The safety of our children at school is more important than ever these days. It's 2024, and while our schools have become more advanced, so have the challenges that our kids face every day.
As parents, its natural to worry about our children when they aren't with us. But there are practical and effective steps that parents can take to ensure their children are safe and sound, offering peace of mind for both parents and their children.
School Safety Concerns in 2024
The landscape of school safety has evolved significantly, especially when compared to what we, as parents, experienced during our school days.
Today's schools might look quite different from the ones we remember. Upon entering the school grounds of an elementary school, you might notice enhanced security measures like metal detectors. These devices are now more common and are part of a broader effort to create a safe school environment.
School shootings and gun violence, which are an unfortunate reality of our time, have led to significant changes in school policies. Emergency drills are more common these days, preparing students and staff for various scenarios that may come up. While it's a sensitive topic, the aim isn't to scare children but to give them knowledge and readiness if an emergency occurs.
How to Keep Your Child Safe at School
1. Keep Open Communication with School Authorities
In our efforts to protect our children, one of the most effective strategies is maintaining open lines of communication with school officials. This means regular, proactive conversations with not just teachers, but also with school administrators, school resource officers, and other school staff.
By doing this, we can be sure we're fully informed about the school district's safety measures and protocols.
School resource officers are common in schools these days, and play an important role in maintaining safety while our kids are at school. They're not just there to respond to incidents, but also to build relationships with students and parents. By getting to know them, we can learn more about the school's safety measures and also have a direct line of communication in case of emergencies.
Regular communication with your child's teacher also provides a ton of information about your child’s day-to-day experiences and any potential safety concerns in the classroom. If you have questions about safety protocols, teachers can offer their own perspectives on how different policies are being implemented and how the kids are responding.
It's important to involve our kids in these conversations, too. Encourage them to share their experiences and concerns with us, their teachers, and other trusted adults at school. Kids often have a unique perspective on what's happening in the classroom and with their classmates, which can be helpful in understanding and improving school safety.
2. Teach Safety Measures to Kids
The world our kids are growing up in today requires a new level of awareness and preparedness, especially when it comes to their safety at school. While topics like school shootings are incredibly sensitive, it’s important that children are equipped with the knowledge to respond to such serious problems. This starts with teaching them basic safety measures that they can use during their school day. Use age-appropriate language and try your best to explain things in a way that doesn't scare kids, but prepares them for safety drills they're likely to encounter at school.
We need to have open, honest conversations with our children about how to recognize potentially dangerous situations. This includes understanding what unusual behavior looks like and knowing the sound of a fire alarm or other alerts.
In an age where a cell phone is often seen as a necessity, devices like a kids smart watch (for example, the Cosmo JrTrack 3 Kids Smart Watch) are a kid-friendly alternative. On safety-first devices like this, SOS mode is specifically designed for emergencies, allowing children to quickly and discreetly alert a parent or trusted adult without the distractions that come with a regular cell phone. While many schools don't allow cell phones to be out during the school day (especially in elementary school), smartwatches are usually allowed, especially if they're kept in school mode.
(Parent Tip: When it comes to kid smartphone alternatives, look for devices that include emergency calling standard as a feature).
3. Get Involved With Parent-Teacher Associations
Many parents choose to join the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) or Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) at their child's elementary school. It's more than just a way to stay informed and meet other parents at school; it's also a great way to directly to the safety and well-being of the students in the school district.
The PTA acts somewhat as a bridge between parents and teachers, encouraging open conversation and shared decision-making. Through regular meetings and discussions, parents have the opportunity to contribute to the school's safety policies and procedures. This allows for a collaborative approach to addressing any concerns and brainstorming potential improvements.
One of the most pressing issues in schools is bullying, which can have a significant impact on a child's mental health. By getting involved in the PTA, parents can take an active role in discussing and shaping the policies and rules related to bullying. They can also work alongside teachers to develop programs that promote a more inclusive and respectful school environment.
4. Make Sure Everyone Understands School Policies and Procedures
One of the most important steps parents can take to help keep their kids safe at school is to make sure everyone in the family understands the policies and procedures of their child's school.
