General Safety Question & Answer

Bellingham Public Schools uses ParentSquare for emergency and other communications using the contact information (phone number(s) and email address) on file for all parents/guardians in Skyward, our student information system. If your contact information is correct in Skyward, you will receive emergency and other communications from your school. If you are not sure that your contact information is correct, please contact your school.

To set your notification preferences please login to ParentSquare in a browser or in the mobile app, which is available for both Android and Apple devices.  Visit our ParentSquare webpage for more information.

Please note that if you turn off notifications from ParentSquare or do not set your preferences by activating your account, you may not receive important safety or security communication.

While it’s difficult to describe all possible scenarios, the following can be used as a guide to gauge the district’s level of notification and systems used to communicate with families.

Low Impact level such as a small disturbance or misbehaviour:  School or district staff will communicate with families of students involved via ParentSquare, email or phone.

Moderate impact level such as Secure: School or district staff will communicate with families of students at impacted school via ParentSquare.

High impact level such as weather-related closures, or delayed bus or snow bus routes:  District staff will communicate with families of students via ParentSquare following our inclement weather protocols. Messages will be posted on school and district website and social media; share via local media

High impact level such as Lockdown, Shelter, Evacuation or an unexpected closure while school is in session: 

School or district staff will communicate with families of students at impacted school via ParentSquare alert.

Depending on the impact and length of the scenario, a phone message could be sent to all families and students, and a recorded message will be added to the main district line 360-676-6400.

Messages will also be posted on school and district website and social media.

Physical Safety

• Guests must report to main office, sign in, and wear badges; and staff members are instructed to report unfamiliar people to school office.
• Each building has building access systems, such as doorbells, key fobs and/or security vestibules, to ensure visibility and limited access, particularly during the school day.
• The district Director of Safety and Security sits on the planning committee for each new building design, and new buildings are designed with CPTED principles (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design).
• Each district site is Alyssa's Law compliant and has panic button hardware designed to expedite police response and improve situational awareness. The technology provides a direct line of communication with law enforcement personnel and dispatch and allows for real-time information exchange for better response in the event of an emergency.
• We consult with experts as needed to evaluate security and identify improvement priorities.
• Planning for new safety features is ongoing as part of the 2022 bond. New safety measures include lockdown shades for classrooms; an interoperable radio communication system; PA/intercom improvements for portables and older buildings, electronic access control for select exterior doors; interior door lock systems; and security cameras for interior common spaces and exterior perimeter locations at schools.

School-community partnerships

• We coordinate with the Bellingham Police Department, Whatcom County Sheriff's Office and other local law enforcement agencies to provide law enforcement support when needed.

• Along with thousands of school districts across the country, Whatcom County’s schools and law enforcement agencies use a common set of five standard safety response protocols.

• We work in close collaboration with the City of Bellingham Public Works Department for safe route to school planning and improvements, along with grants for safe walking and biking to school.

Crisis plans and preparedness training

• District emergency communications plans are updated annually for the start of the school year, as well as emergency communication systems.
• In-person safety training is delivered at each district site to provide updates for response and prevention best practices.
• The district has pre-identified offsite emergency locations, and agreements with emergency management agencies are pre-established in case of regional disasters.
• Our schools and district have systems for threat assessment, suicide prevention, incident reporting, and mobile crisis response.
• Safety drills for each of our five standard response protocols (hold, secure, lockdown, shelter and evacuation) are performed at all schools for regulatory compliance per RCW 28A.320.125.

Proactive safety practices

• We work to restrict access to our building through one-door-in, one-door-out practices using a single access point such as the main office.
• Our school provides school-wide behavioral expectations, caring school climate programs, positive interventions and supports, psychological and counseling services, and social emotional learning curriculum.
• All schools have counselors, and we have an additional grant-funded partnership(s) to offer mental health support to any child in need.
• We employ campus monitors at our high schools and middle schools. Campus monitors help with supervision, maintain close connections with students and assist in daily safety efforts during the school day.
• We employ a security staff and commissioned police officers for large sporting events and school sponsored activities like dances.

