School Safety Report
Introduction - Real Talk on School Safety
School safety has always been a topic of discussion — and action — in the Canyons School District. Some measures are obvious, such as security cameras, emergency preparedness drills that schools practice throughout the year and vestibules that require visitors to check-in at the Main Office before entering schools. But much of what we do is invisible. From the Internet filters we use to safeguard students from accessing inappropriate online content to the consistent rules and expectations we enforce to keep our classrooms free from bullying, harassment and discrimination, Canyons District is building safe schools from the inside out. We invite families to become familiar with our safety protocols and join us on this mission to Think Safe toward maintaining schools that are welcoming, secure, and prepared.
Our Newest Safety Measures
We regularly review and update our safety measures, and are encouraged by data that show schools are the safest places for children. Following are explainer videos detailing Canyons District’s emergency response protocols.
Evacuation Protocols
Hold Protocols
Run, Hide, Fight Protocols
Secure Protocols
Lockdown Protocols
Safe Entry & Emergency Drills
Learn about entrance procedures and practice drills for evacuations, lockdowns, shelter-in-place and more.
Emergency Communication
We communicate in an emergency and immediately alert parents by email and phone. Safe reunification is a top priority.
Volunteers & Community Partnerships
How do communities support schools in their safety procedures and emergencies?
School Safety Tips
Tips and conversation-starters for families to discuss with students.
Transportation Safety
Whether your student takes the bus, walks to school, or gets dropped off, these tips and guidelines will help keep everyone safe.
School Climate, Social-Emotional Supports
We provide programs and initiatives to make sure students feel secure and supported.
Internet Safety & Digital Citizenship
What is Canyons District doing to maintain healthy, safe learning environments at schools?
School Community Council Input
What steps should School Community Councils take as they review the School Safety Report?
Safe Entry & Emergency Drills
Safe Entry
In matters of safety, making sure the most accessible and visible areas of a school are protected is key. To that end, the Canyons Board of Education fast-tracked the timeline to install vestibules in all elementary and middle schools to provide additional security at the schools’ front entrances. The vestibules include an additional set of security doors at front entrances, which funnel visitors to the main office before they can access the rest of the school, and provide a layer of security and opportunity to welcome, orient and provide good customer service to our patrons. Every adult in a school building will have visible some form of identification. Employees must wear their employee ID cards. Parents and guardians are required to show a picture ID to check students out of class. Visitors who come to the school to volunteer in class also need to show a picture ID and log in on the computer in the main office to receive a visitor badge.
Emergency Drills
Canyons District’s schools treat every emergency drill as a teachable moment and opportunity to commit response protocols to memory. Emergency drills establish greater predictability and help all stakeholders — students, emergency responders, teachers and parents — work together in lockstep, because they know what to expect and what’s expected of them. All Canyons District schools practice lockdown and shelter-in-place drills throughout the year, in addition to preparing for a host of other threats, from fires and earthquakes to hazardous materials. Elementary students participate in these exercises at least once a month. Secondary schools hold quarterly drills.
Elementary Schools
Drill Calendar
- August-September - Fire and Lockdown with "Run, Hide, Fight" video for employees
- October - Secure
- November - Bomb Threat
- December - Hold
- January - Fire
- February - Hazardous Materials
- March - Carbon Monoxide
- April - Earthquake
- May - Drill of your Choice
Middle and High Schools
Drill Calendar
- August-September - Fire and Lockdown with "Run, Hide, Fight" video for employees
- November - Secure
- January - Fire
- April - Earthquake
IN AN EMERGENCY
TAKE ACTION
HOLD! In your room or area. Clear the halls.
STUDENTS
- Clear the hallways and remain in room or area until the “All Clear” is announced
- Do business as usual
ADULTS
- Close and lock the door
- Account for students and adults
- Do business as usual
SECURE! Get inside. Lock outside doors.
STUDENTS
- Return to inside of building
- Do business as usual
ADULTS
- Bring everyone indoors
- Lock outside doors
- Increase situational awareness
- Account for students and adults
- Do business as usual
LOCKDOWN! Locks, lights, out of sight.
