Why Safety Is a Top Priority at Bozeman Elementary Schools

When it comes to student and staff safety, Bozeman is prepared. Bozeman administrators make safety a top priority each day in all Bozeman schools. No parent or administrator wants to reflect upon the unthinkable, but the school system wants to make sure students are fully protected in any situation, beginning with the very youngest in elementary schools. All safety procedures are determined and enacted in cooperation with Bozeman Law Enforcement.

With the increase in violent crimes and incidents in school buildings and on school properties across the United States, administrators, and law enforcement are leaving nothing to chance. When students do not feel safe and secure, they cannot learn.

Bozeman School District Safety

The Bozeman Public Schools District 7 is committed to safety and has implemented a variety of security measures. School district administrators collaborate closely with the Bozeman Police department, Fire department, County Emergency Services, and local hospitals and healthcare centers so that all schools are prepared in the event of an emergency.

The School District employs four SROs or School Resource Officers (licensed, sworn police officers) that work full-time for the school district. Safety audits are conducted for all school properties and include checks on access, communication systems, and potential environmental hazards.

All school buildings offer limited access to students and staff and feature very specific visitor check-in procedures now. The staff is required to always wear ID badges to be recognizable and visitors must have a visitor ID badge when frequenting school buildings.

Safety drills are conducted with the children throughout the school year. Detailed safety plans for all types of emergencies have been created and are constantly updated. But it doesn’t end there. Bozeman elementary schools benefit from two very important initiatives: Project Connect and the Secure-in-Place soft lockdown procedure.

Project Connect

Children spend most of their day at school, and families trust school administrators, teachers, and staff to keep their children out of harm’s way.

All schools in the Bozeman school district have implemented Project Connect. This project involves having parents and community volunteers greeting students and overseeing movement within school buildings and on elementary school playgrounds. Volunteers submit to a background check and have training available for working effectively at the school where they volunteer.

Welcoming greetings, interaction with students during lunch hour, a friendly chat in hallways, or a cheery goodbye at the end of the day’s end all contribute to having friendly assistance outside the actual classrooms. These volunteers bring added protection to the children in their care during the school day.

Secure-in-Place

Bozeman schools undoubtedly have the option of using full lockdowns should serious threats to schools be perceived, but Bozeman has added an extra layer of safety protection for its students and staff.  What’s the difference between a lockdown and a Secure-in-place?

School administrators together with the Bozeman Police Department have created a safety protocol if there is any suspicious activity involving police in the vicinity of schools even if it does not present a direct threat to the school itself or the students within. It is a type of “soft lockdown” where school administrators lock all exterior access points, so no one will be leaving or entering, but school activities will continue normally within school buildings. Once police deem that a threat is no longer present in the immediate area of the school, the secure-in-place protocol is lifted.

In May 2022, the Secure-in-Place protocol was activated for the Hawthorne and Whittier elementary schools because an armed suspect was in the area. The suspect never constituted a direct threat to the school or children, but choosing to exercise caution, school and law enforcement officials activated the protocol. 

Continuous communication between school district administrators and the Police Department took place for the duration of the Secure-in-place order. Bozeman High also enacted the protocol for several hours when a citizen reported suspicious activity near the high school. When law enforcement determined that there was no threat, the protocol was rescinded.

Bozeman Schools Look to the Future

Bozeman schools have been looking toward the future of security and student safety for several years. They have been gradually implementing steps to increase security measures. Security experts have participated along with local law enforcement in updating safety measures and providing feedback, especially for new school designs and renovations.

In some schools, entrances have been redesigned to direct visitor traffic to a designated office before allowing entrance to the school. Exterior access is limited so guests must use principal entrances. Door locks and security camera systems for schools are being improved with children’s safety in mind. New technology advancements like automatic door locking have been integrated into new school designs while renovations of existing schools will increase safety by integrating advanced security systems as well.

While school should be a time for learning, growth, and enjoyment, violence is a reality in our society. New technological advancements and close collaboration with law enforcement and emergency personnel are improving security. Bozeman elementary schools are prioritizing the safety of its students and staff through investment and engagement.