School Security
Are North Idaho schools safe?
It’s impossible to say, because schools can’t prepare for random incidents like this week’s shooting in Colorado. But Panhandle schools cite crisis management plans and prevention programs as proof that they’re taking the threat of classroom violence seriously.
The following is a district-by-district look at school safety measures:
Coeur d’Alene School District
Weapons confiscated this school year: 7
Counselors: one per 350 students
Security staff: two resource officers, one scheduled to be added
Violence prevention programs: peer mediation and Natural Helpers programs
Emergency preparedness plan: yes
Lakeland School District
Weapons confiscated: none
Counselors: one per 350 students
Security staff: none
Violence prevention programs: anti-violence programs at all grade levels, including the Peace Works conflict resolution program in elementary schools and anger management programs at the middle school
Emergency preparedness plan: yes
Wallace School District
Weapons confiscated: 3
Counselors: one per 156 students
Security staff: none
Violence prevention programs: students who have been expelled work with law enforcement and school officials to deal with their problems and return to school.
Emergency preparedness plan: yes.
Kellogg School District
Weapons confiscated: one knife
Counselors: one per 481 students
Security staff: none
Violence prevention programs: programs include conflict resolution for elementary students, peer mediation in middle school and Natural Helpers in high school. One social worker is assigned to at-risk families at the elementary level, and another works with at-risk students at all levels.
Plummer-Worley School District
Weapons confiscated: four knives
Counselors: one per 176 students.
Security staff: none
Violence prevention programs: counselors work with students individually and in groups to deal with anger management and other issues
Emergency preparedness plan: yes
Bonner County School District
Weapons confiscated: one pellet gun, three knives
Counselors: one per 394 students
Security staff: police resource officers at Sandpoint High School and Priest River Lamanna High School
Violence prevention programs: anger management counseling provided to students who are referred by teachers or self-referred
Emergency preparedness plan: yes
Boundary County School District
Weapons confiscated: one knife
Counselors: one per 328 students
Security staff: none, one officer planned next year
Violence prevention programs: dress code (bans baseball caps only)
Emergency preparedness plan: yes
Post Falls School District
Number of weapons confiscated: four knives at high school.
Counselors: one per 346 students (six to eight other staff members are certified counselors or psychologists available to assist).
Security staff: one Post Falls police officer, a resource officer, one part-time DARE officer.
Violence prevention programs: You Can Choose, Peace Works, Natural Helpers, student council activities, health and social studies curriculum, peer mediators, youth court, DARE, anti-harassment policy.
Emergency preparedness plan: yes
Moscow School District
Weapons confiscated: one pocketknife
Counselors: one per 350 students
Security staff: none
Violence prevention programs: peer mediation and anger management
Emergency preparedness plan: yes
St. Maries Joint School District
Weapons confiscated: one pocketknife (confiscated by police with district support before school and off grounds)
Counselors: one per 422 students (3 noncertified staff positions also assist counselors and Student Support Program for at-risk students)
Security officers: none
Anti-violence programs: Peace Works; Get Real About Violence; sixth-grade exploratory classes on anger management, conflict resolution and cultural diversity; Natural Helpers programs at high school and middle school; district crisis response team available
Emergency preparedness plan: yes