The safety of Columbus City Schools students, teachers, and staff remains our top priority. 

Our Safety and Security team, in partnership with school and district leaders, is dedicated to creating a safe environment for all students to learn and all teachers and staff to work. We continue to implement and follow a number of operational guidelines that are aligned to national researched best practices. Below are some of the safety measures in place at our schools:

• We have invested in our internal Safety and Security team - having more than doubled our security personnel over the past three years. We currently have 104 safety and security personnel, with funding approved for 50 more positions for the 2022-2023 school year.
• Our Safety and Security team works closely with Columbus Police when issues arise that require the presence of law enforcement.
• All of our schools have a visitor management system in place requiring visitors to sign in and present a form of identification that is scanned and checked against a national database before entry is permitted.
• We will continue with metal detector screenings at randomly selected high school buildings each day.
• We will also continue with metal detector wand screenings for entrance into all athletic events.
• One of our school’s most significant safety resources is the strong relationships among our students, families, staff, and safety teams. We value our partnership with the families we serve, as we strive to make a difference in the lives of our community’s children. Here are just a few ways that parents and caregivers can support their students at home:
  • Talk to your child often and ask questions about school, their activities, and their friends.
  • Monitor your child’s social media activity, text messages, and other activities.
  • Remind them safety is everyone’s responsibility, if they see something, say something to a trusted adult.
  • Threats are serious and are always handled as such. Remind them not to joke around about any type of school safety issue.
  • Take action if something does not seem right. If you see something, say something. Contact your child’s principal or teacher, call the police, or use the Safer Together hotline (844-SAFER-OH).
• More cameras are being installed at buildings ahead of the start of school. The Safety and Security team will continue to monitor each building on a case by case basis and add additional cameras where there is a need. 
• The Safety and Security team is working to have at least one Safety and Security personnel in each school building to assist students and staff. 
• The Safety and Security team plans to increase the number of Safety and Security personnel at football games and will use hand-held wands at select athletic events. 
• Random metal detector checks will continue at CCS high schools this year, and the long-term goal is to have metal detectors at every high school.

Our students’ well-being is always our top priority. We want to remind our families, students, staff, and community, that if you see something, you should say something. You should immediately report any concerns to a teacher, staff, or responsible adult. Anyone connected to Columbus City Schools can call or text our 24-hour anonymous Safer Together hotline at 844-SAFER-OH or call Columbus Police at 614-645-4545.