Royal Oak School District Reviews Safety Practices

As winter vacation nears for students, the Royal Oak School District is reviewing its school safety practices.

"As a school district, we communicate on a regular basis with public safety officials, and we work collaboratively with them to respond to any and all threats to student safety," said Superintendent Shawn Lewis-Lakin in an email sent to school families. "Student safety is our number one priority. We are grateful for the enhanced police presence that is currently being provided to our schools by our Royal Oak Police Department."  

The district is reviewing information provided by safety officials at the county, state, and federal levels, the statement read.

On Tuesday, Michigan Superintendent of Schools Mike Flanagan issued a special holiday statement, noting his office sent resources to schools on Monday to help them deal with the crisis. 

Lewis-Lakin recommends Helping Youth and Children Recover from Traumatic Events from the Department of Education as a useful resource to help children express thoughts and emotions they are experiencing.

"Among the many resources and resource links that have been sent to me since Friday, I’ve found this one to be the most helpful," Lewis-Lakin said.