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Safety Overview

School safety is a nationwide focus and an issue we take seriously. Our commitment to creating and maintaining physically- and emotionally-safe learning environments that support the social-emotional and academic excellence of every child is a top priority in the Sumner-Bonney Lake School District. We are committed to school safety every single day.

Our unwavering and relentless commitment to safety is visible in various ways throughout the district with vigilant staff, secure facilities and strong partnerships with emergency response agencies. Our safety emergency protocols are fully aligned in grades K-12 and are based on a nationally-recognized best practice safety response plan. 

Here are some safety and security measures our district has implemented to help keep students and staff safe:

  • Emergency Drills: Every month all schools perform state-required emergency response drills, which include fire/evacuation, lockdown, earthquake and shelter-in-place. In addition, SBLSD participates in regional planning for the potential of a natural disaster - i.e., the regional lahar exercise. 
  • Secure electronic entry systems: All schools have a secure safety vestibule and require electronic entry into main office areas with identification. Visitors are required to sign in and out during their visit to school and Central Office sites.  
  • Locking classroom doors: Staff have the ability to lock their classroom door.
  • School Resource Officers: School Resource Officers monitor all of our schools located within Sumner and Bonney Lake city limits. For schools located outside city limits, the District is in ongoing discussions with the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department to provide more robust coverage for our schools.
  • Campus Safety Officers (CSOs): There are Campus Safety Officers assigned at all middle and high schools. When needed, SBLSD will deploy CSOs to elementary sites if support is needed.
  • Security cameras: Security cameras are installed at all of our school and Central Office sites.
  • Partnerships: SBLSD is proud of its strong partnerships with law enforcement and other emergency responders and management agencies. SBLSD actively participates in regional safety meetings, coordination of emergency drills, staging exercises, site risk assessments and staff trainings run by our law enforcement partners.
  • Training and Preparedness: All school and Central Office staff are trained on best practice emergency response protocols. Additionally, Campus Safety Officers and School Resource Officers receive a number of trainings throughout the school year with local law enforcement and local jurisdictions to enhance our ability to respond quickly and effectively when there is a threat to student or staff safety.

Here’s how you can help support and maintain safety for our students:

  • Report any potential threats. If your student sees or hears something that may be a threat at school or online, please report it to your school principal or law enforcement. You may also use our anonymous Report It system via phone, text, email or web.
  • Make sure your school has up-to-date contact information on file in case we need to notify you about an emergency situation. The Family Communication Protocol lets families know how and when they will be informed about a schoolwide emergency situation. 
  • In rare situations, a decision could be made for the reunification of students and families during school hours. Watch this video showing an example of a reunification exercise and view our district-wide reunification protocol. 

We’re thankful for our vigilant staff, secure facilities and strong partnerships with law enforcement agencies to help maintain safe schools.