School Safety Blog
We hope you and your family enjoyed a restful and refreshing break. As we return to our regular routines, SUSD Security Services would like to share an important reminder regarding traffic safety on and around our school campuses.
In recent weeks, the district has received a number of concerns related to driving behaviors during drop-off and pick-up times. These include speeding, stopping in traffic lanes to drop off students, and encouraging children to cross streets from undesignated locations. While we understand how busy mornings and afternoons can be, these practices create unsafe conditions for everyone.
This time of year also brings an increase in visitors to our community for special events. Many guests stay not only in nearby hotels but also in short-term rentals throughout our neighborhoods. With the added traffic, congestion around campuses can be more pronounced than usual.
We kindly ask families and visitors to plan ahead by allowing a little extra time, arriving slightly earlier or later when possible, and exercising patience during peak hours. Please follow your school’s established drop-off and pick-up procedures. These plans were thoughtfully designed to help hundreds of students, staff, families, and visitors move safely and efficiently during the busiest times of the day.
Unsafe driving practices place our community at risk. In the event of an accident, those most affected are our children, educators, classmates, and neighbors. A few extra minutes of patience and care can truly make a life-saving difference.
Thank you for your continued cooperation, kindness, and commitment to keeping our campuses safe. Together, we can ensure a secure and welcoming environment for all.
— SUSD Security Services
The holidays are here, and that means family and friends are visiting! While we love reconnecting with returning students and hearing about all the great things they’re doing, school is still in session. Anyone wishing to visit a campus must sign in at the front office during office hours. For safety and liability reasons, returning students are not permitted to use weight rooms or other school facilities. We encourage you to stop by, say “hi,” and enjoy your visit, just please follow the rules.
This time of year can be stressful for everyone. With the end of the semester approaching, tempers can be short, stress levels high, and patience stretched thin. Parking lots, in particular, can be a hotspot for tension. Horn honking, speeding, and close calls during morning drop-off or afternoon pick-up can turn routine moments into unsafe situations. Staff are working hard to follow SUSD policies and keep students safe, but incidents of yelling or inappropriate language have been on the rise.
Our Student Advisory Board recently asked what can be done to make parking lots safer, and the answer is clear: we all play a role. Aggressive driving in parking lots or on nearby streets often involves parents, students, and staff alike. By exercising patience, staying calm, and treating one another with kindness, we can help ensure everyone enjoys a safe and happy holiday season.
Throughout September, SUSD focused on ensuring that each school and facility were fully prepared to respond effectively to emergencies. Staff received updated training and reviewed their site-specific Emergency Operations Plans (EOPs). These comprehensive plans are regularly updated and shared with our local public safety partners to ensure everyone, from school administrators to first responders, are working from the same playbook.
While everyone has a unique role during an emergency, coordinated planning allows all involved to respond quickly and effectively. This unified approach helps restore normal operations as swiftly and safely as possible following any disruption.
October: Fire Prevention Month
As we move into October, SUSD partners with the Scottsdale Fire Department to provide hands-on fire safety training for staff, including the proper use of fire extinguishers and evacuation procedures. Arizona state law requires all schools to be equipped with automated fire suppression systems (sprinklers), which have significantly reduced the risk and damage associated with fires in schools.
Safety Starts at Home
Fire safety is not just a school responsibility, it begins at home. We encourage families to:
- Talk with children about home escape plans.
- Practice fire drills at least once every quarter.
- Ensure all rooms have working smoke detectors.
- Replace smoke detector batteries every six months.
- Close bedroom doors before going to sleep, which can slow the spread of fire and smoke.
It’s important to remember that more fire-related deaths result from smoke inhalation than from flames. Having a plan, practicing it regularly, and equipping your home with the right tools can save lives.
A Community Approach to Safety
At SUSD, we practice safety drills regularly and embed emergency preparedness into our school culture. We ask families to do the same at home. By working together, we can help ensure that our students are not only safe at school, but also well-prepared wherever they are.
As I write this article, another community is grieving from a school shooting. This shooting occurred during a church service at a religious private school. This senseless act of a troubled young person who went after innocent children and staff has sent shockwaves through our community too with many people inquiring about what security systems exist in our schools.
SUSD has a layered approach to security at our sites. The goal is to provide the safest environment for our children and staff while also creating a positive environment for them to learn and grow while being kids.
While we don’t discuss all the specific safeguards and plans we have in place, some of our layers include the following:
- Exterior fencing with gates that are locked or staffed when they are open, and school is in session.
- Closed circuit cameras that cover interior and exterior of the facilities. They are monitored during the school day and have built in artificial intelligence features.
- Unarmed security officers on all campuses
- Police officers (both School Resource Officers and School Safety Officers) on every SUSD campus
- Visitor management system that checks all site visitors against national sex offender database prior to entry onto campus
- Secured lobby areas and conference rooms to allow people into our schools without having access to students or staff without permission.
- These are just a few of the systems we have in place to protect our facilities. While no one can guarantee that children are 100% safe anywhere in todays society, our schools have all been evaluated by the Arizona Counter Terrorism Information Center, the State Auditor General, the Trust insurance company, and numerous police agencies. Every report we get states that our schools are among some of the safest in the state, yet we are always looking for ways to improve.
Remember parents, students and staff are our very best partners to keep our schools safe. We appreciate you doing your part to support our initiatives and reporting any concerns.
Please feel free to reach out using Let’s Talk to ask questions about our district security.
Important Safety Update for the New School Year
As we begin another exciting school year, we want to share some important updates regarding transportation and student safety on our campuses.
One of the most significant changes involves how some students travel to school. The City of Scottsdale has enacted a new law affecting the use of certain E-Bikes. Under this law, individuals under the age of 16 are prohibited from operating E-Bikes that exceed—or are capable of exceeding—21 miles per hour. Additionally, these bikes may not be ridden on any public street unless they are titled and registered through the Arizona Motor Vehicle Division (MVD).
Please note that Scottsdale Unified School District’s policy remains unchanged: motorized vehicles—including skateboards, bikes, and similar devices—may not be used on campus grounds. Students who legally ride motorized vehicles to school must walk them to the designated storage area upon entering campus.
Parents: If your child uses or is considering using a motorized device, we strongly encourage you to review and discuss the new City of Scottsdale regulations with them.
Note: There are several detailed provisions within the law.