Safety and Security Home
Parents and Families as Partners in School Safety
Parents and families are essential partners in maintaining a safe, secure, and supportive school environment. By staying informed, reinforcing expectations at home, and maintaining open communication with their children and the school, families serve as a critical first line of defense. Through collaboration and shared responsibility, we strengthen preparedness and ensure a positive learning environment for all students.
Families play a vital role in school safety by:
- Staying informed about school safety procedures
- Reinforcing expectations at home
- Maintaining communication with their children and the school
- Reporting concerns and following emergency procedures
- Encouraging students to report concerns to trusted adults
- Sharing potential risks with school officials in a timely manner
During an Incident
Families can support school safety efforts by:
- Remaining calm and following official school or emergency instructions
- Waiting for verified communication before coming to the school
- Reinforcing expectations that students follow staff directions
- Discouraging student cell phone use unless instructed
Act 44 of 2025: Parental & Employee Notification of Weapon Incidents
Act 44 requires all school entities to notify parents, guardians, and school employees whenever an incident involving the possession of a weapon occurs on school property.
What Counts as School Property?
- School buildings and grounds
- Locations of school‑sponsored activities
- School buses and vehicles used to transport students
What Is Considered a Weapon?
A weapon includes any tool or instrument capable of causing serious bodily injury. Examples include:
- Knives or cutting instruments
- Firearms, rifles, or shotguns
- Any item capable of inflicting harm
Our Commitment to Safety
The safety of our students and staff is our highest priority. When an incident occurs:
- School administration responds immediately
- Safety protocols are followed
- Law enforcement is contacted when required
- A threat assessment review is conducted
- Parents are notified
Due to student privacy laws, individual student information cannot be shared. However, families can be assured that all actions taken follow state law and district policy.
If you have questions, please contact the school office.
Staff Training & Preparedness
As part of Cameron County School District’s ongoing commitment to safety, all staff receive training in:
- Situational awareness
- Trauma‑informed approaches
- Behavioral health awareness
- Suicide and bullying awareness
- Substance use awareness
Additional preparedness measures include:
- Monthly fire drills
- Annual shelter‑in‑place and lockdown drills
- Red/Green clipboards in each classroom containing emergency procedures and student demographic information
Safety Partners
- Pennsylvania State Police – Emporium
- Emporium Borough Police Department
Building Security
- PSP risk and vulnerability study conducted every three years
- Armed School Security Guard on site
- Interior and exterior security cameras
- All visitors must report to the front of the building and enter through the secure vestibule
- All exterior doors remain locked
- Visitors are screened through the Raptor system