Safety & Security
Use the Vector Alert system for sharing tips by phone, text, email or online message. Tips may be made anonymously. If you are experiencing an emergency, please call 911.
There is nothing more important than students having access to the highest quality education in the safest schools possible. The safety of students, staff, and visitors is our top priority and we have coupled that with investments in the security of our school campuses. The approach is grounded in three pillars—Preparation, Prevention, and Response—and each pillar has both no-cost commitments and long-standing investments. For an overview of these pillars and how plans have been implemented in our schools, please watch this brief video featuring Superintendent Mary Elizabeth Davis and Police Chief Buster Cushing.
No-cost commitments include adjustments to routines and processes that are known to improve the school environment and promote safe and secure practices. Our long-standing investments total over $43.7 million over the past 10 years with $12.9 million in just the past 2 years. This school year’s (FY25) budget includes funding for 29 School Police Officers and associated equipment and vehicles, totaling over $7 million in security layers. This funding includes both local dollars ($5.4 million) and the Governor's Safety Grant of $1.6 million.
Below is a summary of our district’s approach to safety & security.
The Three Pillars of CCSD Safety & Security
PREPARATION |
PREVENTION |
RESPONSE |
|
---|---|---|---|
NO-COST COMMITMENT |
PLANS
TRAINING
PRACTICING
|
DAILY ROUTINES
MONITORING &
|
|
LONG-STANDING INVESTMENT |
PLANS
TRAINING
|
SECURITY
|
|
EMERGENCY DRILLS AND PREPARATION
These are the types of safety drills your child may experience at school. We practice these drill in the unlikely event that an active situation requires our readiness to respond.
- CODE RED: A situation is occurring on school grounds or inside a school or School District facility that potentially endangers the health, welfare and safety or students, staff and others. All interior doors are locked, students remain in classrooms, and exterior doors are locked. No student check-outs can occur under a Code Red situation; and, parents are asked NOT to call the school or drive to the school campus during a Code Red event, as the additional vehicle traffic will impede public safety response. Schools practice Code Red drills annually.
- CODE ORANGE: A situation presents a threat of danger to students, staff or others, but has not yet escalated to a physical threat. All interior doors are locked, students remain in classrooms, and exterior doors are locked. All outside activities will be discontinued, and students and staff will return to the building. Normal operations continue inside the school.
- CODE YELLOW: A situation presents no immediate danger to students, staff or others, but there is a situation in the immediate vicinity of a school, as advised by law enforcement or the Office of School Operations. All outside activities will be discontinued, and students and staff will return to the building. Exterior doors are locked. Normal operations continue inside the school; student check-out is allowed.
- Leadership Team
- Vision and Values
- School Police Officers
- About the CCSD Police Department
- Emergency Management- Safety Plans and Drills
- External Resources
Leadership Team
Vision and Values
School Police Officers
About the CCSD Police Department
Emergency Management- Safety Plans and Drills
External Resources
Cherokee County School Police Department
201 Mountain Brook Ct., Canton, GA 30115
P.O. Box 769, Canton, GA 30169
770.704.4354
REPORT TIPS ABOUT SCHOOL SAFETY
The Cherokee County School District offers the Vector Alert (formerly SafeSchools Alert) system for reporting safety concerns. The Vector Alert system allows students, parents, school staff and everyone in the community to anonymously report safety concerns by text, email, online message or phone call. Through Vector Alert, you can submit safety concerns to CCSD five different ways: 1. By Phone:470.315.9171 2. By Text: 470.315.9171 3. By Email: 1695@alert1.us 4. By Online message: https://cherokee-ga.safeschoolsalert.com/ 5. By Mobile App – Download the Vector Alert app for free from the iPhone App Store and Google Play for Android phones. The app icon is a life preserver. The first time you open the app after downloading, you’ll need to enter 1695 for the ID and confirm your District is the Cherokee County School District. If you are experiencing an emergency, please call 911. You can use Vector Alert to report information about threats to school safety, bullying, harassment, drugs, vandalism or any other safety issue. CCSD School Police and School Operations administrators are notified of every tip, so they can investigate and take appropriate action. This system is closely monitored, making it much more effective than sending a message to CCSD social media accounts or a CCSD email address. |