School Safety and Security Forum - March 2026
AAPS provided an update on school safety protocols and procedures at a community meeting on March 23rd at Pioneer’s Schreiber Auditorium.
You can click on the presentation below to see what was shared at the forum. We also are sharing written answers to questions submitted before and during the meeting below the presentation. Please check back as we continue to add questions and answers.
Questions About School Resource Officers
What is the evidence AAPS currently uses to justify the decision not to have school resource officers? When was the last time that decision was revisited?
AAPS had a history of school resource officers in the comprehensive high schools for many years. In 2010, due to an initial budgeting decision, the SROs were eliminated. Currently there are no specific plans to bring SROs or use the SRO model in AAPS schools. But we do have a strong partnership with AAPD and we look, when available, at other models to support positive law enforcement presence in our schools along with their support.
What research is being used in the decision-making process regarding SROs or other police/law enforcement entities in our AAPS buildings?
AAPS has not embarked on returning SROs in their previous status to the high schools. If a discussion is had, it will be done with Board of Education trustees and local law enforcement.
Teacher Safety
What systems are in place for substitute teachers/staff at both schools to be informed when there is a disturbance/active shooter while the intercom systems are down?
Substitute teachers are trained by the WISD on the ALICE protocols. All schools have a substitute form that goes in the teacher's substitute folder.
School Facility Safety Questions
Are there plans to upgrade the security infrastructure within the district? For example, more cameras, controlled entrances, enhanced check-in process?
All school exterior doors are locked at all times during the school day. The exception is during drop off and pick up when the doors are unlocked but staffed for about 10 minutes. Cameras are being upgraded but every school has camera systems throughout their schools. AAPS has a visitor check in that includes a license check.
Do all doors in all AAPS classrooms in all AAPS schools allow teachers to easily lock them from the inside in case of an intruder or an active shooter? If not, why not? and when is the timeline to make this change?
AAPS has a variety of door types in each school. As we renovate and build we are using a common door type but for now, physical properties have installed thumb locks on most classroom doors. We understand there are issues with some of these installs. A ticket should be entered into the physical properties system so the concern can be addressed. All teachers should also have a key to their classroom door. Classroom doors should be locked at all times but can be kept propped open or closed.
I have heard Pioneer's PA system is not functional and there is no way to communicate lock downs to teachers other than email or an unreliable phone app. If this is true, it should be addressed immediately. What procedures are in place to be able to communicate school wide during emergencies?
Pioneer's PA system is being updated, with plans to install a new system summer 2026 after receiving approval of the purchase by the Board of Education this week
At skyline there are no speakers in the stairwells. So when students are in the stairway they can not hear if there is a lockdown. During a drill my daughter walked out of the stair well and was shuffled into a room by a teacher seemingly annoyed and not realizing my daughter could not hear the lockdown announcement. My daughter was very distressed following this incident bcs she understands if it truly was a lockdown and she was in the stairs she would not hear the lockdown announcement and the teachers would have already had doors locked and she would be locked out of all rooms.
The teacher followed the correct protocol as we do not have speakers in the stairwells or bathrooms. The PA at Skyline can generally be heard from all areas. Staff are instructed and practice "sweeping" students from the hallways into classrooms during drills or a real emergency. It is also best practice that students must locate a safe place such as another room, bathroom or evacuate as generally if a classroom door is locked, teachers are not instructed to open the doors when being asked to be let in. While this is very hard, it is based on past intruder situations.
What safety mechanisms have been considered in the layout and design of the new elementary schools (ex: Logan and Thurston)?
All new school buildings and renovations are designed based on best practice school safety designs. AAPS also employees Jason Russell from SEC in assisting with the safety designs that will be included for all schools throughout the bond projects.
Protocols for Getting Into and Out of a School Building
How should schools and visitors handle multiple people standing at the door to get in? I have seen this happen multiple times where several people walk in to the building at once.
We share with staff, students and parents that no one should follow another person inside a school when the entrance door is unlocked. But we know that people don't always follow these protocols and do allow others to walk in behind them. We have posted updated signs at all front school doors stating this protocol and ask for compliance. This is one of the reasons we are creating secure vestibules for all new schools and renovations.
How do you plan to improve sign-in protocol for AAPS employees that access multiple buildings? I understand it is an extra step, but "not regular" employees (e.g., building tickets, contract workers, etc.) are often not recognized by building staff. They do not sign in because they're given a keycard. It normalizes having "strangers" in the building without proper ID.
All staff should have their AAPS ID card and show it, as well as sign in, upon entering a school that may not be their "home' school.We will actively remind staff of this protocol.
Monitoring Parking Lots at the High Schools
What video monitoring exists in the parking lots, outdoor athletic facilities (i.e football fields) where automobile part theft has occurred specifically at Huron High School?
We understand there has been some recent theft of catalytic converters in one high school parking lot and periodic concerns with theft. We are working on increasing camera coverage in the parking lots. Athletic fields have an extension of the cameras installed.
What is the District going to do about safety in the dirt parking lot at Huron Highschool?
We are looking into installing cameras on some of the light poles in the parking lots at the high schools
Protection and Protocols to Address Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on School Campuses
What is the school doing to protect children and parents from ICE? What commitments can you make?
AAPS has a thorough response protocol if ICE engages with AAPS families or on an AAPS campus. The response is led by school leadership teams and provides supports
Are there plans to be followed for students and families should ICE activity be present near schools or pick up points, etc.?
We shared that AAPS has thorough protocols in response to ICE on school properties. Additionally, Durham bus services also has a response if ICE is seen near the bus stop which includes not releasing students and returning them to school.
With a new ICE detention center potentially being set up in Romulus (right next to Dearborn which contains the largest Arab population in the USA), what steps is AAPS taking to protect our children, especially our Arab youth?
AAPS has a thorough response plan if ICE agents appear on school property. We also provide supports to AAPS families who may have interactions with ICE. We also work closely with county-wide support agencies specific to ICE interations. We do not post these resources due to safety concerns but rather our principals and support staff know our famlies and provide these resources directly to them.
How can parents get the list of protocols/plan of action to be followed in case of various scenarios of tornado, potential shootings or other violent actions at school, ICE activity, etc.
They are posted on the district website under School Safety: https://www.a2schools.org/about-aaps/school-safety AAPS has a thorough response plan if ICE agents appear on school property. We also provide support to AAPS families who may have interactions with ICE. We also work closely with county-wide support agencies specific to ICE interactions. We do not post these resources due to safety concerns but rather our principals and support staff know our families and provide these resources directly to them.
Additional Questions
What research are you using to help make decisions regarding making our schools safer. And who conducted this research?
AAPS works with Secured Environment Consultants (SEC). They have been on all AAPS campuses three times in the past few years to conduct assessments of the exterior, interior, environment, policies and procedures and training and equipment.
Three schools have accidentally used the wrong term for "Lockout" and "Lockdown." Can we please change one of these terms to eliminate confusion?
The state will be instituting new terms that all school districts use. We will follow the state requirements and change "lockout" to "secure" for the fall.
I recently raised an incident to the attention of my child's teacher and the school's principal, and they brought in one of the school's social workers to assist with the follow-ups, which I appreciated. How do schools determine when social worker support would be beneficial? Is social worker support available to families outside of specific incident reporting? If so, how?
Social Work support is generally funded for students receiving special education services. But there are times when their services are used for issues with general education students. This support is based on the school administration working with the social worker. AAPS social workers generally do not provide general social work service to students unless it is required in an IEP.