Dear Parent,

At the Wayland Union Schools, student safety is a top priority.  We are committed to maintaining a safe and secure environment for every student that comes to our schools.  Building positive relationships between students and teachers to encourage behaviors that reflect Wayland community values is critical for a safe school environment.

The expectations at Wayland are high and we want students to understand and practice community values on a daily basis.  We involve and educate students regularly on safety, civility, and respect.

Recently, allegations were made in the media regarding a lack of police involvement in our schools.  The allegations concerned a threat from four years ago and a rumor that circulated a month ago.  Here are the facts:

1. In the case of a bomb threat four years ago, the police were immediately notified and while they were responding, the administration using the tape from security cameras quickly identified the students who had placed the note.  The students were confronted, and they immediately confessed to making a false threat. 
   
   The school leadership immediately notified the police that sniffing dogs were unnecessary so that if the K-9 unit was needed elsewhere they would not be tied up following a false alarm.
   
2. A month ago, a rumor was reported after the school day had ended.  Our high school principal took quick action that night and by 7:15am the next morning, after interviewing two parents and more than 6 students, the student who was the subject of the rumor had been confronted and the issue was resolved.
   
   In that case, the local authorities later reviewed the situation and gave it a closed status.

At the Wayland Union Schools, we are committed to working cooperatively with law enforcement and taking swift action to ensure student safety.  This is why the district also employs a school safety officer who works part time for the local police as well.

While at no time, during the two incidents identified above were students in any danger, the district takes seriously its commitment to excellence.  In the coming days, we will take the opportunity to discuss these kinds of circumstances with state police, the MDE, the attorney general's office and the local police to ensure that our actions and policies conform with best practices.

It is important to remember how fast misinformation can occur and spread and how that can negatively impact our children.  While children can make poor decisions, the district must act with diligence in response to even the smallest incident, even when students are well-meaning, joking, and are not seeking to harm others.  Using good judgment is important for everyone involved when it comes to the children of our community.  No one wants their child to be falsely accused or not taken seriously on matters of student safety.

Studies on school safety around the country make one thing very clear: Parents and teachers working in partnership to build positive relationships with children is the best form of prevention.  We take this partnership very seriously and we work diligently to build strong teacher/student relationships and strong parent/teacher relationships.

Finally, the focus of Wayland Union Schools remains on providing a quality education for every student.  From the classroom to extra-curricular activities to safety and security, we are committed to excellence in all that is done in a Wayland school.

As always, please do not hesitate to call if you have questions.

Sincerely,

Eivor Swan