District Safety

In Bellwood School District 88, the safety and security of all students and staff are top priority. Teaching and learning in a safe and secure environment are the foundation of a successful education. Safety protocols are in place in all our district buildings and throughout each classroom and offices to help protect our most valuable assets.

We consistently re-evaluate and redefine all safety procedures and exhaust all resources to prevent incidents in and around our school buildings. To support our safety efforts, we collaborate with our local police and fire departments to perform safety drills in all our schools.

This page has contains valuable information and resources for parents to use to assist us in our safety efforts.

District Safety Committee

We have a district-wide safety committee that consists of district and school administrators, staff from multiple departments, local police and fire department representatives, parents, and community partners. Each of these representatives serves an important role in creating a safe learning environment in our schools.

Emergency Response

When an emergency occurs in our schools, we assure you our district is prepared. With the help of local fire, police, and sheriff's departments, we maintain an emergency plan that will assist us in responding to various situations. We review our plan annually with the local fire and police departments that our schools are located in.

We also invite these first responders into our buildings to participate in the lockdown and fire drills we conduct with students and staff. These plans and drills provide our students and staff with the knowledge of what to do in emergency situations.

Safety Prevention

Prevention is the first step in ensuring the safety of our students and staff. We have many initiatives and enhancements in place throughout our school district to help us remain vigilant in our security endeavors. The following are some of the most significant:

Custom ID Cards: All staff members must wear a district issued ID card displaying their, name, location and role for the current school year. This allows district staff to be easily recognized by other staff and students.

Electronic Door System: The second door system is “Axis Companion.” This systems allows school secretaries and receptionists to see who is ringing the bell before they allow entry to the building. It is equipped with has two-way communication to provide secretaries the option to speak with the person at the door if necessary.

Keycard Access: Staff members must use their district issued keycard to enter the building at all times.

Raptor Visitor Management: This system registers and screens every campus visitor, volunteer, and contractor so that school officials are aware of exactly who is entering their buildings. Visitors must provide the secretary or receptionist with a government issued form of identification upon entry to all buildings.

Secured Grounds: Each school building has a dedicated security guard subcontracted from a security company who walk inside and outside the building(s) to safeguard our campus

SAFE2HELP Illinois

This program offers students a safe and confidential way to share information that may help prevent suicides, bullying, school violence, and other threats to student safety.