WLWV Community Update

Dear West Linn-Wilsonville School Community,

We grieve with the families in Parkland, Florida where another school shooting has tragically taken the lives of at least 17 students and injured many more.

Our thoughts are with the families, friends, school staff and community in this dark time, and they are understandably with our own children as well, as we worry about how they make sense of these types of events. Please know that the safety and wellbeing of our students is the West Linn-Wilsonville School District’s first priority. Proactive trainings and emergency routines are practiced regularly and taken seriously. In a moment of crisis or confusion or chaos, our staff and children need to know exactly what to do to stay safe.

We also need to remain relentless in our pursuit for inclusive and welcoming communities. Every decision should be made, and every action taken, with the belief that we are a district where children feel included, safe, connected and know where to go when feeling anxious, depressed, angry, or threatened. Our district policies on bullying and harassment outline our expectation for a culture of care, kindness and respect. We are grateful to staff in our schools, volunteers, mentors, parent groups, and partners across our communities who work tirelessly to support and provide resources for any and every student or family who needs help. During these times we are reminded how deeply we need one another.

With hope for the future,
Kathy Ludwig

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Estimada Comunidad Escolar West Linn-Wilsonville,

Nos lamentamos con las familias en Parkland, Florida donde otro tirotea en la escuela ha llevado trágicamente la vida de al menos 17 estudiantes y lesionado a muchos más.

Nuestros pensamientos están con las familias, los amigos, el personal de la escuela y la comunidad en este momento oscuro, y es comprensible que también lo sean con nuestros propios hijos, ya que nos preocupa como dan sentido a este tipo de eventos. Tenga en cuenta que la seguridad y el bienestar de nuestros estudiantes es la primera prioridad del Distrito Escolar de West Linn-Wilsonville. Entrenamientos proactivos y rutinas de emergencia se practican regularmente y se toman en serio. En un momento de crisis o confusión o casos, nuestro personal y nuestros hijos deben saber exactamente qué hacer para estar seguros.

También debemos ser implacable en nuestra búsqueda de comunidades inclusivas y acogedoras. Se deben toma todas las decisiones y cada medida tomada, con la convicción de que somos un distrito donde los niños se sienten incluidos, seguros, conectados y saben a dónde ir cuando se sienten ansiosos, deprimidos, enojados o amenazados. Las políticas de nuestro distrito sobre intimidación y acoso describen nuestra expectativa de una cultura de cuidado, amabilidad y respeto. Estamos agradecidos con el personal de nuestras escuelas, voluntarios, mentores, grupos de padres y socios en nuestras dos comunidades de la ciudad que trabajan incansablemente para apoyar y proporcionar recursos a todas y cada uno de los estudiantes o familias que necesitan ayuda. Durante estos tiempos, se nos recuerda cuan profundamente nos necesitamos los unos a los otros.

Con Esperanza para el futuro,

Kathy Ludwig

West Linn-Wilsonville has a number of safety procedures in place, and continues to evaluate its plans, procedures, and protocols to maintain the safest learning environments for students and follows standards outlined in the Crisis Management Plan.

WLWV also maintains a District Safety Committee, which meets monthly to discuss safety and security in WLWV schools. With the help of the District Safety Committee, improving building and facility security remains a top priority.

To improve safety measures, roughly $2 million of the 2014 Capital Bond was allocated to improving safety and security across the district. Upgrades have been implemented in recent years, with more scheduled for this coming summer. Improvements include new building communication systems, enhanced school entrance security at multiple WLWV schools, door hardware and locking upgrades, safe classroom accommodations, school-grounds exterior security measures, limited video surveillance, and lighting.

The West Linn-Wilsonville School District has a number of communication protocols in place in the case of a school emergency. In the case of a emergency — which could include severe weather, fire, missing person or student, weapons, bomb threats, intruder, or the presence of chemical materials — the district will take a number of actions. Those actions can include Lock Downs, Lock Outs, or Evacuations.

While it's natural for parents to want to contact their children in the event of an emergency, it's important to avoid calling the school. School staff will be dealing with the situation and may not be available to answer the phone. It's also important to avoid calling your child's cell phone, as it may prevent students from hearing important and potentially life-saving information.

Students will be able to use cell phones if they need immediate assistance and once they are safe. Parents will be informed through district emergency channels when and where they can be reunited with their children in the event of an emergency.

The District is also focused on providing safe and secure resources for students. One such resource is the National Association of School Psychologists, which provides help for students and families following crisis. Another resource is the district's partnership with SafeOregon, which is new this year in an effort to further improve student safety.

Many students already report issues of safety concerns, bullying, harassment, or possible suicidal thoughts to trusted adults around them, and the District will continue to foster an environment where children feel comfortable to confide in parents, teachers, school counselors, or building administrators. But in an effort to provide even more resources for students, the State of Oregon has developed an additional channel and method for obtaining help called the SafeOregon Tip Line.

The goal of the SafeOregon tip line is to prevent threats to school safety by providing schools and communities with a relevant reporting tool. Tips can be submitted by students through email, phone, text messages, the Safe Oregon mobile app or web portal. Tips are quickly reviewed by SafeOregon technicians, and are then passed to school administrators and local law enforcement agencies. If the tip requires an urgent response, technicians from Safe Oregon will call 911 for immediate help, as well as provide information to West Linn-Wilsonville school administration or school officials.

West Linn-Wilsonville administration responds to all tips in an appropriate and timely matter, which can include gathering more information, communicating with key stakeholders, using the District Threat Assessment System, using the District Suicide Risk Assessment process, connecting the student with additional resources, contacting law enforcement, or any other responses that are appropriate.

You can learn more about Safe Oregon at http://safeoregon.com/, or contact your student’s counselor for more information.

The West Linn-Wilsonville School District believes strongly in equity, a trait that is an integral component of our District Goals. We are committed to ensuring all students have every opportunity to reach their full potential, we embrace our students' diversity, and we care deeply about supporting all students and families. West Linn-Wilsonville staff teach our students daily to appreciate and respect differences, listen to all perspectives, and engage in inclusive practices both inside and outside the classroom.

Creating a culture where all students feel empowered is a District priority, so that students can achieve post K-12 success regardless of their background. West Linn-Wilsonville is committed to providing a learning environment that is inclusive to all students and families, free of bullying, harassment, racism, and discrimination of any kind. Above all else, we are committed to serving all students and families.

• SafeOregon Tip Line

• FlashAlert

• ListServ

• Crisis Management Plan

• Emergency Communication Protocols

• National Association of School Psychologists

The West Linn-Wilsonville School District is nationally recognized for its high student and staff achievement, including one of the top graduation rates in the State of Oregon. West Linn-Wilsonville serves nearly 10,000 K-12 students across 16 schools in West Linn and Wilsonville, with a mission of creating learning communities for the greatest thinkers and the most thoughtful people for the world. WLWV strives to provide challenging education opportunities that prepare students to be college and career ready.

Email: kilstroa@wlwv.k12.or.us
Website: www.wlwv.k12.or.us
Location: 22210 Southwest Stafford Road, Tualatin, OR, USA
Phone: 503-673-7000
Facebook: facebook.com/WLWVschools
Twitter: @WLWVdistrict