SCHOOL SAFETY AND MENTAL HEALTH AT GAHANNA-JEFFERSON PUBLIC SCHOOLS
The health and safety of our school community is a high priority for everyone at Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools. While our security plans are continually evolving, here are some measures we are taking to address safety and security in our schools.
Partnership with Law Enforcement
We continue to have a strong relationship with the Gahanna Division of Police, and we appreciate their partnership in keeping our schools safe. Our administrative team works closely with GPD when issues arise that require the presence of law enforcement in any of our school buildings. We have three highly trained GPD/School Resource Officers who work with our district.
Additional Staff
We have increased the number of assistant principals and campus supervisors to provide additional supervision in our schools at all levels.
Emergency Operation Procedures
Working with law enforcement agencies and first responders, we have developed and continue to revise, implement, and regularly practice emergency operation procedures. To keep staff and students safe, we do not share these plans publicly, but they are submitted, reviewed and approved annually.
Check-In Procedures
We recently upgraded our visitor management system in our school buildings so that each visitor must sign in and present a form of identification that is scanned and checked against a national database before entry is permitted.
Safe School Helpline “If you see something, say something.”
One of our most important resources is the strong relationship with our students, families, staff and GJPS community. As a result, GJPS utilizes the Safe School Helpline to encourage our community to anonymously report anything that threatens the safety of our students, staff or schools.
1-800-418-6423 ext. 359
Safe School Helpline Information and FAQs
Mental Health Staff and Support
Building a strong sense of belonging is one of the most important things we can do to create a safe school environment. Everyone is valued, respected, supported, included, and personally accepted in this environment. When schools create a sense of belonging where students find this kind of home, a place where they are nurtured and cared about, then the school community and the wider community will be a safer place to go to school and to live.
We have the following staff members that support our students, do risk assessments, and have conversations regularly about student safety:
Mental Health Specialists
One-to-one and small group counseling with some of our most at-risk students.
Mental Health Liaisons
One-to-one and small group counseling with students who struggled with attendance and engagement. Mental Health Liaisons also complete home visits and link families with resources to assist the student at the systems level.
School Counselors
Universal support available to all students.
Threats
We have a safety protocol in place that our mental health team follows when students make threats that could impact the health and safety of themselves or others. This risk assessment involves an in-depth analysis of the situation, contact with families, and appropriate support to address the concern.
Signs of Suicide
This proactive suicide prevention program is taught to all 7th and 10th graders in the district and includes a screening assessment that allows us to identify students who may be at risk for mental health needs. When identified, students meet with a mental health provider for further evaluation and parents are notified of any safety concerns.
Hope Squad
Hope Squad is a peer-to-peer suicide prevention program implemented with our 9-12 grade students. This program consists of students nominated by their peers to serve in a trusted support role for students experiencing suicidal ideation. The peer mentors receive extensive, ongoing training on how to support their peers.
Green Dot
Green Dot is a bystander intervention program used at the high school level in grades 10-12. Students are trained in proactive ways to step in and support fellow students when situations arise that may become harmful.
Sexual Assault Response Network of Ohio
We developed a partnership with the Sexual Assualt Response Network of Ohio (SARNCO) this year. Through this partnership, we were able to:
- Establish a Survivor Group for high school students who have experienced sexual assault.
- Obtain resources for our high school English teachers regarding a lesson on consent.
- This lesson was piloted in several classes with a plan to teach it universally next year.
Provide parent webinars on healthy relationships.