The Jeffco School Board received an update on the district's Student Safety Enhancement Project during its February meeting, with district officials outlining measures to improve school safety protocols.
But while administrators detailed initiatives ranging from expanded training to enhanced background checks, board members focused on tough questions about implementation, effectiveness and accountability.
As the presentation unfolded, board members zeroed in on concerns about gaps in current policies and the real-world application of proposed changes.
Board member Paula Reed questioned how student-reported safety concerns are handled and whether there are potential roadblocks to students feeling comfortable coming forward.
"We need to make sure students feel empowered to report when something isn't right," Reed said. "Sometimes the really popular teachers may be the problem, and if a teacher is super popular, then you get back into the whole "I don't want to get that person in trouble, or I'm afraid my friends will be angry with me because now I've gotten this popular teacher in trouble.""
Reed also mentioned that coaches and teachers may use social media to post pictures or updates about student activities and asked if teachers have guidance about how to have appropriate online interactions.
Jeffco's chief legal counsel, Julie Tolleson, said that community partners like Ralston House have told the district that social media connections can be a dangerous and challenging path for teachers and students.
"Our new policy prohibits social media connections, including friending or following, students on a social media platform, Tolleson said.
Superintendent Tracy Dorland acknowledged that reporting systems like Safe2Tell and Title IX are in place but admitted that more work must be done to ensure students know these resources exist and how they work.
"We need to make sure students understand these resources and trust that action will be taken," Dorland said.
Reed pressed further, asking how the district ensures that reports of grooming or misconduct aren't ignored or lost in the system.
"How do we make sure that those reports don't just disappear into the ether?" she asked.
District officials said that while a tracking system exists, they acknowledged the need for greater transparency in communicating outcomes to staff and families.
Board member Mary Parker pushed for more clarity on background checks, asking if the district is doing enough to prevent bad actors from slipping through the cracks.
"Are we making sure that people who should not be working with kids are not working with kids?" Parker asked.
Jeffco's chief human resources officer, Amanda Pierorazio, emphasized that all employees undergo fingerprint-based background checks through the FBI and CBI and that the district monitors daily arrest records for employees.
Parker also questioned whether there is a uniform standard for background checks across all school personnel categories.
Pierorazio admitted that more consistency is needed when vetting long-term contractors and volunteers who spend significant time on campus and stated that new measures are being developed to ensure these employees are screened at the same level as full-time staff.
Beyond staff background checks, board members also focused on the district's new visitor and volunteer management system, which is set to launch later this year.
The system will require all visitors to present identification, which will be cross-checked against criminal databases before granting access to school buildings.
Board members sought clarification on how the policy will be enforced and whether it will be applied uniformly across all schools.
District officials confirmed that pilot programs are underway, with complete implementation expected later this year.
While board members acknowledged the progress made, they emphasized the need for continued oversight and accountability.
"We owe it to our students, staff and families to get this right," Reed said. "Safety isn't just about policies. It's about making sure they work."
The board said it will continue monitoring the progress of safety initiatives and expects further updates from district leaders on enforcement, training and security measures in future meetings.
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