Superintendents are responsible for creating safe learning environments, but they cannot accomplish that work alone.
Effective school safety depends on relationships that extend beyond district offices and school buildings. Law enforcement agencies, school boards, elected officials, families, and students all have perspectives and responsibilities that can strengthen emergency preparedness.
During the AASA and CENTEGIX webinar, Safer Schools, Every Day: How Superintendents Build a Culture of Safety, three education and safety leaders explored why collaboration is essential to building a sustainable culture of safety.
Moderated by Dr. Roderick Sams, CENTEGIX Chief Development Officer, the discussion featured Max Schachter, founder and executive director of Safe Schools for Alex; Jeffrey D. Harrison, superintendent of Brecksville-Broadview Heights City Schools in Ohio; and Van Ayres, superintendent of Hillsborough County Public Schools in Florida.
Their insights demonstrated that a comprehensive school safety strategy requires more than district-level planning. It also depends on trusted partnerships that support emergency coordination, informed decision-making, community engagement, and ongoing improvement.
1. Why Are Law Enforcement Partnerships Essential to School Safety?
When discussing the lessons learned from the 2018 Parkland school shooting, Schachter emphasized that school districts need strong relationships with law enforcement.
“That is why you know, having good relationships with law enforcement is so important.”
Schachter's advocacy grew from the tragedy that killed his son Alex and 16 others at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. His work focuses on helping school leaders recognize vulnerabilities and strengthen preparedness before another tragedy occurs.
During the webinar, he stressed the importance of training, emergency drills, and proactive conversations about safety.
But preparedness cannot stop at the school district's boundaries.
Law enforcement and emergency responders need to understand school facilities, emergency procedures, and the roles different organizations will perform during an incident.
The SchoolSafety.gov emergency planning guidance recommends involving local law enforcement, first responders, emergency management personnel, and other community partners in developing school emergency operations plans.
These relationships help schools align their plans with the broader community's emergency response capabilities.
How School Safety Technology Can Support Emergency Coordination
Effective collaboration also depends on timely communication and access to useful information.
When an emergency occurs, responders need to know where help is required and how to reach the affected area.
The CENTEGIX CrisisAlert wearable panic button enables employees to initiate emergency alerts and communicate location information. Depending on the configured response, alerts can notify designated administrators, responders, and 911 dispatch.
The CENTEGIX Safety Blueprint digital mapping solution supports emergency preparedness by organizing campus maps and information about critical safety assets.
These capabilities complement the broader need for critical incident mapping in emergency response and clear, accessible building information.
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency's K–12 School Security Guide also provides guidance on assessing school security vulnerabilities and planning layered protective measures.
For superintendents, the goal is to build relationships and communication processes that work together before an emergency tests them.
2. How Can School Boards Become Stronger Partners in School Safety?
School boards influence district priorities through governance, oversight, and resource decisions.
Schachter encouraged superintendents to examine whether school boards have a dedicated structure for discussing safety.
“Do you have a safety and security committee where you're focusing on this issue?”
For Schachter, a school board safety committee signals that district leadership is giving safety consistent attention rather than treating it as an occasional topic.
Such discussions can help board members understand operational challenges, review district priorities, and ask informed questions about preparedness.
Harrison also described the importance of engaging his board of education when considering safety investments.
He recalled discussing the district's spending priorities when evaluating its partnership with CENTEGIX.
“Are you telling me paper towels are more important than school safety?”
Harrison acknowledged that the comparison was tongue-in-cheek. His point was that school boards and superintendents must examine how resources are allocated and whether safety receives appropriate consideration.
Ayres offered another example. He credited the Hillsborough County school board with supporting the district's extensive security efforts, including its guardian program.
The panelists' experiences demonstrate that school safety governance works best when boards understand the practical challenges districts face and remain engaged in addressing them.
That includes moving from concern to school safety accountability through informed questions, appropriate oversight, and continued attention to implementation.
The U.S. Department of Education's school climate guidance also offers resources that can help education leaders understand school conditions and identify areas for improvement.
School boards do not replace district safety professionals or emergency responders. They help establish the governance environment in which those professionals can carry out their work.
3. How Can Relationships With Legislators Strengthen School Safety?
One of the webinar's most actionable discussions focused on relationships between school district leaders and elected officials.
Schachter argued that legislators need firsthand exposure to the challenges districts face.
“It is so important to really bring along our state legislators.”
He encouraged superintendents to invite lawmakers to school safety training sessions and give them opportunities to learn about district preparedness efforts.
Schachter explained that legislative relationships should not begin and end with a single meeting about a bill or funding request.
Instead, lawmakers benefit from understanding the ongoing work districts perform, the challenges they encounter, and the resources needed to address them.
Harrison agreed, noting that the superintendent's responsibilities increasingly extend into civic leadership.
“Today's day and age, as superintendent, you're as much a civic leader as you are a school district leader.”
He described how districts invite legislators to participate in school activities, even when attendance is not always as high as administrators would like.
Ayres shared a more encouraging example from Hillsborough County. A school board member helped arrange visits by local legislators, giving elected officials an opportunity to see district operations firsthand.
These examples demonstrate why school safety advocacy should be built on ongoing relationships rather than occasional requests for support.
Connecting School Safety Advocacy to Funding Opportunities
Legislative relationships can also help policymakers better understand school safety funding needs.