STUDENTS
- Move away from sight
- Maintain silence
- Do not open the door
ADULTS
- Recover students from hallway if possible
- Lock the classroom door
- Turn out the lights
- Move away from sight
- Maintain silence
- Do not open the door
- Prepare to evade or defend
EVACUATE! (A location may be specified)
STUDENTS
- Leave stuff behind if required to
- If possible, bring your phone
- Follow instructions
ADULTS
- Lead students to Evacuation location
- Account for students and adults
- Notify if missing, extra or injured students
or adults
SHELTER! Hazard and safety strategy.
STUDENTS
Use appropriate safety strategy for the hazard
ADULTS
- Lead safety strategy
- Account for students and adults
- Notify if missing, extra or injured students
or adults
Hazard
Safety Strategy
Tornado
Evacuate to shelter area
Hazmat
Seal the room
Earthquake
Drop, cover and hold
Tsunami
Get to high ground
Standard Response Protocol distributed by The “I Love U Guys” Foundation. Conifer, CO.
Communicating in an Emergency
Parent Notifications
When parents hear about an emergency at or near their child’s school, they want information as quickly as possible. In Canyons District, we’ve established communication protocols so that parents and guardians can receive emergency notifications in a matter of minutes. When an incident occurs, parents are immediately notified via telephone, email or text message — or any combination of the three. These notifications go to the phone numbers and email addresses that parents supply during CSD’s annual online registration process. Have you recently moved, or changed phone numbers? Do you prefer to receive text messages, instead of an email or phone call? Parents can update their contact information and notification preferences at skyward.canyonsdistrict.org.
Safety and Crisis Tipline
One of the most powerful ways to prevent violence is to leverage the eyes and ears of the community to report it in advance — and our schools have a high-tech tool at their disposal to facilitate that. Canyons was the first school district in Utah to adopt the SafeUT mobile app and tipline, which allows anyone to anonymously report acts of bullying and threatened violence, or to seek help for emotional crises, suicidal threats and addiction problems. The service is monitored 24 hours a day and seven days a week by school administrators and counselors at the University of Utah’s Neuropsychiatric Institute.
School Reunification Plans
An essential component of school emergency response plans is the reunification of students with their families and caregivers. The goal of any reunification process is to minimize anxiety and trauma for students while keeping them comfortable and safe. Each school within Canyons District has created a site-based plan describing the school’s evacuation routes, assembly points, and reunification plans. These plans establish a parent/guardian check-in location and have a system ready for checking out students. School reunification plans take into account designated Areas of Rescue Assistance for evacuating individuals who cannot exit the school building without assistance. School administrators train employees and students on the school’s evacuation plan through regular scenario-based drills throughout the year. Reunification points, and backup sites, are generally within walking distance of a school, though in some circumstances, schools will need to evacuate students further away from the campus. Often, reunification sites are nearby schools or local gathering places, such as churches or recreation centers. During a reunification, the District will enact emergency communications protocols to provide parents and guardians with directions to the reunification site and instructions for retrieving their student(s). In some cases, transportation is provided by the District’s fleet of buses. To minimize chaos and ensure the safety of students, District personnel will often be asked to help check-out students to authorized caregivers through an orderly process. It’s not uncommon to also have counseling teams on hand to provide assistance to anyone struggling with strong emotions.
Hoax Threats are No Joke
Bomb threats are rare, affecting fewer than 1 percent of the nation’s public schools on any given year, and 90 percent are hoaxes. But hoax threats are no joke. Since 2014, there has been a 33 percent increase in these types of threats against schools, according to the U.S. Department of Justice, disrupting schools and wasting precious law enforcement resources
— and that’s just bomb threats. In the age of social media, schools are witnessing an increase in all types of hoax threats. Every threat is taken seriously and thoroughly investigated by school administrators and law enforcement to determine its credibility. If found to be a hoax, those responsible can face serious criminal penalties. According to state legislation enacted in 2020, individuals who disrupt the regular schedule of a school by creating a hoax threat can be held financially responsible to pay for any costs or fees incurred by federal, state, local, private or individual entities in responding to the threat. Minors may be referred to juvenile court for perpetrating hoax threats. Canyons District encourages parents to talk to their children about the risk of posting and sharing hoax threats on social media, and urges anyone who sees something unsafe to report it through official channels: to their school or through the anonymous crisis and safety tipline SafeUT.
