Letter from the Superintendent -- Sept. 6, 2024
September 5, 2024
Dear LOCS Families-
Hopefully your students have embraced the first week of school, are adjusting to the routines and embracing all the opportunities available to them within our district.
Our staff members are enjoying the interactions and feeding off the students’ energy, with everyone entering the buildings with enthusiasm each day.
To reach that point, our district administration is working every day behind the scenes to ensure that our staff and students can focus on the learning environment and not be weighed down by outside concerns.
The primary focus of that is the district’s commitment to safety and security.
That begins with the Superintendent’s Office and connects with every staff member and student.
Though most of those processes are not regularly shared, we wanted to remind at the start of this school year many of the measures in place. As the new superintendent and having spent the past 16 as an assistant superintendent in LOCS, I have been intimately involved in all aspects of the evolution of our security procedures.
- Drills: Our schools follow the state-mandated emergency drills: fire, tornado, safety/security (e.g., lockdown, shelter in place, etc.) throughout each school year on a consistent basis. The safety/security drills are conducted in various forms to prepare for multiple potential situations and appropriately adapted to each level (elementary, middle, high school), as well as overseen by first responders for feedback and best practices. As a former principal, I have planned these drills in the past and will be attending some of them to ensure their success.
- Partnerships: Our administration has worked extensively to create strong relationships with the local first responders. We have two primary police connections – the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office and the Lake Orion Police Department. We have regular conversations with the leaders of each department to ensure strong communication in each direction. In my previous role, I consistently worked with the police leaders in each situation that arose and will continue that connection.
- Staff training: Our LOCS staff is trained in a process called threat assessment to observe and address challenging behaviors before they escalate. The defined steps document and record each situation brought to their attention and follow up as appropriate.
- Mental health support: In recent years, LOCS has made an intentional effort to focus to increase support of students’ mental health. We hired more social workers, who in turn have more interactions with students, and are more available to support their needs as they arise. As the previous leader of the Teaching and Learning Department, my initiative was to use the additional federal and state COVID funds to support our students in this area.
- Safety-security committee: LOCS has a standing safety and security committee which is led by district leaders, features representation from all levels in the district as well as first responders to offer best practices and feedback. The committee’s intent is to be proactive, refining procedures, discussing new technologies and learning from incidents elsewhere to improve our processes. Though many committees in LOCS are guided by department heads, this is a committee I attend and participate so I can help guide our top priority: safety.
- Building security: As promised when the LOCS community supported the 2018 bond, the district has been intentional about incorporating security enhancements that have touched every facility over the past six years. Following best practices from security experts, who reviewed our facilities prior to each project’s initiation, each bond enhancement has made intentional details to protect our students and staff. As the head of the district’s bond project planning and execution, I have been involved in the modernizing of each facility to follow best security practices.
When there are tragic circumstances in other schools, families often ask what is available to support their students.
Here are a few quick resources for families to use in discussions with their children.
- For Teens: Coping after Mass Violence
- Talking to Children about Violence: Tips for Parents and Teachers
- Parent Guidelines for Helping Youth after the Recent Shooting
- Supporting children’s mental wellness: Tips for families and caregivers
We understand with each newsworthy safety incident, emotions rise and concerns are heightened. We ask our students to be partners as well. Any suspicious activity or concerns can be reported confidentially using OK2SAY or call (855) 565-2729 or text 652729.
Our goal in LOCS is to prepare each day to create that safe learning environment so students love to come to school, get the most out of their attendance and families are comfortable sending them.
Thank you for your partnership,
Heidi Mercer
LOCS Superintendent