Public and Public Charter Schools Strengthen Community Approach to Public Safety

By Sam P.K. Collins WI Education Reporter

After what has been, for a lack of a better word, an eventful school year, many students, parents and administrators alike remain even more committed to developing systems that better ensure the students’ overall safety.

While students were out this summer, school leaders have been mulling over how to fulfill their public safety goals for the 2023-2024 school year. Below are strategies that some District principals are implementing, as explained at a public safety community forum hosted by the William O. Lockridge Community Foundation at Ballou Senior HIgh School in Southeast on August 5.

Strengthening Safe Passage Programs:

Goals include working with law enforcement along with churches and business owners in areas surrounding schools, focusing on better and strategic placement of staff members along Safe Passage routes before and after-school hours and passing out literature to stakeholders that explains logistics during the school day.

Engaging Parents:

Administrators are aiming to elicit parental support through engagement events, home visits and phone calls. In cases when parents aren’t present in students’ lives, schools will connect students with community-based organizations while continuing to engage guardians and influencers.

Prioritizing Accountability:

Principals are acknowledging that accountability starts with them in how they set standards, and consistently communicate policy. Other elements include acting proactively against misbehavior and exhausting all resources to address issues before moving on to suspension or other drastic measures. Some principals are even touting the need for a balanced approach in doling out consequences and equipping students with the skills to be solution oriented.

Fostering a Sense of Belonging :

Administrators are encouraging teachers to develop an inviting classroom environment. There has also been conversation about expediting learning upon a student’s entrance into school while creating more opportunities during after-school hours for students to stay on campus safely.

Involving Students in the Conversation:

Some principals have conducted meetings with student leaders throughout the summer to plan events for the school year. Some of this work builds upon engagement that took place toward the end of the last school year. It also supports the work that principals are doing with parent organizations and their Local School Advisory Teams to advocate for resources.

perintendent of Education, or even the admissions office at local colleges and universities, including the University of the District of Columbia and Prince Georrge’s Community College.

Programs like College Bound exemplify the mantra of “Each one, teach one.” For decades, middle school and high school students from D.C.-area public schools have navigated College Bound’s Academic Mentoring Program. In that program, they connect with college-educated professionals with whom they develop relationships and learn hard and soft skills that solidify their admission to the college of their choice. For years, 100% of students in College Bound have graduated high school and gained acceptance into the college of their choice. College Bound alumni have also gone on to enroll in College Bound’s Virtual Mentoring Program to ensure degree completion. For more information or to become a mentor, visit collegebound.org.

Since 2019, hundreds of District high school graduates have attended and graduated from more than a dozen U.S. colleges and universities for little to nothing. This is thanks to D.C. College Access Program (DC-CAP)’s University Partnership Scholarship.

Students who apply for the DC-CAP Scholarship and University Partnership Scholarship have the chance to enroll in any four-year institution of their choice and receive between $20,000 and $25,000 in financial support. The University Partnership Scholarship leverages DC-CAP funds, Pell Grants and the DC Tuition Assistance Grant to ensure that students receive as much aid as possible, and in some cases a full ride to attend one of the partner universities. Students can even access DC-CAP resources as early as ninth grade when they enter the STEM Ready Scholarship Program where they sharpen skills needed to enter STEM-related fields and earn scholarships. For more information about these and other programs, visit dccap.org/scholarships. g