Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Safety Immigration Communication topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
District recounts ICE protocol steps after community concern; attendance dips reported
Summary
Following community reports of ICE activity in the area, district leaders reiterated internal ICE protocols, said no agents entered school property, and reported a 5-percentage‑point drop in student attendance over two days; the board discussed how to communicate protocols to immigrant families.
District leaders told the Community High School District 94 Board on Sept. 16 that they had communicated internal ICE response protocols to staff and posted ‘‘know your rights’’ resources on the district website after members of the public and families raised safety concerns.
Superintendent Kurt said district administrators saw no ICE activity on school property and that administrators were present at arrival and dismissal during the 48‑hour period when community reports circulated. Kurt said the district "did communicate out our protocols" and that the front‑door staff "has been trained" on the procedures. He added the district placed an additional security guard nearby as “another set of eyes” while students transitioned to and from the building.
Nut graf: The issue prompted public comment and board discussion about how and when to notify immigrant families; the board also heard from a submitted public comment that asked for Spanish translations and staff training on interactions with immigration agents.
A public commenter submitted an electronic message asking: “Do we have a plan to communicate our ICE protocol to the immigrant community? 50% of my ESL students were absent the past 2 days.” The board and administration acknowledged the attendance decline: Kurt said attendance had dropped about 5 percentage points (from typical 93% to 88% on Monday and from a typical 92.5% to 87% on Tuesday) over the two days.
The superintendent said counseling, social work and school psychology staff were available and that district staff had met with teachers to review supports; he said he had not yet been told that any students had accessed those supports but planned follow‑up with counselors. Kurt also explained the district’s public web page includes a translatable “Know Your Rights” link for families and that internal ICE protocols list a point‑of‑contact sequence (superintendent, principal, executive director of operations and safety) for staff to follow.
Discussion vs. formal action: This topic was reported and discussed; no formal board action or policy change was taken that evening. The board directed no formal motion but discussed communication preferences and community outreach.
