School safety matters. Communicating with families and our community about our safety measures, from physical environment to mental health, allowing us to provide a safe, secure school environment, one where your child can learn and thrive.
School Resource Officer
- A school resource officer provides valuable resources to our schools, fostering positive relationships, developing strategies to resolve problems affecting families, and protecting all students so that they can reach their fullest potential.
Safety Team
- Our Safety Team, comprised of members across the District, meets monthly to review and revise protocols, procedures, and trainings.
C.R.A.S.E. Training
- Citizens Response to Active Shooter Event Training (C.R.A.S.E.) is presented by the Kent County Sheriff's Office. Staff members have been trained on the most up-to-date strategies, guidance, and plans for surviving an active shooter event.
BluePoint Alert System
- Bluepoint does for law enforcement what fire alarms do for the fire department. Instantly notifies emergency responders and building occupants of an emergency situation, expedites a rapid response, triggers emergency management protocols, and ultimately saves lives.
School-Wide Practice Drills & Debriefing
- All of our schools participate in a variety of drills, spread throughout the school year, giving teachers and students the chance to talk about safety and practice our protocols, meeting all state requirements.
OK2SAY
- OK2Say is a confidential way for students to report anything that threatens their safety or the safety of others.
A.C.E. Training
- Adverse Childhood Experience (A.C.E.) Training shares the science of brain development and trauma training, assuring safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments to create lifelong health and opportunity for all learners.
Suicide Ideation Protocol
- Suicide is preventable. Suicide is one of the learning causes of adolescent death. We have developed a comprehensive approach to any suicide ideation, from identification to planning for supports.
Safe & Secure Entrances
- Each school has secure entrances and protocols in place to ensure safety.
Critical Incident Stress Management
- Critical Incident Stress Management provides a coordinated and consistent crisis response effort in order to accelerate recovery and create a supportive atmosphere.
S.T.A.T.
- The Student Threat Assessment Team (S.T.A.T.) identifies, investigates, assesses, and intervenes in threats in a fair, rational, and standardized method in order to prevent violence.
Mental Health Team
- Over 30% of students in Michigan report being depressed. Our Mental Health team provides a district-wide framework, expanding on traditional methods to promote mental health by collaborating on prevention, intervention, and postvention services.
Emergency Protocol Signs
- Each building displays signs which instruct our visitors how to proceed in the event of an emergency. Whether you are visiting for a sporting event or for a student production, your safety is our priority.
Cedar Springs Public Schools District is dedicated to providing a safe and comfortable environment for all students, families, staff, and our community. Here you can find the procedures and policies we have in place to provide a safe and secure to everyone in our district.
We continue to strive toward improving campus safety and security through effective communication, training, and best practices.
Be sure your contact information stays current throughout the year to ensure you receive any emergency notifications.
In the event of an emergency, we communicate using our messaging system via email/text for emergencies.
We request parents do not to call the school directly to keep our phone lines free as this is crucial during an emergency event.
How we Communicate Emergencies, Delays or Closings with You
- Broadcasted on local TV news stations (WoodTV8, Fox17, WZZM13)
- School sent email
- School sent text
- District Facebook Page
- District Homepage announcements
How to Keep Your Information Updated
- The information we use to contact you is the information you provided at the time of enrollment.
- If you need to make updates to this information, follow the steps on the ‘Update Student Information’ page.
Opt-in to Receive Text Messages
- To Opt-in to receive school text messages text “Y” or “Yes” to, 67587.
- The cell phone number you use must be in our system as your primary number.
- Contact our registrar's office at 616-696-1204 x1919 if you need to verify what number you have listed.
Must be posted on the website within 5 days of completing the drill and remain for at least 3 years.
The information must include:
The information must include:
- School Name
- School year of the drill
- Date and time of the drill
- Type of drill
- Number and type of drills completed during the school year
- Signature of the school principal or designee acknowledging the completion of the drill
- Name of the individual in charge of conducting the drill, if it is isn't the school principal
- Safety drills must be posted on the website within 5 days of completing the drill and remain for at least 3 years.
Public Act 12 of 2014
Section 19 of the Fire Prevention code
Section 19 of the Fire Prevention code
The goals of the School Resource Officer program are to:
- Provide a safe learning environment and help reduce school violence;
- Improve school law enforcement collaboration; and
- Improve perceptions and relations between students, staff, and law enforcement officials.
We have a dedicated safety team overseen by our school resource officer made up of staff from throughout the district. Members of this team meet frequently to evaluate, create, and implement our safety and security policies.
Through this collaborative effort, our campus can manage emergencies efficiently and effectively providing continuous support to our students, families, staff, and the Cedar Springs community.
Road conditions, visibility, extreme temperatures, and weather forecasts are checked by the transportation supervisor each day. Based on conditions and the data collected, the Superintendent makes the final determination to close, delay or operate as normal by 5:00 a.m.
We also have safety policies in place for the occurrence of severe weather during school hours and after-school activities*.
Communication on closings is broadcasted on local TV news stations (WoodTV8, Fox17, WZZM 13), by email, text, on our Cedar Springs District Facebook Page, and the announcement section of the district school website.
2 Hour Delay
- Buses run approx. 2-hours later
- No busing for KTC
- No busing for 1st session of KCTC
- No AM ECSE programs
- Administration Office Open
- Campus Kids Open (communication will be sent out if delay)
Closure Due to Weather
- Administration Office Open
- No busing for KTC or KCTC programs
- Campus Kids Open (communication will be sent out if closed)
Severe Weather Watch
- The district will monitor the watch and follow warning procedures if needed
- Students will be dismissed as normal
- Weather conditions will be evaluated for walkers. If unsafe, students will be held at school and their parents notified
Severe Weather Warning
- Students are taken to predetermined shelter areas until the warning is lifted
- If the warning continues through dismissal times, all students will remain in shelter areas until the warning is lifted
- Parents may pick up students during weather warnings
- Parents must sign out students
- Parents are unable to pick up other students without written consent
After-School Activities* and severe weather
- If a Tornado Watch or Warning is announced during school hours, all after-school and evening activities* will be Canceled
- An "All Clear" must be determined 2-hours before evening events for them to continue as scheduled
*Activities include all clubs, organizations, and extracurricular events held on campus