Volunteers and Community Partnerships
Working Together to Build Safe Neighborhoods
Volunteer Approval Process
Canyons District has established procedures in line with state law, which requires background screenings for prospective school volunteers. All volunteers in schools, including members of the PTA and School Community Council, need to complete and submit a new Volunteer Application annually. There are two types of volunteers: supervised and unsupervised. Supervised volunteers are always within sight of other adults and never alone with a child. Unsupervised volunteers, which may include overnight travel chaperones, costume-fitters, or coaching assistants, must undergo a more thorough FBI criminal screening, which is managed by the school principal in coordination with CSD’s Human Resources Department. These FBI screenings are good indefinitely. All schools use a computer system to check-in volunteers and confirm that they have been cleared to work with students.
Community Partnerships
The safety and welfare of children is a communitywide priority in Canyons District where schools work hand-in-hand with cities, first responders, non-profit groups and citizens to safeguard neighborhoods and prepare for emergencies. From the contributions of our parent volunteers and PTA to the policing efforts of our School Resource Officers and the crossing guards hired by municipal partners to help students safely get to and from school—it takes all of us to put kids first.
School Resource Officers are sworn law enforcement personnel whose salaries are co-funded by the District. They serve and protect our schools while also mitigating criminal behavior by building trusting relationships with students so they can feel comfortable reporting suspicious activity. They also sponsor anti-drug and –violence activities, such as the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program and NOVA. CSD partners with four law enforcement agencies who serve our district students and families; Draper Police Department, Sandy Police Department, Unified Police Department-Midvale and Cottonwood Heights.
Canyons District is a member of the S.A.F.E. Neighborhoods Program. In partnership with the American Red Cross, local governments, and school districts, SAFE – an acronym for Schools Aid Families in Emergencies —trains community volunteers to mobilize as a neighborhood and operate their own Incident Command centers until outside help arrives. The idea behind it is to build the capacity of neighbors to help neighbors in the 96 hours immediately following a catastrophic event – the amount of time that it can take for first responders to reach those in need. In the event of a major emergency, elementary schools become hubs for communities to gather and organize. All of our elementary schools store a large black tote containing maps and radio frequencies — everything that CERT teams, ham radio operators and other do-gooders need to set up a communications hub, begin search-and-rescue operations and reunify families.
Canyons District utilizes the Choose Gang Free Program by way of four advocates serving our students. Currently, Jordan High, Hillcrest High, Midvale Middle, Union Middle and Mount Jordan Middle benefit from a trained adult who works to direct students away from gang activity and encourage appropriate alternatives and mentorship. These advocates are available to all students as needed. Choose Gang Free is funded through a grant from the USBE.
The Canyons District Peer Court Program is a district-based intervention/prevention program to encourage young people to 
take responsibility for their actions and make better choices in the future. Peer Court allows for restoration, education and mentorship for each student and family involved. The court is staffed by high school students from across the district. Administrators may refer students to peer court as an alternative to suspension, involvement from law enforcement, and entrance into the juvenile justice system.
School Safety Tips
- Safety Tip 1: Report Unsafe or Suspicious Conduct
If you see or hear something that makes you feel unsafe, say something using the confidential safety tipline, SafeUT.
One of the most powerful ways to combat violence is to leverage the eyes and ears of everyone in the community to report it in advance—and our schools have a high-tech tool at their disposal to facilitate that. Canyons District was the first in Utah to adopt the SafeUT mobile app and tipline, which allows anyone to anonymously report acts of bullying and threatened violence, or to seek help for emotional crises, suicidal threats and addiction problems. The service is monitored 24 hours a day and seven days a week by school administrators and counselors at the University of Utah’s Neuropsychiatric Institute and can be downloaded here.
- Safety Tip 2: Update Emergency Contact Information
Check your communications settings in CSD’s Skyward system to ensure that we have your most up-to-date contact information.
We get it. When parents hear about an emergency near or at their child’s school, they want information as soon as possible. It’s a natural and expected reaction. In Canyons District, we’ve established communication protocols so that parents and guardians can receive emergency notification in a matter of minutes. When an incident occurs, parents are immediately notified via telephone, text, and email. These notifications go to the phone numbers and email addresses that parents supply during CSD’s annual online registration process. Parents can update their contact information at skyward.canyonsdistrict.org.