Participation by students, staff and parents

• We encourage students to take responsibility for their part in maintaining safe school environments, including student participation in safety planning. Keep your contact information updated, have a family plan, and an out-of-area phone contact. In a large emergency, remember that texts may work but phone calls may not. We will use ParentSquare for communicating with families and secondary students. Please make sure you do not turn off ParentSquare alerts as you may  miss important safety communications.
• We engage with students and parents about digital citizenship and best practices on social media. View our technology resources for families.
• Anyone can use our anonymous reporting system to share concerns via web, email, phone, or text. https://bellinghamschools.org/safe or 844-310-9560.

Every academic year, each school practices drills connected to the standard response protocols. Each school will perform three lockdown drills, one shelter in place drill (e.g. earthquake), three evacuation drills (e.g. fire), and one intercom and school response system drill.

Talking to your kids at home is a key factor in preparedness. Making sure that your family has a plan and practicing what to do in emergencies at home will translate into readiness at school. Being able to talk to your kids about the seriousness of emergencies and listening to whoever is in charge also plays a large role while organizing and practicing preparedness during drills at school. You may find this website helpful for tips on discussing school safety with your child(ren).

We work closely with school administration and the police to ensure that the information being provided to students during drills is age appropriate. Please talk to your children about school safety at home so that they are prepared for practicing safety protocols at school.

Depending on the nature of the emergency, your child may be released through the normal pick-up procedures at their school, through modified pick-up procedures at their school, or through a family reunification process at an off-site location. Please do not come to the school during an emergency, as this impedes first responders. Information will be shared  through district communication tools such as ParentSquare to share updates and next steps for families.

To set your notification preferences please login to ParentSquare in a browser or in the mobile app, which is available for both Android and Apple devices.  Visit our ParentSquare webpage for more information.

2026: In compliance with Alyssa’s law (RCW 28A.320.126), we have installed school-wide silent alarm systems that allow law enforcement to be called instantly by any staff member who activates their safety button. This system will be active in all schools and district sites by fall 2026. We hope we will never have to use it, but if we do, we will be very grateful we have it. We thank our community for their support for our levies that allow us to build more safety infrastructure into our schools.

Our School is Committed to Safety at School Activities and Events
Washington State wants school activities and events, like athletic competitions, performances, and other extracurricular activities, to be safe for everyone who takes part in them or watches them.

What does state law say?  
Washington State law has long banned intimidation, force, and threats of violence at school events. ESB 5272 (which takes effect in 2026) made those protections stronger. It now also covers officials and volunteers at extracurricular athletic activities, and it has created new consequences for breaking the law. For non-students, if they are convicted of a crime, they may be banned from school activities for up to 18 months, receive a fine, or go to jail for no more than 6 months. For students, other school consequences, including removal from school, may also apply under RCW 28A.600.015. 

How is this different from Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying (HIB)?  
This is different from our school's HIB policy, which deals with conduct between students through a school process. ESB 5272 covers more people and more situations and is enforced through criminal law and school discipline procedures instead of the school's HIB process.
The expectations in this section are broader. They apply to everyone at school activities — students, parents, and community members alike — and they cover behavior toward everyone involved, not just students. This section and the HIB section work together but cover different situations.

What should I do if I experience or witness this conduct? 

• Call 911 if there is an immediate safety concern
• Report to a coach, event supervisor, school administrator, or other trusted adult as soon as possible. They can connect you with the right support and make sure the right steps are taken
• If a student was the target of the conduct, you may also be able to file a report under our school’s HIB policy — see the HIB section of this handbook for more information

Who can I contact with questions?
For questions about safety at school events, contact your school principal or Melissa Isenhart, director of safety and security, at 360-746-9948.

For questions about whether conduct student-to-student may also be HIB, contact the HIB Compliance Officer: Katie Jones, 360-676-6532.