Student Safety Resources

The New Kent County Public Schools district prioritizes student safety through our efforts of building security, student counseling, partnership with the New Kent County Sheriff's Office, and safety protocols. Some of our safety features include:

Ident-A-Kid visitor management technologies
implementation of Standard Response Protocol (see below)
NKCPS emergency response plans
school-based emergency response/safety teams
school threat assessment teams
emergency crisis codes
evacuation and lockdown drills
audio-visual door access control systems
portable radio systems
panic button systems
NKCPS School Security Officers (SSOs)
New Kent Sheriff's Office School Resource Officers (SROs)
NKSO police canines for random narcotics and firearms sweeps
school safety audits and school inspections
Silence Hurts online forms for reporting incidents

Standard Response Protocol:

Additionally, parents and community members are also key partners in our goal to help all of our students grow up healthy and happy.

We all have the right to make responsible decisions about how to protect our homes, families, and communities, including whether or not to have a gun in our home. Our community and school district are safer when guns are stored unloaded, locked, and separate from ammunition.

Key Facts:

More than 3,000 children and teens (individuals aged 0-19 years) are shot and killed annually in the United States, with another 15,000 being wounded by guns annually.
In incidents of gunfire on school grounds, up to 80% of shooters under the age of 18 obtained the gun(s) they used from their home or the home of a relative or friend.
Approximately 700 children die by gun suicide each year, most often using a gun that belongs to a family member.
Ninety percent of suicide attempts with a gun result in death--a much higher fatality rate than any other means of self-harm. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for young people (individuals aged 10-24 years).
Approximately 40% of child suicides involve a gun.
Children who identify as LGBTQ+ are four times as likely to attempt suicide than their peers due to social stress, bullying, and discrimination.
An estimated 5.4 million American children live in a household with at least one loaded, unlocked gun.
Secure gun storage is associated with up to an 85% reduction in the risk of self-inflicted, planned, and unintentional gun injuries among children and teens.

Secure Gun Storage Best Practices:

Unload: Remove all ammunition from the gun, including any chambered rounds.
Lock: Secure unloaded guns with a firearm locking device like a jacket lock or in a locked location like a safe or lock box.
Separate: Store ammunition separately from the gun in a secure location.

How Can Parents and Community Members Help?

Model responsible behavior. Remember: It is always the gun owner's responsibility to prevent unauthorized access to their guns.
Make gun safety a normal conversation with children. Make sure that the language is appropriate for the child's age. For example, with small children, keep the language simple: "If you see a gun, don't touch it. Tell an adult right away." Continue to discuss gun safety at regular intervals with your child as they age.
Ask about unsecured guns in other homes, especially before sending your child to a new home for a visit.
Talk to your child about their mental health and seek professional help if they discuss violence or suicide ideation.
Work with other community members to create socially supportive spaces that are welcoming to all children.

Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Support Resources:

National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: 988
Trevor Project LGBTQ+ Youth Suicide Prevention Line: 1-866-488-7386
Teen Line Teens Support Hotline: Call 1-800-852-8336 or Text TEEN to 839863 from 9 p.m.-12 a.m. EST.
Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

Important Information about THC Edibles from NKCPS and NKSO:

Across the country, schools are seeing an increased usage of THC edibles by students.

We recommend reviewing the infographic below to learn more about this issue:

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THIS INFOGRAPHIC AS A PDF.