- Safety Tip 3: Know Your Role in an Emergency
Everyone has a role to play in an emergency; familiarize yourself with Canyons District’s safety measures and emergency drills.
All Canyons schools practice emergency drills throughout the year. Follow this link for brief explanations of what teachers and students are trained to do during these exercises.
Please tell your child that the most important thing to do in an emergency is to follow the directions of their teachers and school staff. It’s important to reassure them and let them know that you have confidence in the training that school staff have received.
When notified of a school emergency, we ask that parents please don’t come to the campus until notified that it is safe. Rushing to your child’s school during an emergency can put you in harm’s way and impede law enforcement.
- Understand the Risks of Making or Sharing Hoax Threats
Did you know that 90 percent of all bomb threats are hoaxes?
Our schools take each threat seriously and conduct a thorough investigation to determine its credibility. But hoax threats are no joke. They are serious federal crimes that disrupt schools and waste precious law enforcement resources. So, please, #ThinkBeforeYouPost.
- Don’t ever post or share a hoax threat online.
- If you see a threat of violence on social media, report it using the SafeUT app (https://safeut.med.utah.edu/)
- Talk to your children about responsible social media use.
- Safety Tip 5: Lookout for Buses and Pedestrians
Be on the lookout for young children walking to schools and bus stops, be mindful that buses make frequent stops.
The start of school is the perfect time for parents to review family emergency plans and talk to their children about the rules of the road—or tips for staying safe while on their way to and from school each day. Here are a few helpful safety routines to always keep in mind. The CDC’s Safe Youth, Safe Schools website contains information about safety issues in getting to and from school, and data on sports and playground injuries, youth violence, bullying, and more. Or, visit our Safety Tips for Parents guide.
- Safety Tip 6: Bring Your Photo ID to Visit or Checkout
The front office staff at Canyons District’s schools are trained to request photo identification.
All visitors must present photo identification prior to checking out their children. Only individuals who are listed as parents, guardians, or emergency contacts in Skyward will be able to check students out of school.
- Safety Tip 7: Register as a Volunteer
In order to allow sufficient time for the volunteer screening process, volunteers should register with the district several days in advance.
Canyons School District has established procedures that adhere to Utah State law requiring school districts to screen prospective volunteers. All supervised volunteers in schools need to complete and submit a new Volunteer Application annually.
- Safety Tip 8: Review Your Family Safety Plan
Take time to discuss your family’s safety plan in the event of a catastrophic event, such as an earthquake.
Canyons District is a member of the S.A.F.E. Neighborhoods Program. In partnership with the American Red Cross, local governments, and school districts, SAFE – an acronym for Schools Aid Families in Emergencies — trains community volunteers to mobilize as a neighborhood and operate their own Incident Command centers until outside help arrives.
The idea behind it is to build the capacity of neighbors to help neighbors in the 96 hours immediately following a catastrophic event – the amount of time that it can take for first responders to reach those in need. In the event of a major emergency, elementary schools become hubs for communities to gather and organize. All of our elementary schools store a large black tote containing maps and radio frequencies — everything that CERT teams, ham radio operators and other do-gooders need to set up a communications hub, begin search-and-rescue operations and reunify families.
Transportation Safety Tips
Some 15,000 Canyons District students begin and end their day with a trip on a bus. As a form of mass transit, buses keep thousands of cars off the road, reducing emissions and helping to improve the quality of the air we breathe. Buses are also the safest form of travel, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
CSD’s school buses are driven by professionals with Commercial Driver’s Licenses and are held to a higher safety standard than regular vehicles. In one school year, our buses can be inspected up to 400 times. CSD mechanics maintain about 180 buses, and for their efforts in 2017, were awarded the Utah Highway Patrol’s Safety Gold Medal. The status is a rare distinction — and a sign that CSD students are traveling on the safest buses possible.
Technology also plays a role in bus safety. Every bus has cameras capable of monitoring what takes place on the bus. The buses are also equipped with a Zonar GPS Tracking system, which relays information about their location, speed, engine health and exactly what time it arrived and left each bus stop — in real time. With the start of each school year, Canyons District asks patrons to be on the lookout for young children walking to schools and bus stops, and to be mindful that buses make frequent stops. The District also asks students to adhere to the District’s Bus Code of Conduct.
