Safety and Security

DeKalb School District takes the safety and security of our students and staff very seriously. The Security Manager and Facility Operations Department work to ensure that the District is prepared and well-equipped to handle emergencies.

Training for Faculty & Staff

The District provides a variety of trainings throughout the school year to faculty and staff. Some of the trainings are partnered with representatives of the DeKalb Police Department and/or the DeKalb Fire Department along with the District Nurses. These trainings help to improve their crisis management skills and help them gain confidence that if a real situation were to occur they would know what to do.

Emergency Supplies

Every classroom in our district is equipped with a Grab & Go Bag. These bags contain emergency supplies that can be utilized during an emergency. Staff are required regardless if it is a drill or a true emergency to always grab their Grab & Go Bag. Some of the contents of these kits are a first aid kit, a wind up flashlight, garbage bags, hand sanitizer, tarp, glow stickers, an orange safety vest, etc.

What should I do in the event of an emergency?

What should parents do in an event of an emergency to best assist their students? While every person's natural instinct in an emergency is to go the school to safeguard his/her child, please understand that doing so may significantly impede the school's ability to respond to the situation. Please trust in the preparedness of the school staff and community first responders to swiftly and effectively handle the emergency. We kindly ask for your cooperation and assistance and therefore ask you to follow these guidelines:

Please do not call or rush to your child's school because the phone lines and staff are needed for emergency responses efforts.
Please do not phone your child. Staff and students are discouraged from using cell phone communications for safety reasons.
Please wait for communication from your child's school, they will provide you with direction on how to proceed.

Resources

Communications during an emergency

Please rely only on official communication from school or public safety officials. Official communications may come through the following avenues:

District's emergency notification system through ParentSquare and/or Skyward Message Center
The District website
District social media (Facebook, X)
Local media outlets: Daily Chronicle, WNIJ 89.5, 94.9 WDKB, WBBM-AM (780), CBS, NBC, ABC, WGN, FOX.

Safe2Help Illinois

Safe2Help Illinois is a 24/7 program where students can use a free app, text/phone, and website (Safe2HelpIllinois.com) to share information on school safety issues in a confidential environment. Once vetted, the information provided will be shared with DeKalb CUSD 428 school officials and / or local law enforcement authorities / 911 Call Center, depending on the nature of the information shared.

DeKalb CUSD 428 believes that each student should be able to identify a trusted adult in their school building. This staff member is a person who students can communicate with if they see or hear something and need to say something. In the absence of access to that trusted adult, Safe2Help Illinois offers students a safe, confidential way in which to share information that might help prevent suicides, bullying, school violence or other threats to school safety. This program is not intended to suspend, expel, or punish students. Rather, the goal is to get students to “Seek Help Before Harm.”

DeKalb Community School District 428

Safety and Security

Resources