Safety & Security

About

School safety and security is a partnership between students, staff, parents, community members, and local authorities. As a district, we all share in the goal of keeping our students and staff safe and appreciate you working with us to create a safe, caring learning environment for all. Northbrook District 28 is committed to a safety and security process that includes assessment, action plans, and evaluation. The district leadership develops, monitors, and improves safety and security with an ongoing process that includes:

Comprehensive Safety Audit
Health/Life Safety Inspection (Conducted annually by the Cook County Intermediate Service Center)
Annual State Fire Marshal Inspection
Northbrook Police Department School Liaisons (Police department liaisons meet regularly with principals.)
Review of Best Practice Research and Policy Briefs

Safety is addressed in three broad categories: Behavioral & Mental Health, Facility Security, and Emergency Response Protocols.

Behavioral and Mental Health

School psychologists and social workers provide behavioral and mental health services to students at every school and the Young Explorers program.

Teachers review student needs via BASC-3 Behavioral and Emotional Screening System (BASC-3 BESS). The screener offers a reliable, quick, and systematic way to determine behavioral and emotional strengths and weaknesses of children and adolescents. Specifically, it helps to identify students who exhibit the following risks:
- Behavioral and Emotional Risk Index (BERI)
- Externalizing Risk Index (ERI)
- Internalizing Risk Index (IRI)
- Adaptive Skills Risk Index (ARI)
Students in grades 3-8 engage in social emotional learning through Wayfinder, while students in grades K-2 engage in social emotional learning through Everyday Speech.

Similarly, junior high students engage in weekly LEAD (Learn Educate Appreciate Develop) lessons centered on goal-setting, problem-solving, empathy, advocacy, mindfulness, digital citizenship, and emotional regulation, among several other topics.
The district partners with community organizations and presenters to provide timely information and support for parents.
Established by state law, the district has behavior threat assessment procedures. A threat assessment team of administrators, school-based mental health professionals, local law enforcement partners, teachers and a school counselor are trained to address potential threats and develop response plans on a case-by-case basis.
The district has two systems in place to support NBJH students anonymously:
- Anonymous Alerts is a system that students (and parents) can use to report suspicious activity.
- Text-A-Tip is a 24/7 messaging service to respond to students in a crisis. All students can access the systems through a student dashboard on their iPads or through their phones.

Facility Security

Access to every school is controlled. Hardened entrances have electronic doors, exterior and entry cameras, a visitor check-in system that includes a background check, badges for all personnel, and key control.

Building Security

Electronic emergency devices throughout the school (panic buttons) are linked to local police dispatch
Intrusion alarms, including:
- Exterior door contacts
- Upgraded motion sensors
- 24/7 monitoring
Strategic installation of protective shatter-proof film on glass
Enhanced natural surveillance
Door & classroom signage
Enhanced exterior lighting
Visible outdoor supervisors during recess with two-way radios that students can easily identify

Classroom Security

Primary and secondary door-locking mechanisms
Automatic door closures in multipurpose rooms and gymnasiums
Grab-and-go emergency plans and maps
Safety backpacks containing:
- First aid
- Emergency lighting
- Emergency food supplies

Emergency Response Protocols

Annual staff trainings
Options-based intruder response practices adopted township-wide
Emergency communication system for staff and parents
Emergency Preparedness Plans (EPP) developed in collaboration with Northfield Township districts and Northbrook emergency responders
Annual drills conducted in partnership with local police and emergency responders. These include:
- Evacuation with rally points
- Inclement weather
- Lockdown
- Reunification
Law enforcement and emergency responders have access to facilities, are familiar with our floor plans, and can gain access in an emergency.

Emergency Communication

Northbrook School District 28 uses a list of common terminology to describe various emergency situations that may occur in our school buildings.

Learn more

Reporting a Concern

Students or parents in the school community can anonymously submit suspicious activity, bullying or other student-related issues to a school administrator.