Safe Walking Routes
When students head out the door, we want them to be safe, whether they are walking, riding their bikes, or skipping down the sidewalk. State law mandates that schools designate Safe Walking Routes for students who walk or ride their bikes to school. School Community Councils define the routes for students in their school, and work with the District to provide a map of the route, which may include suggested improvements like crosswalks, crossing guards, sidewalks, and more. Schools post their Safe Walking Routes on their websites.
Cities — or in some places, the county — determine whether an area should receive safety improvements to assist students as they cross the street. Generally speaking, cities approve crossing guards in areas where 10 or more children cross the street. Students who walk or ride their bike to school should familiarize themselves with the school’s Safe Walking Route as recommended by administrators in partnership with each School Community Council. Together, we can keep our roadways safe.
View Safe Walking Routes Here
Parking Lot Safety
One of the busiest places to be at school, whether just before the first bell rings or just after class is dismissed, is the parking lot. A keen eye, cautious approach, and the ability to follow instructions goes a long way in moderating the flow of traffic in and out of Canyons’ school parking lots, but Canyons has made improvements on school pick-up and drop-off zones, curbing, and other measures that improve the direction of traffic. Schools also develop plans to address traffic needs at their individual sites.
Traveling to School Safety Tips
With the start of each school year, Canyons District asks patrons to be on the lookout for young children walking to schools and bus stops, and to be mindful that buses make frequent stops. The District also asks students to adhere to the District’s Bus Code of Conduct. Together, we can keep our roadways safe.
- Pedestrians should stick to sidewalks when possible and walk facing traffic. Before crossing the street or train tracks, even at a crosswalk or designated area, stop and look left and right.
- When biking or skateboarding to school, children should wear a helmet and understand traffic rules. They should come to a complete stop at crosswalks and walk their bike or skateboard across. Bikes and skate boards are not safe for use on train station platforms.
- Never dart out in front of a parked car.
- Avoid distractions. Do not bike, drive a motor vehicle, or cross a busy area while texting, talking on the phone or using headphones.
- Obey all traffic signals and signs, and never go around a lowered gate at train crossings.
- Drivers must always yield to pedestrians and should take extra care in school zones and at crosswalks.
- It is illegal to pass a bus that is loading or unloading children.
School Climate, Social-Emotional Supports
Resources for Families
Every child deserves to feel welcome and secure at school. That’s why Canyons is focusing not just on outfitting facilities with modern security features but also on fortifying the emotional needs of children. Through the District’s Student Services Department, all CSD schools have been assigned a school psychologist and/or a counselor and social worker — all highly trained professionals who can help guide students through challenging emotions. Building a positive climate, where all children feel like they are vital and valued members of the school community, is a top priority of principals and teachers.
CSD embraces a philosophy of teaching appropriate and positive behaviors instead of punishing misbehaviors, has formed task forces to address such important topics as suicide, holds fun-filled orientation meetings for students as they move from elementary to middle school and from middle to high school, and sponsors a robust roster of extracurricular activities. In CSD, our aim is to maintain environments where children feel safe to develop interests, raise their hands, reach out to new friends, and know they are surrounded by caring adults.
For families who are seeking additional social and emotional support, please contact your school counselor.
- Crisis Services
- Canyons District Services
- Community-Based Counseling Services
- LGBTQ+ Resources
- Parent Education Services
- Suicide Prevention
Counseling Supports
The concept is really quite simple: If students are feeling insecure, depressed or fearful, or any other emotion that is at the root of concerning behaviors, chances are they aren’t learning at high levels. To the end of helping all students feel a sense of balance and achieve at school, Canyons District has increased the number of psychologists, social workers, counselors and nurses working in schools. They serve as a resource for families in the areas of suicide prevention, gang prevention, bullying prevention and drug and alcohol prevention. They also use Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports to teach relationship skills, self awareness, self-management, social awareness and responsible decision making. These counseling experts also provide schools with crisis support assistance in the event of emergencies. Canyons District also contracts with local mental health agencies and professionals as an added resource for families.
