Official Government Website
Health and Safety Alert is a service to schools and school personnel designed to deliver timely information on school-related threats, trends and points of vulnerability. The Health and Safety Alerts are sent to designated school officials as issues arise and provide helpful information including prevention, planning and mitigation strategies for specific threats.
An archive of past Health and Safety Alerts is available by topic in the links below:
- Coronavirus Operations Guidance for Idaho K-12 Schools by ISBOE – 3/23/20
- Coronavirus Guidance for Schools by CDC – 2/24/20
- Flu Notice – 1/17/2018
- Air Quality Alert – 8/8/2017
- Self-Harm Safety Alert – 5/15/2017
- Winter Weather Advisory – 1/09/2017
- Air Quality Around Idaho Schools – 8/30/2016
Information for Parents
In recent days, a number of parents and patrons have contacted this office looking for answers to questions of student safety and school security. We understand your concern and share in your desire to keep our children safe. Though the primary mission of this office is to assist schools in their safety and security efforts, our desire is to provide useful information to parents and patrons while working with their local schools.
As the title of our office suggests, the Idaho Office of School Safety & Security (IOS3) is specifically tasked with assisting schools in their safety and security efforts. As defined by Idaho Statute 33-5902, IOS3 staff will visit every public school campus over the course of three years, assessing those factors that may impact the safety of students and staff. Following a school assessment, the Office staff works with school officials to bolster the safety and security of a campus. Ultimately, the safety of students while under the care of a school is the responsibility of the local school board trustees (33-512).
Accordingly, our best direction is for parent and patrons to work with your local school system.
What can you, a parent, do? We suggest the following steps:
- Schedule a time to talk with your school’s leadership and find out if your school has emergency response plans and if they are practiced. Also ask about your role as a parent in emergencies, and know that schools won’t release all of their response plans, but can often speak generally about the process.
- Ask about the relationship between your local schools and local emergency responders. Schools should have strong, cooperative relationships with local law enforcement.
- Find out how your school addresses and assesses threats and behaviors of concern. Schools should have a multi-disciplinary assessment protocol for students who show concerning behaviors.
- Find out if your school participates in an anonymous reporting program that allows students, staff and parents to report suspicious behavior.