Dear Westminster Public Schools Community,

Sometimes it’s the little things that can help keep our kids safe. 

That was one of my takeaways last week at the conclusion of a tabletop safety exercise I conducted with district leaders, our principals and local police officers. It’s an exercise we do regularly, but one that took on more urgency after the tragic shooting at Evergreen High School. 

Let me further explain. 

In one of our scenarios, principals were asked how they would respond to discovering that a stranger was in their building. All of our principals reacted exactly as detailed in our safety plan, which was comforting, but the follow up question required further examination. 

The key question, how might someone, perhaps another parent, a repair man or a delivery person, get into a building without checking in?

The answer to that question is that it should NEVER happen and that’s where everyone of us has a role to play.

Simple actions—like closing doors behind us when entering a school building, not letting unknown individuals follow us inside, or promptly reporting anything that feels unusual—can help protect our schools and create a safer environment for everyone.

Yes, it may be uncomfortable to tell someone, “Sorry, I can’t let you into the building,” but that is not being rude; that is being smart.  

Here is still another example of a simple safety step that came to light in our tabletop exercise.  While we are a district WHERE EDUCATION IS PERSONAL, it’s impossible for everyone to know everybody else, so the day after our exercise, a reminder went out to our district office staff stressing the importance of wearing their district issued ID at all times. 

We encourage all students, families, and staff to stay alert and take an active role in school safety. If you see something concerning, say something right away. By working together and paying attention to these small but important details, we strengthen our ability to keep kids safe each and every day.

While we continue to invest in secure buildings, emergency training, and strong partnerships with local law enforcement, we want to remind everyone that sometimes it’s the little things that make the biggest difference.

Warm regards,
Dr. Jeni Gotto
Superintendent of Schools
Westminster Public Schools