School Safety

2026 Welcome Back to School Safety Communication

August 11, 2026

Dear Parents and Guardians,

We are excited to welcome students back on Monday, August 24, 2026!

Kelloggsville Public Schools is committed to providing a safe learning environment by following national standards, best practices, and student data to keep our schools secure for everyone.

Proactive Approaches to Safety

• Kelloggsville has received a grant to offer free mental health services to students in the district. Currently, this service is available to all grade-level students in the district. Under this grant, the clinicians, employed by Family Outreach Center, can meet with the students during the school day, typically weekly or bi-weekly, to address mental health needs. To begin, parents must meet with the clinician for a one-hour intake appointment, and then the clinician can meet with the student during school hours.
• Kelloggsville Public Schools partners with both the Wyoming Department of Public Safety and the Kentwood Police Department as part of our proactive safety plans. A School Resource Officer from each agency will help keep our buildings safe for all students.
• The Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management (BTAM) model, endorsed by the Michigan State Police, is a fact-based process to assess threats. While there are mandatory compliance requirements for the 2026-27 school year, Kelloggsville Public Schools has been proactively using this approach for years to support safety and prevention. For every threat to harm, the multi-disciplinary BTAM teams conduct structured assessments, and document all threat-related actions to mitigate risk.  Additional compliance requirements include threat classification and response protocols, suicide risk assessments, parental notification and involvement, written safety plans for substanative threats, confidentiality and reporting requirements and mandatory training for BTAM members. 
• Last school year, the district was trained in the I Love You Guys Standard Response Protocols (SRP), terminology used in school districts across Michigan. While this has become mandatory for the 2026-27 school year, Kelloggsville Public Schools believes this proven system ensures an effective response in any situation, keeping everyone on campus safe. Kent ISD has created a video to discuss the new I Love You Guys Standard Response Protocols (SRP).
• Our district works with the Kent ISD safety and security coordinator, Kent ISD schools, the Kentwood Police Department, the Wyoming Department of Public Safety, and local EMS and fire departments to establish and maintain a reunification plan should it be needed. In an emergency, parents will receive reunification details by email, on the district's webpage, as well as social media and news outlet briefings.
• The District Safety and Security Director meets regularly with the Kent ISD safety coordinator and SROs to review concerns, solve issues, and plan for future needs using local, state, and federal safety data.
• School-wide emergency drills are purposeful and followed by a debriefing. Each drill is reviewed, and updates are made to align with best practices.
• The Kelloggsville Public Schools Mental Health Team is a group of trained professionals who remove barriers to learning and create an inclusive environment where all students can succeed.
• Ok2Say is a fast, reliable, and anonymous way to report threats or suicidal thoughts.

Proactive Communication

• We believe in keeping families informed about our safety measures, from the physical environment to mental health support. Details about our safety work and any school-related incidents will be communicated to parents and posted on the district's website.
• In health emergencies or isolated incidents, we protect student privacy under FERPA and HIPAA. For concerns, please contact the building or district office directly instead of posting publicly.
• Environmental Approaches to Safety:

  *Secured entrances and locked classroom doors

  *Emergency protocol signs posted in key areas

  *State-of-the-art video surveillance system

Parents and Guardians: Partnering in School Safety

Parents and guardians are essential to maintaining school safety. Here’s how you can help:

• Review the student handbook with your child so they understand prohibited behaviors and consequences.
• During a crisis: Official updates will be sent by email after a briefing, assessment and approval from law enforcement. Updates will be shared in coordination with law enforcement and the National Weather Service.
• Avoid posting on social media during emergencies to prevent the spread of misinformation.
• Do not call the school during an emergency. Please keep phone lines open for critical communication.
• Encourage full participation in safety drills, and remind your child to ask questions so they understand what to do.
• Keep your contact information current. To update your information, contact your child’s school building office.

School safety is a shared responsibility.  At Kelloggsville Public Schools, we believe that a prepared school is a safe school.

For questions, please contact the district office at 616-538-7460.

Sincerely,

Kelloggsville Public School District

Michigan Attorney General Reminds Residents of Potential Punishments for Making Threats Against Michigan Schools - Video

Road conditions, extreme temperatures, and weather forecasts are checked by the administration each day during inclement weather situations. Based on conditions and data collected, the Superintendent makes the final determination to close or operate as normal.

We also have safety policies in place for the occurrence of severe weather during school hours and after-school activities.

Communication on closing is broadcast on local TV news stations (Wood TV 8, Fox 17, WZZM 13), email, text, District Facebook & Instagram, and the District Homepage of the website.

Closure due to Weather

• District is closed for all staff and students.
• After-school activities 

Severe Weather Watch

• District administrators will monitor the severe weather watch and follow warning procedures if needed.

Severe Weather Warning

• Students are taken to predetermined shelter areas until the warning is lifted.
• If the warning continues through dismissal times, all students will remain in shelter areas until the warning is lifted.

After-School Activities and Severe Weather

• If a Tornado Watch or Warning is announced during school hours, all after-school and evening activities will be cancelled.
• An 'All Clear' must be determined by the Administration before evening events can continue as scheduled.  

In the event of emergency situations, we communicate using our messaging system via email and text.

We request that parents do not call the school directly to keep our phone lines open and available, as this is crucial during an emergency event.

How we communicate emergencies, delays, or closings with our community:

• Broadcast on local TV news stations (Wood TV 8, Fox 17, WZZM 13)
• District Sent Email
• District Sent Text
• District Facebook Page
• District Website Homepage