Safe & Secure Schools
Our Greatest Priority
We believe that a safe and secure learning environment is paramount to the success of our students. Please note that our District does not discuss specific procedures or security feature specifications to prevent the information from being utilized for harm.
Emergency Planning Drills and Training
ACPSD has a Crisis Response Plan in place that addresses a variety of threats including weather emergencies, utility failures, fire, and active shooters.
All ACPSD employees are participate in on-going, yearly training that addresses safety topics. These include online training, memos, discussions, and training activities in partnership with local Law Enforcement.
Emergency Drills are conducted throughout the year with our students and staff for situations such as fire, armed intruders, earthquakes, and tornadoes.
Protocols are in place to enhance the security of our campuses, buildings, and classrooms.
Physical Security Measures
ACPSD uses the “defense in depth” concept when creating physical security for each campus. This concept is designed to have barriers and systems in place to deter, detect, and delay a potential threat from entering a campus.
ACPSD employs physical security measures such as fences, surveillance cameras, electronic access controls, magnetic lock doors and gates to keep our campuses secure.
Visitor Management Protocols are in place to screen individuals prior to their entry into a school building. All visitors are screened by the National Sex Offender Registry and an internal ACPSD database. School Volunteers undergo additional screening.
Threat Reporting, Detection, and Assessment
ACPSD works collaboratively with the Law Enforcement agencies that serve the surrounding communities of our schools to respond to any concern or threat that could impact school safety. All threats are taken seriously and responded to accordingly in collaboration with Law Enforcement.
The district utilizes a formal risk assessment instrument to evaluate a student who has communicated threatening messages or engaged in threatening behavior towards oneself or others. The assessment is completed by a team of trained individuals. The results of the assessment determine the interventions and safety measures that are necessary to implement.
ACPSD encourages all threats be reported to school personnel or Law Enforcement immediately.
School Resource Officers / Security Personnel
ACPSD has School Resource Officers (SROs) from five different local Law Enforcement agencies. SRO’s are full-time police officers employed by a local law enforcement agency and provide a physical security presence and handle all criminal activity on their assigned campus or campuses.
ACPSD anticipates additional SRO’s to be added every year as funding and Law Enforcement staffing becomes available.
Weapons Detectors and K-9 drug detection dogs are randomly deployed to deter individuals from bringing weapons and contraband items to school and school-based activities and to foster a safe learning environment.
Schools employ Safety Monitors to add an additional set of eyes and ears in the halls and on campus to expedite alerting and response to suspicious activity.
What Can Parents Do?
Discuss School Safety with your children. Students should feel comforted knowing there are plans in place and drills are designed to better prepare schools for an emergency. We want them to feel prepared, not scared.
Stay engaged with your children. Know who their friends are, what they are spending their time doing, and what social media platforms that they participate in. Be involved in what they are doing and saying online. Recognize negative changes in behavior. Reach out for assistance, if needed.
Advise your children to report any suspicious activity or threats. If they believe that their safety or that of another person is in jeopardy, students should know the importance of reporting that information immediately.
If you observe a safety concern on your child’s campus, please report it to a school administrator.
REPORT THREATS IMMDEIATELY!! If you receive information after hours about a potential threat, please contact Law Enforcement immediately. Do not wait until the next day!
Do not perpetuate rumors about a school threat by sharing them on social media. Instead, report concerns to the appropriate authorities.
Standard Response Protocol
Aiken County Public Schools utilizes a Standard Response Protocol to respond to situations and emergencies.
Learn more about the standard terms and actions our District takes to ensure the safety and security of our students, staff and families by clicking on the acronym "SRP."