Vaping and Substance Abuse
Canyons takes substance abuse seriously. Whether students are drinking alcohol, smoking, or vaping on campus, CSD has a zero-tolerance policy for any of these behaviors. As the use of some of these substances — such as e-cigarettes or vaping devices — become more surreptitious, Canyons is looking at new ways to combat the trend. If students are caught vaping, the device is destroyed, according to new legislation, and students are required to attend a prevention class at the Canyons Family Center. If the action happens again, students meet with a therapist to determine the underlying cause of the substance use and develop a plan of response. After a third time, the student will be referred to the Student Responsive Services Department for further support. Canyons also joined a mass-action federal lawsuit against Juul Labs, alleging the e-cigarette maker has downplayed the health risks of its products in marketing campaigns to minors, which led to a settlement. Any money received from the settlement will be used to support students and vaping-prevention efforts.
Restorative Practices and Safe School Hearings
Every student has the right to an education. Canyons has adopted a restorative practices model for reinforcing behavioral standards and responding to truancies, disorderly conduct or drug or alcohol violations. Students with safe school violations, such as bringing a weapon to school or dealing drugs, are referred to the District Case Management Team to establish safety and review what interventions and supports are needed for both the student and school. Depending on the violation, this may entail imposing fines, enrollment in an intervention program, or suspension or expulsion from school. Whenever a student is deprived of his right to education through disciplinary proceedings such as suspension or expulsion, the student is entitled to due process. This right to due process includes the right to notice and a fair hearing prior to the administration of long-term suspension, which may include 10 or more days, or expulsion from Canyons School District schools.
Peer Court
The right to a fair trial by a jury of one’s peers has taken on new meaning with the creation of the Canyons District Peer Court. Volunteer sophomores, juniors and seniors — in lieu of a judge — now sit on a panel to hear cases involving violations of school or District policy, and are authorized to decide the fate of their peers. The Canyons Peer Court is the second youth court in Utah to be sponsored by a school district. The court practices the restorative justice model for holding students accountable for minor offenses, such as, fighting, vandalism, or shoplifting. The students on the Peer Court panel are required to complete 20 hours of training, pass a criminal background check, and commit to two days per month. Peer Court is viewed as a more effective path to justice than suspending students or expelling them from school. Successful models have been shown to reduce recidivism and instill within an appreciation for the law.
School Attendance
We know that when it comes to keeping kids on track academically, every day of instruction counts. Even missing a few days a month can cause a child to fall behind at school. There are legitimate reasons for missing school, and Canyons has staff and resources available to support students in their learning. This includes Home and Hospital Instruction supports for students who, due to health problems, anticipate having to miss school for a prolonged period of time. A link to the District’s attendance policy and process for parents to report absences to their school can be found on CSD’s homepage.
The Canyons Family Center
The Canyons Family Center, provides collaborative, creative and cooperative courses and other counseling services to help families of all kinds — and with all kinds of challenges — discover gentle and genuine avenues to assist each other, connect with each other and learn from each other. The Family Center provides a spectrum of individual and family-based counseling, student-support groups and parent-education classes. The services, which include preliminary counseling sessions that help our experienced school counselors, social workers and psychologists determine what services may be needed to meet a family’s specific needs, whether as a result of an emotional crisis or not, are provided at no cost to families in Canyons School District. Students who are required to attend a class due to fighting or a drug and alcohol offense will be issued a fine and upon completion of the course reimbursed.
Instant and Constant Support
Not only are trained staff members available to aid students who are struggling, but Canyons was among the first school districts in Utah to roll out access to a mobile app text-and-tipline called SafeUT. This is available for students and parents to use if they need to immediately report a concern, be it about a student’s mental, social or physical well-being. Access to this app, which provides all-day and all-night access to licensed clinicians at the University of Utah’s Huntsman Mental Health Institute, is available to all Canyons school communities. The SafeUT app and website were developed as part of a partnership between the University of Utah and the Utah State Office of Education with funds allocated by the Utah Legislature. Multiple languages are available. Users can submit a tip with a picture and/or video, and a user can communicate online or call by phone. However, if you are experiencing an emergency, please call 911. You can also contact the suicide-prevention lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK to speak to a trained crisis worker.