The following information was sent to families via SchoolMessenger on Wednesday, April 24 with the subject "WJMS Community Update Regarding Security Incident". The content has been formatted for the web.
West Jefferson Middle School Families,
We wanted to update you with information on the security incident from last week. At this point, we are still unable to determine the origin of the note found in a classroom. The investigation into the note is ongoing and we continue to work with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office and our district's Department of School Safety.
Today, school administrators spoke with every class during social studies or science classes to share this update, explain the increased security presence moving forward, and to reassure our students that their safety is our main priority at West Jeff Middle.
Starting this week, a campus supervisor will be present at our school on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Beginning May 14, a campus supervisor will be on-site each day for the remainder of the school year. Our district's Department of School Safety will help cover Tuesdays until May 14. This increased security presence will be helpful in making our school community feel safe.
As we reflect on the last week and a half, we have learned a great deal about our security protocols, both at the school and district level. Just like we teach our students, mistakes are learning opportunities and we can use this information to do better moving forward. Here are some clear protocols for future incidents at West Jeff Middle:
• Train all staff regarding notes and information that needs to be elevated and shared with school administration immediately.
• If names are indicated specifically on a list or note, immediately contact students, parents, and staff listed.
• Take time for a closer review of any information, confirm the source of the information, interview students and/or staff to determine the level of concern.
• Share this information with the principal immediately to determine next steps and report concerns to the district's Department of School Safety, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, our area's Community Superintendent, and the district's Communications department.
• If further communication is needed for the entire community, send it as early as possible.
• Hold a brief meeting with staff and provide them with talking points. In addition, review supports and resources available and how to share information to support an investigation.
• Provide office staff and the mental health team with talking points and next steps for families.
• Send out communication to parents detailing how to recognize signs of stress in their children, available support and resources, and investigation updates.
West Jefferson Middle School is part of a great community and we want to continue to grow our partnership moving forward. This has been a difficult time for many of us, but we want to reassure everyone that our students' safety and education are our top priorities in every decision we make.
Please remember, if you see something, say something. Any potential safety concerns should be reported, no matter how insignificant you believe it might be. There are many anonymous and safe ways that you can report information, like emailing a staff member or using the Safe2Tell program to report safety concerns anonymously at 877-542-7233, online at https://safe2tell.org/, or the app (iOS | Android). It is with your help that we can keep West Jeff Middle as a safe place to learn. It takes all of us, working together, to ensure the safety of our students and school community.
Kim Halingstad
Principal
Justin Squires
Assistant Principal