schools would be placed into a heightened security protocol as a precaution. Parents should not attempt to come to campus to pick up their children in that situation. Please wait for instructions from the district. We also know that in a severe emergency, some students may flee the scene, and we will ask for your assistance in letting us know your children are safe so that we may account for all of our students. 

While we hope we never need to use these protocols, we are sharing this information with you now so that our community knows what to expect during a critical event. Being prepared is vital to our ability to account for every child and ensure a successful reunification process. 

On April 19, 2024, the U.S. Department of Education released its final rule to update Title IX protections. The requirements outlined in these rules are scheduled to be in effect for the 2024-25 school year. School districts continue to be responsible for providing notification, training, and procedures to implement these requirements. Information about Title IX, bullying, and harassment is in the District’s Annual Notices and Discipline Code. 

Timely reporting is an essential step in strengthening school safety and security. We encourage anyone with information or concerns to report using the Safe2Say Something application or website. You can also call Safe2Say at 1-844-SAF2SAY.

We hope you are all enjoying the summer break. We look forward to welcoming our students back on September 3, 2024.

Sincerely,

Avonworth School District