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Shakopee spotlights safety partnerships: AED donations, Heart Safe compliance and Safe Routes grants
Summary
District staff highlighted National Safety Month initiatives including AED donations for an outdoor stadium, Heart Safe Schools compliance, reunification planning with local agencies, and two Safe Routes grants including one for roughly $70,000.
At the June 23 meeting Shakopee Public Schools highlighted a series of safety initiatives and community partnerships during a National Safety Month spotlight presented by district assistant Jim Paul Sich.
Sich said safety is the district's top daily priority and credited ongoing partnerships with the Shakopee Police Department, local fire departments, county health care providers and the City of Shakopee for supporting drills, reunification planning and emergency response.
The district said it was the first Heart Safe School District in the state and that it supported state legislation requiring Heart Safe plans. The board was told the district will be in compliance with that law when it takes effect next week.
Sich announced a new AED donation for the district's outdoor stadium: a tower-style AED donated at no cost to the district, to be installed at Schlepper Stadium in partnership with the city. Advanced First Aid Association (AFA) has donated HeartGel for the first four years for the device, the district said.
District staff also described reunification planning exercises with the city and county, including a tabletop event at the community center to test using that facility as a reunification site if the high school ever needs one.
The presentation included Safe Routes to School work in partnership with the city and county and two grants identified for 2025. One grant of roughly $70,000 will fund improved crossing infrastructure near the high school; a second, larger award will be used to update crossings near Sweeney Elementary and Lions Park, staff said.
Sich described training and staffing for safety programs: building administrators are responsible for identifying trained staff in each building, Tracy Cournier oversees building teams, and the district offers Code Red courses at middle and secondary levels that allow some students to obtain first-responder certifications including CPR.
Board members thanked staff for the work. One member praised the district's logistics for state tournaments and other events and complimented the safety office's coordination.
No formal board action was recorded on the spotlight item; it served as an informational update and planning overview.