Schachter emphasized that districts should explain the challenges they face and why additional resources may be necessary.
The federal School Violence Prevention Program, administered through the U.S. Department of Justice's COPS Office, illustrates how public funding can support eligible school security improvements and emergency notification capabilities.
School districts can also explore available programs through CENTEGIX's school safety funding resources.
However, funding opportunities vary by jurisdiction, eligibility requirements, application periods, and legislative priorities. Building relationships with elected officials does not guarantee financial support.
It can, however, help legislators understand the operational realities behind school safety proposals.
That is particularly important when districts are working to translate school safety legislation into practical improvements. The experiences behind Alyssa's Law and school safety advocacy demonstrate how families, advocates, policymakers, and education leaders can contribute to broader discussions about emergency preparedness.
For superintendents, the takeaway is to treat legislators as ongoing community stakeholders—not simply as people to contact when funding is needed.
4. Why Should Families and Students Be Part of School Safety Conversations?
Community partnerships are not limited to public safety agencies and elected officials.
Students and families also play an essential role in understanding school safety needs and strengthening communication.
Ayres described how Hillsborough County Public Schools communicates its safety priorities to families through a district-wide newsletter.
The message comes directly from the superintendent and emphasizes that safety remains a top priority.
Ayres also discussed the district's use of Florida's FortifyFL reporting application.
Students receive training on the application early in the school year so they understand how to report concerns.
These efforts help make students and families participants in school safety rather than passive recipients of district policies.
The U.S. Department of Education's school climate improvement guidance for families emphasizes that families can contribute to improving school climate by participating in planning and sharing their perspectives.
The CDC's guidance on strengthening connections among students, staff, and families also highlights the value of relationships and communication between schools and families.
Schachter reinforced the importance of understanding how students experience their schools.
He encouraged superintendents to use school climate surveys and examine whether students feel comfortable reporting concerns to trusted adults.
The question is not simply whether a district has a reporting system. It is whether students understand the process and believe their concerns will receive appropriate attention.
The U.S. Secret Service's school threat assessment guidance likewise emphasizes the importance of creating environments where concerning behavior can be reported and evaluated by multidisciplinary teams.
Harrison added another dimension to the discussion: belonging.
He described the importance of adults knowing students' names, recognizing when something is wrong, and helping every student feel connected to the school community.
The CDC identifies school connectedness as a protective factor associated with student well-being and positive educational outcomes.
Together, these perspectives reinforce that strong school safety partnerships depend on communication in both directions.
Families need to understand district priorities, and district leaders need to listen to the people who experience school safety practices every day.
5. How Can Superintendents Build Lasting School Safety Partnerships?
The webinar panelists offered different perspectives, but their recommendations shared a common theme: relationships should be established before they are urgently needed.
For Schachter, that means engaging law enforcement and legislators proactively rather than waiting for a crisis or funding deadline.
For Harrison, it means working with school boards, employees, and community stakeholders to establish shared expectations.
For Ayres, it means maintaining relationships that support practical preparedness.
He described Hillsborough County's partnership with the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, which provides training for the district's guardian program.
That collaboration illustrates how a relationship with a public safety agency can support ongoing operations—not simply emergency response.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency's exercise guidance emphasizes collaborative preparedness exercises that bring together different organizations and capabilities.
FEMA's improvement planning resources also encourage organizations to document findings and follow through on corrective actions.
For school districts, these practices can provide opportunities to strengthen communication, clarify responsibilities, and identify areas for improvement with community partners.
Superintendents can begin by asking whether local responders participate in school emergency planning, whether school boards understand current safety priorities, whether elected officials have opportunities to see district operations, and whether families know how to communicate concerns.
These questions are practical takeaways drawn from the panelists' discussion, rather than a formal checklist presented during the webinar.
The objective is to create relationships that support consistent communication and coordinated action throughout the school year.
Stronger Partnerships Support Safer Schools
The discussion during the AASA and CENTEGIX webinar reinforced that school safety extends beyond any single department, administrator, or organization.
Schachter emphasized the importance of law enforcement relationships and legislative advocacy. Harrison described the superintendent's role in working with school boards and community leaders. Ayres demonstrated how partnerships with public safety agencies, families, and elected officials can support district-wide preparedness.
Their insights show that building a culture of safety requires shared responsibility, regular communication, and relationships grounded in practical action.
Superintendents may lead the effort, but effective school safety is strengthened by the entire community.
Watch Safer Schools, Every Day: How Superintendents Build a Culture of Safety to hear the complete discussion.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are community partnerships important for school safety?
Community partnerships help school districts access expertise, coordinate emergency planning, communicate safety priorities, and strengthen preparedness. Law enforcement agencies, school boards, elected officials, families, and students can all contribute to creating safer learning environments.
How can schools and law enforcement collaborate on emergency preparedness?
Schools and law enforcement agencies can collaborate by developing and reviewing emergency response procedures, participating in training and exercises, sharing appropriate facility information, and establishing clear communication expectations. These activities help organizations understand their responsibilities before an emergency occurs.
What role do school boards and legislators play in school safety?
School boards can support school safety through governance, oversight, and resource decisions. Legislators influence school safety through laws, funding programs, and public policy. Ongoing communication helps both groups understand district needs and the practical challenges of implementing safety improvements.