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Abington Heights presents annual Act 55 safety update, cites drills, threat assessments and Safe-to-Say reports
Summary
District staff gave the mandated Act 55 school-safety presentation, describing monthly drills and added reunification exercises, five high-level threat assessments this year, and increased coordination with local emergency services and SROs. Staff also reported counts from the Safe-to-Say reporting system.
Dr. Schaefer delivered Abington Heights School District’s annual Act 55 safety update at the June 3 school board meeting, outlining required training and drills, threat-assessment work and increased collaboration with local emergency services.
"The reunification piece feels like the piece that keeps me up at night," Dr. Schaefer said, describing recent additions to district preparedness including reunification drill practices and a planned tabletop exercise at the upcoming administrative retreat. Staff continue to run required trainings on anti-bullying, child abuse and neglect, suicide prevention and sexual-harassment prevention, the presentation said.
The district’s Emergency Operations Plan, adopted in 2020, remains the guiding document for response. Dr. Schaefer said the district has expanded emergency planning with more frequent participation by local fire and EMS personnel on the EOP committee and noted that Judge Keeler and school resource officers also take part in planning meetings.
Staff highlighted changes to training for law-enforcement partners: Officer Deming and Officer Spagna attended an "ALICE train the trainers" course and will train staff locally. Officer Persal received FBI threat-assessment training that aligns with district practices, adding another trained layer for collaborative assessments.
Dr. Schaefer reported the district logged five "high-level" incidents this year that required threat-assessment response; lower-level behavioral incidents remain more common. The district has an established threat-assessment team and said it will continue to refine how cases are triaged and supported.
The presentation also described the district’s use of the Safe-to-Say anonymous reporting system operated through the attorney general’s office and promoted on the district website. Staff reported this year’s Safe-to-Say tip counts as follows: two tips at the elementary level (including one cyberbullying and one drug-distribution/possession report), 13 tips at the middle school (five fewer than last year), and 33 tips at the high school (21 fewer than last year). Dr. Schaefer said some tips can refer to the same student and urged staff and students to report incidents during the school day when possible so adults can respond immediately.
On technology and access control, staff said the district is moving away from generic substitute accounts, adding two-factor authentication and exploring expanded swipe-card entry for vestibules to reduce propping and manage lost credentials. The district also noted implementation of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) districtwide and ongoing efforts to develop Tier 2 supports within MTSS.
Dr. Schaefer said the district will continue monthly EOP committee meetings and additional tabletop work to prepare for the middle-school construction and transition plans. "We’ll continue PBIS," Dr. Schaefer said, and emphasized that planning for building transitions must begin well in advance.
The board asked clarifying questions about whether nutrition and food-insecurity issues remain part of the health-and-safety committee’s remit; staff confirmed those responsibilities continue to be monitored and managed.