Start with regular, open discussions at home about school policies. This should be an ongoing conversation that evolves as your child grows and as rules and procedures change. It's important for your child to feel comfortable talking about the rules and expressing any concerns they might have.
In today's digital age, understanding the school's policies on internet use is important, too. Talk with your child about the importance of staying safe online during the school year, the risks of sharing personal information, and how to use the internet responsibly.
Tools like the Cosmo Smartwatch allow kids to stay connected to their parents without exposing them to the broader, unsupervised world of the internet.
Bullying remains a concern for many parents and children. Being clear on how your child’s school addresses bullying—and discussing these rules at home—helps prepare your child to both avoid engaging in such behavior and to respond appropriately if they encounter it. Encourage your child to talk openly about any incidents or concerns they have.
5. Teach Cyber Safety
Ensuring our kids' cyber safety is just as important as their physical safety, especially during the elementary school years. This involves educating them about the importance of online privacy and the potential dangers of sharing personal information online.
Start by having open and honest conversations with your child about what information is safe to share online. Explain how basic details can be misused by others. Make sure they understand that the information they share online is permanent and how this can affect their self-esteem and privacy.
It's also important to discuss the risks associated with social media platforms. For younger kids, direct exposure to social media and open internet can be a serious problem. For parents looking to delay the risks associated with smartphones and social media, a kids safety watch, which does not allow access to social media or open internet, can provide a safer alternative.
Teaching your child to recognize warning signs of cyberbullying or inappropriate online interactions is crucial. Encourage them to talk to you or another trusted adult if they feel concerned or if something doesn’t seem right. This open line of communication is key to ensuring they feel supported and safe.
Encourage your child to build healthy friendships, both in real life and online. Discuss how to interact respectfully and kindly with others and how to recognize when a conversation is turning inappropriate or harmful.
If your child is being bullied online or sees it happen to someone else, make sure they know how to respond. They should feel comfortable coming to you or another adult for help. Discuss the steps to take, such as saving the evidence and not responding to the bully, and reassure them that it’s not their fault.
6. Monitor Your Child’s Online Activities
Another important thing we can to do ensure our kids stay safe during the academic year is monitoring your child's online activities. As parents, it’s our responsibility to be aware of our child's digital interactions and to guide them in navigating the online world responsibly.
The Cosmo Smartwatch offers a secure and controlled environment for communication with parents and other trusted adults, allowing for approved contacts only. This feature reduces the risk of unwanted or harmful interactions, giving parents peace of mind while respecting the privacy of their child.
Encourage your children to talk about their online experiences and the friends they interact with. This helps you understand their online world and provides an opportunity to guide them in making wise decisions.
When monitoring your child’s online activities, approach the subject with sensitivity and understanding. It’s important to respect their privacy and independence while also ensuring they understand why certain boundaries are in place for a reason.
7. Establish a Family Emergency Plan
Establish a comprehensive family emergency plan for what your child should do in the case of an emergency at school. This plan should be clear, practical, and tailored to address various types of emergencies that could come up.
Involving the entire family in creating the plan is an opportunity for everyone to contribute their ideas and concerns, ensuring that the plan addresses the specific needs of each family member. Consider scheduling regular family meetings to discuss and update the emergency plan keep everyone informed and engaged.
Practicing the emergency plan is just as important as creating it. Regular role-playing scenarios help reinforce the steps each family member should take during an emergency.
By taking the time to develop, practice, and regularly update this plan, you create a proactive framework that empowers your family to handle emergencies with confidence and calmness.
Prioritizing Child Safety in the School Environment
Incorporating these steps into your daily routine can help enhance your child's safety at school. And with the addition of communication tools designed specifically for kids' safety, everyone in the family can have peace of mind.
Learn More About COSMO JrTrack 3 Smart Watch
The Cosmo JrTrack 3 Smart Watch for Kids is designed specifically for kid safe connection. It's engineered with top-level digital security and a four-front safety system, for kids, called SafeCore: Unknown call blocking (parent-approved contacts only); GPS SafeZone alerts, SOS Mode, 911 emergency calling.
Other features include:
- GPS Tracking
- True Texting (pictures, text, audio & video messages)
- Nationwide calling
- Reminders & alarms
- Pedometer & step goals
