School Safety
School Safety Drills
All Michigan public schools are required to conduct safety drills throughout the school year to ensure students and staff are well-prepared in the event of an emergency. Per Michigan Public Act 12 of 2014, schools must conduct the following safety drills annually:
- 5 fire safety drills per school year, with three occurring by December 1.
- 2 tornado safety drills per school year, with at least one taking place in March.
- 3 lockdown drills, with one drill conducted during a lunch-recess period, or at another time when a significant number of the students are gathered but not in the classroom. At least one drill must take place by December 1 and at least one drill must be held after January 1.
View the 
School Safety Drills Report of all drills conducted at all TCAPS schools. To view a specific school, click on the school name at the top of the document.
See Something, Say Something
Students can provide anonymous tips at any time through the OK2SAY tip line.
OK2SAY is the student safety program which allows students to confidentially report tips on potential harm or criminal activities directed at students, school employees, and schools. It uses a comprehensive communication system to facilitate tip sharing among students, parents, school personnel, community mental health service programs, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, and law enforcement officials about harmful behaviors that threaten to disrupt the learning environment.
Glossary of Terms
School Safety Glossary
Lockdown drills are a specific safety drill to prepare students and staff to achieve maximum safety in the event of an imminent threat or the presence of a hazardous material in the school building or on campus.
Secure Mode would be used when heightened security is warranted due to a possible threat outside the building. During Secure Mode, the doors will remain in the normal daily locked mode, therefore, Secure Mode only adds the provision that no one can enter or exit the building. The school day will continue as normal with students moving about the building as they typically would.
Lockdown would be used when there is an imminent threat to the building or presence of a hazardous material nearby.
Blue Lights are activated as a notification system to alert staff and students inside and outside of the building that a lockdown has been implemented.
School Threats & Student Threat Assessments
All threats or comments of violence are taken extremely seriously. The district stresses the importance of school safety, and for students who hear something, to say something. Students can always talk to any staff member at their school or can anonymously report an incident to the OK2SAY tip line. Ensuring students understand the importance of school safety provides an added layer to the safety and well-being of students and staff. If you have any questions or concerns please contact your school office or administration at TCAPS Central Office.
Student Threat Assessment Notice for Parents & Community
What Parents & Students Need to Know:
Any threat made against you or another person should be reported to the school principal.
Investigations are conducted by a trained building threat assessment team composed of an administrator, school-based mental health worker (counselor or social worker), and instructional personnel. The investigation may involve the police or other community agencies working with your student.
Investigations may involve locker and personal property searches.
Schools must exercise reasonable care to protect all students, faculty, and staff from “reasonably foreseeable” acts of violence that occurs at school or a school sponsored activity.
Authority to conduct a threat assessment is stated in TCAPS Board Policy.
It is important for all parties to engage in the threat assessment process. The threat assessment will continue (even with parent and/or student refusal in participation) in order to promote a safe and caring learning environment. Interviews will be held with the student making the threat and other students or adults who have information about the threat.
Parents will be notified by school personnel the same day the investigation occurs.
Threatening behavior may result in disciplinary action which could include a recommendation for expulsion.
A safety intervention plan will be developed for the student making the threat. The student’s that were threatened may have a support plan.