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Security & Emergency Management Home

A blue banner with the text 'FORTIFYFL' and 'SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY REPORTING APP'

We are committed to providing a safe and orderly learning environment for all our students and staff. In conjunction with the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office and the City of Punta Gorda Police Department, school resource officers are assigned to all of our schools. Other measures we use to increase safety and security for our students include school security officers, enforcement of the Code of Student Conduct, early identification of violent and aggressive students, and the establishment of conflict resolution programs. In designing new schools and in school facility renovations, great consideration is given to positively influence behavior and to discourage any potential criminal behavior. Security in our older schools has also been improved in recent years with the addition of ornamental fencing that tastefully creates an inter perimeter to stop intruders and improve visitor control.

 

Student CrimeStoppers, a program that has been in our school system for many years continues to be an effective way for students to report crime anonymously and take an active role in school safety.

 

Another way we create and maintain safety and security throughout the District is by taking an all-hazard approach to crisis planning. School crisis teams are organized with redundancy (or back-up) in mind. Both personnel and data systems have back-ups as well as staging areas for student evacuations. Flexibility has been stressed during practice drills and tabletop exercises. Tabletop exercises have included scenarios ranging from hazardous material events off-campus to fires and acts of violence on campus.

 

While Charlotte County Public Schools continue to provide education and training to our students and staff to make our schools a safer place, we need our community's help. Each of us can do something to help solve the problems that face our schools. On your own, with a group, or with your child, find something to make our schools safer places to learn.

 

For more information about safety and security in Charlotte County Public Schools, please contact

District Security & Emergency Management Services
941-255-0808 Option 3

Links
Charlotte County Emergency Management
941-833-4000

Charlotte County Sheriff's Office
Juvenile Operations
941-639-2101

City of Punta Gorda Police Department
941-639-4111

Crimestoppers Tipline
1-800-780-TIPS (8477)

Drug Free Charlotte County
941-255-0808 Ext. 3205

FDLE Sexual Predators/Offenders
1-888-FL-PREDATOR (1-888-357-7332)

Florida Department of Education
850-245-0505

Florida Department of Law Enforcement
239-278-7080

Actions We are Taking to Keep Your Child Safe
Safety is our top priority. We work to ensure that our buildings are as safe as possible. Safety and security audits for each of our schools are conducted annually and consistently to prioritize the safety needs of each school.

The most important action we take to protect student safety is to create a sense of welcome and belonging for our students. However, here are just some of the additional safety precautions we have in place at schools throughout the district:

  • Updating school safety plans each year
  • Staffing every one of our elementary, middle and high schools with a School Resource Officer
  • Holding emergency drills, including lockdowns and evacuations
  • Training staff and students on how to respond in emergency situations
  • Requiring mandatory ID badges for staff
  • Limiting school access to one point-of-entry during school hours
  • Utilizing a buzzer system which provides school office staff some time to verify a visitor's identity before allowing entrance into the main part of the campus
  • Monitoring school hallways with security cameras
  • Staffing our high schools with at least one security specialist
  • Joint training with the command staff of both the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office and the Punta Gorda Police Department
  • Analyzing thorough assessments of the "hard scape" of school buildings to improve and enforce school safety

 

Actions Families Can Take
Families play an important role in helping our schools remain safe. We need your vigilance to ensure that any safety concern is reported immediately. If you or your child see something, say something. Call your school's administrator, a school district official, or if it is an emergency call 911 immediately.

Here are some other suggestions of action you can take:

  • Discuss school safety with your children while acknowledging the issue that is gripping our nation
  • Stay connected and monitor your student's social media activities
  • Follow the law and lock any firearms in an approved storage component or locker
  • Ensure your children do not have access to firearms while visiting other homes

We believe that students should report to school ready and able to develop their love of learning while planning and preparing for their future without the fear or worry that their school may be the scene of the next national tragedy.