October is School Safety Month; a time when we share districtwide resources for keeping schools safe and celebrate the important individuals who contribute to school safety each day. Making sure our schools are physically safe and emotionally safe for students is our number one priority.

There are a number of ways we promote, educate, and practice school safety – and there are many important individuals who lead this effort in Puyallup Schools. I’m so grateful for their dedication and commitment in our schools and with students.

     • School Resource Officer Program: The cornerstone in school safety, our School Resource Officers (SROs) assist with emergency preparedness, build positive relationships with students, enforce laws as needed, and more. SROs are important members of school faculty and administrative teams working together to solve problems and build relationships in school communities. We have six SRO’s comprised of three from the Pierce County Sherriff’s Department and three from the City of Puyallup.

     • Campus Security Staff: Just as critical as SROs are our Campus Security staff. We have 25 campus security and patrol security staff employed by the district who serve our schools daily and help patrol our grounds. They work in collaboration with our SROs to maintain order and discipline and investigate violations of policies and procedures.

     • Health Room Staff: School nurses and health room staff also play an important role in keeping students and staff safe. Nurses, COVID Coordinators, and Health Room Assistants are the link between health and learning that keeps children in school. This year in particular, they have worked tirelessly – often around the clock – to support contact tracing efforts that limit COVID transmission in schools. All while continuing to address chronic health conditions, mental health issues, and more.

     • Partnerships: Lastly, but certainly not least, safe schools cannot be achieved without viable community partnerships. We regularly meet and consult with individuals from Pierce County Emergency Management and Tacoma-Pierce County Department of Health. We heavily rely on the expertise of these local and federal agencies.

Keeping our schools safe is the foundation for effective teaching and learning. Thank you to the many individuals in and out of our district who contribute to these efforts all year long.

In service and support,

Dr. John Polm