Back to School Safety Reminders

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The new school year is only a few days away, and as a reminder, the safety of students, staff, and visitors is a top priority in RISD. 

We have several proactive measures in place to provide a safe and nurturing school environment that promotes student academic growth.

These efforts include:

All RISD students are required to wear a badge throughout the school day. In addition all students riding the school bus are required to scan a district issued badge.

All Pre-K to 12th grade students who ride the school bus to and from school will be required to wear and scan a district-issued badge each time they board and exit the bus. The requirements are part of the district’s commitment to prioritize students’ safety. The measure is designed to help us ensure that students are on their assigned bus route, and to provide a quick response in the event of delays, route changes or emergencies.

Learn more about the badge requirement for all students.

New for 2026-2027: Parents of bus school riders can now track their child’s transportation route through the Stopfinder Mobile App. If your child rides the school bus, learn more about this new platform here.

Other district safety and security protocols in place to help protect students, staff and visitors include:

  • The district utilizes several procedures and best practices to create and maintain a safe environment, including coordination with local, state and federal authorities. Learn more about the district’s emergency management model
  • Every RISD campus is staffed with a full-time Campus Security Officer (CSO) or School Resource Officer (SRO).  
  • Visitors to RISD facilities are expected to conduct themselves in an appropriate manner and must follow any facility entry procedures as a condition of entry.
  • Everyone visiting an RISD school and facilities must show an ID to sign in through the Verkada Guest System.
  • Code of Civility includes a set of guidelines that promote safety, respect and responsibility within our school community.
  • The district uses the P3 program for anyone to anonymously report crime and safety-related tips.
  • Event Safety Protocols: RISD campuses and central staff plan for and practice different safety protocols in response to different events 
  • Emergency Situations: During a school emergency, the district focus is on keeping students and staff safe. For this reason, we ask our families to assist us in the following three ways: stay home, stay informed and be ready. Learn more about our Parent Guide to Emergency Situations.
  • As we get ready to enjoy the numerous sports and extracurricular activities our students participate in during the school year, please remember our Stadium Bag Policy.
  • Before participating in volunteer opportunities in schools and district facilities, all RISD volunteers must complete a background check and an orientation through our new volunteer management system.  Volunteer registration will be available later this month by visiting our website – the Volunteer website
  • RISD is now using Sentinel, a new behavioral threat assessment platform, strengthening our ability to identify, assess, and respond to potential safety concerns.

Please be sure your contact information is current so we know how to contact you in case of an emergency during the school year. If your phone number, email, or address has changed over the summer, please update your information in ParentSquare or reach out to the front office staff at your child’s school to provide important updates.

We are excited to welcome all students back for another school year. Please stay up to date with all of the latest back to school news and information by visiting the RISD website and follow us on social media: Facebook, Instagram and X.

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