Safety and Security

It takes a village, and we are committed to working together to support a community within which our children can thrive.

We value your support and partnership as we navigate these challenging times across our nation. Individuals with questions about safety and security in District 35 are encouraged to review our updated Frequently Asked Questions and reach out to Dr. Wang with additional questions.

Consistently over the past decade, the District, in partnership with the Village and Glencoe Public Safety, has taken many proactive steps to address safety and security in our schools. District 35 has an unwavering commitment to ensuring our schools remain safe spaces for learning and teaching. Within each school, we have established Safety Committees which meet annually to review drills, protocols, and safety routines. These teams reflect upon age-appropriate processes to be shared with students and review emergency materials in each classroom. In addition, the District 35 Board of Education has a dedicated Safety and Security Committee that meets regularly to assess and enhance the safety practices and procedures in the District 35 schools. 

In reviewing safety and security across our schools, there are three main focus areas:

• Facilities Enhancements
• Practices and Procedures
• Social and Emotional Wellness (of our students and staff)

Since 2013, District 35 has worked with experienced private firms to conduct safety audits to ensure the Board reviews objective, professional assessments of District 35’s safety practices. These audits review the District’s current practices with safety drills, visitor procedures, physical aspects of our schools, alarm systems, our partnership with Glencoe Public Safety, and historical data on criminal activity in our school community. Recent facility enhancements and updates to our training protocols were based on the Board’s review of our 2023 security audit and the Illinois Terrorism Task Force for Schools. 

In addition to this work by the Board, the Administrative team works collaboratively with Glencoe Public Safety to review safety needs and analyze protocols within our schools, including training for administrative staff that occurred this month. Annual training is planned for all staff members as we return to school in August. This work includes continuous review and improvement of security plans, protocols, and threat assessment.

In partnership with Glencoe Public Safety, we also share these important reminders for safe gun storage.  If you have questions about firearm safety and security, please contact the Public Safety Department at 847-835-4112 to speak with an officer.