Safety in the W

This week we are sharing valuable information about the safety of our learning community in honor of Safe Schools Week. Thank you for joining us!

Woodland D50 has a full-time School Resource Officer (SRO) from the Gurnee Police Department who serves our learning community. The SRO is responsible for safety and crime prevention in our schools and works closely with District administrators to maintain a safe environment for all. Woodland’s SRO is Detective Kelly Hansen. She is primarily stationed at Woodland Middle School, but is available to travel across the district in support of our schools.

Det. Hansen has been an officer with the Village of Gurnee for more than 10 years. Throughout her years of service with Gurnee, she has served in various specialty roles:

• Juvenile Officer
• Crisis Intervention Officer
• Evidence Technician
• Car Seat Safety Tech
• Peer Support Team Member

In her role as School Resource Officer, Det. Hansen’s main goal is to develop and nurture positive relationships with students and staff to promote a strong sense of community. She is also focused on promoting safety, monitoring concerns, and providing feedback on ways to improve our plans and procedures. Another strength she brings to our district is her ability to form connections with all different kinds of people. She will use this ability to provide mentorship and support to our students and staff. Finally, she will provide education assistance programs based on the needs of our students.

Det. Hansen is also a wife and mother of two, and this helps shape her interactions with students and their families. She wants students to see her as a consistent and trusted adult in their everyday lives, so that they may feel comfortable working with her in times of need or in the event of an emergency.

Learn more about the role of the SRO on the safety portal!

Woodland has comprehensive crisis procedures in place in the event of an emergency, and we maintain consistent communication with the Gurnee Police Department, Gurnee Fire Department, and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office as part of our safety plan. We consider our students to be our most precious resource, and we are committed to providing a safe learning environment for our staff and students.

In addition to our crisis plan, we have safety measures in place to secure our schools. Our buildings are locked, and all visitors must follow our check-in system which requires showing identification. The schools have security cameras to capture suspicious activity, and we are working with the Village of Gurnee to allow our police department access to these cameras. Woodland school buses are also equipped with cameras and GPS. In 2022, we added a second Wireless Radio Antennae to increase radio coverage at each school, allowing administrators at different schools to communicate with one another via radio during an emergency.

We also conduct safety drills during the school year, and Woodland has a relocation plan for moving our students to a safe location in the event of an emergency.

Safety Drills: Do you know the different types of Safety Drills Woodland conducts each school year?

Parent Tips: Do you know what to expect/what to do if there is an actual emergency?

A wonderful community event last night in Gurnee! Local school districts held a Safety Seminar for the community to learn more about keeping kids safe. Our School Resource Officers provided information about drug awareness and gun safety, and Warren Township Youth & Family Services presented information about mental and emotional health. Thank you for coming out to join us for this important conversation. Meeting participants asked great questions and provided suggestions for how to keep our kids busy, engaged, and connected. See Additional Photos Here.

This week, we launched a new Safety Portal on the district website to bring all of our safety information together in one place! If you haven't had a chance to explore the portal, please check it out today.