CHEYENNE – The Wyoming Department of Education (WDE), the Wyoming Office of Homeland Security (WOHS) and the State Construction Department (SCD) have collaborated to launch the Crisis Management Plan Guidebook in a significant move to enhance school safety across Wyoming. This joint effort reflects the state’s unwavering commitment to the safety and security of all students, staff, and school facilities.
The newly released guidebook serves as a unified resource for school districts and offers detailed guidance for schools to develop and implement their own Crisis Management Plans as mandated by WDE Rules Chapter 6.
“When parents send their children to school, they deserve to feel that they are safe. We will never become complacent on school safety and security and this new partnership is an important step in ensuring that,” said State Superintendent Megan Degenfelder.
The initiative integrates expertise from multiple state agencies to provide Wyoming schools with the resources needed to prepare for and respond to crises. The WDE focused their support on the strategic development of crisis management plans within the educational system, while the WOHS helped leverage local emergency managers to assist schools in crisis planning and execution, and the SCD shared expertise on improvements to the physical security of school buildings to ensure safety standards are met.
These agencies are united in their goal to provide Wyoming schools with the resources needed to prepare for and respond to crises, safeguarding the well-being of all students and staff.
“WOHS is proud of the connections being made between schools and emergency managers statewide in developing these crisis management plans,” Director Lynn Budd, Wyoming Office of Homeland Security said. “We are adamant about safeguarding the well-being of students and staff and providing our assistance in school safety is a priority.”
The SCD is hosting the Wyoming K-12 Safety and Security Summit for district staff on September 12 at 9 a.m. at the Red Lion Inn in Cheyenne. Topics for discussion will include the Crisis Management Plan Guidebook, facility security challenges, and district coordination with local emergency management.
“School safety and security has been a focus point for Wyoming schools for well over a decade. Our 48 School Districts have made great improvements in the areas of safety training, facility upgrades and coordination with local emergency management,” said Delbert McOmie, Director, State Construction Department. “It has been a team effort to get where we are today and I look forward to hosting the next school safety and security summit in Cheyenne. The summit will bring together school districts, state agencies such as the WDE, WOHS, SCD, and security experts and industry to further advance the safety at our K-12 schools.”
A block of rooms has been reserved at the Red Lion Inn for September 11-12 at a rate of $87 per night under the State Construction Department. Unreserved rooms will be released on September 5.
To learn more or register for the event, visit Wyoming K-12 Safety and Security Summit Registration.
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Media Contact:
Linda Finnerty, Chief Communications Officer
307-777-2053
linda.finnerty@wyo.gov
