Graphic showing round photo of students hugging teacher with educational icons and dots surrounding

Your Child’s Safety is Our Mission

Every parent deserves peace of mind when their child walks through school doors. We’re here to make sure that peace of mind is justified.

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Our Promise to You:

We provide the resources, training, and unwavering support needed to ensure your child’s school is not just a place of learning, but a place of safety and security.

Protect Our Students

In accordance with the Protect Our Students Act, we have developed and produced Protect Our Students, a series of age-appropriate videos with essential information designed to educate and empower students on how to keep themselves safe. Although these videos have been distributed to all public schools – we strongly encourage parents to take a few minutes to watch them as well.

School Safety

Keeping Your Child Safer Everyday

We know that nothing matters more to you than knowing your child is safe, protected, and free to learn and grow at school. Center for Safer Schools provides resources, training, and support in a variety of ways.

Regional Safety Specialists
Your Local Champions

Think of Regional Safety Specialists as the guardians of school safety in your region. They are highly trained professionals who work directly with schools to ensure that safety plans are comprehensive, current, and fully operational when critical situations arise.

Training That Makes a Real Difference

Your child’s teachers, principals, and school staff also play a vital role in school safety. Under the direction of the Center for Safer Schools, they receive specialized training in:

Youth Mental Health First Aid
Recognizing when a student needs help

Behavioral Threat Assessment
Identifying and addressing concerning behaviors before they escalate

Crisis and Active Threat Response
Knowing exactly what to do in emergency situations

Giving Students a Voice in Their Own Safety

We believe your child should be part of the solution. Our Student Engagement Team works directly with students to create positive school environments where everyone feels safer to speak up. Current programs include:

SAVE Clubs

In partnership with Sandy Hook Promise, student-led safety initiatives empower your child to be part of creating a caring, inclusive school community.

SEED Program | High School

Leadership training for 9th-12th graders, teaching them to be safety advocates and positive influences in their schools.

SHINE Program | Middle School

Helping 6th-8th graders understand how they can contribute to a supportive, secure learning environment.

Photo of smiling teacher and middle school kids

Technology That Connects and Protects

Say Something Anonymous Reporting System (SSARS)

Sometimes your child may see or hear something concerning but feel unsure about how to report it. Our anonymous reporting system provides students, staff, and community members with a safe and confidential way to share information that could help prevent harm. Every report is taken seriously and allows us to address issues before they escalate. In addition, SSARS helps identify trends and potential risks across North Carolina, supporting proactive improvements in school safety.

RAVE Panic Alert System

In any emergency, seconds matter. This system instantly connects your child’s school with first responders, ensuring help arrives as quickly as possible. Because we partner directly with NC Emergency Management, it’s like having a direct line to emergency services right from the classroom.

Graphic showing round photo of happy students with paper airplane icon and dots surrounding

Emotional Wellbeing

Supporting Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing

Physical safety is just one part of the picture. We also care deeply about your child’s emotional wellbeing. Our Behavioral Health team helps schools:

Recognize early warning signs when a student is struggling
Provide appropriate intervention before small problems become big ones
Build resilience in students and school communities
Create cultures of care where every child feels valued and supported

We’re not just identifying challenges — we’re fostering strength, resilience, and positive school communities where every student can thrive.

Physical Security

Physical Security You Can Count On

Every school your child might attend has a comprehensive emergency plan. Our Physical Security & Compliance team ensures these aren’t just documents sitting on a shelf – they’re living, breathing plans that are regularly updated and practiced.

We help schools with:

Emergency response plans that first responders can access instantly

Security assessments to identify and address vulnerabilities

Regular drills and practice so everyone knows their role in keeping students safer

Compliance with safety requirements – because following the rules saves lives

Student Resource Officer grant matching

Ongoing Learning and Improvement

School safety requires constant learning, training, and adaptation. That’s why we host the annual RISE Back to School Safety Summit – bringing together educators, law enforcement, mental health professionals, and community members to share the latest knowledge and best practices.

Our training covers a wide range of important topics – including bullying prevention, suicide awareness, student safety, gang awareness, and many others – all designed to support a safer and positive school environment.

2026 RISE Summit

Registration is now open!

August 4-6

Greenville Convention Center

RISE training focuses on the Resiliency, Information, Support and Empowerment needed when supporting children and adolescents in schools and communities. This training offers a variety of information sessions to participants covering the areas of bullying, suicide, opioid and substance use, critical incidents and other vital information about trauma and victimization among children and adolescents, and how these various dynamics impact school climate and school safety.

You’re Not Just a Bystander – You’re Our Partner

Your involvement matters more than you might think. We regularly engage with parents and guardians because:

You know your child better than anyone
You see things at home that might be relevant to school safety
Your concerns and questions help us improve our programs
When parents and schools work together, children are safer and more successful

Whether you have questions about school discipline policies, concerns about your child’s wellbeing, or ideas for making schools even safer, we want to hear from you.

We’re Here When You Need Us

School safety can feel like a complex topic, but our commitment is simple: your child deserves to feel safer, supported, and free to learn every single day.

If you have questions, concerns, or simply want to learn more about how we’re working to keep students safer, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re parents, neighbors, community members, and advocates who share your top priority: protecting every child.

Visit our training calendar, learn about upcoming events, or contact us directly. Because when it comes to your child’s safety, no question is too small and no concern is too minor.