WAITSBURG – The Waitsburg School District has introduced the SafeSchools Reporting System as another tool in its arsenal to ensure student safety. Administration and the school board have been evaluating and testing the program which went live on March 1.

The free service allows parents, staff and students to easily report tips on bullying, harassment, drugs, threats of violence, health concerns or any other safety issue. Tips can be submitted through the SafeSchools Alert app, by phone, text, email or via the web.

Tips are immediately routed to district administrators who can investigate and respond appropriately. There is also an option for tips to be submitted anonymously.

Tipsters are issued a ticket number and can see when a response has been issued. Tips are also archived for later retrieval.

The district is hopeful that the app will be a helpful tool that is used appropriately. At February’s school board meeting audience members asked about the possibility of the system being used for invalid tips since it allows for anonymous submissions.

“I would rather have a bunch false tips and one real one,” said District Superintendent Jon Mishra. “There will definitely be a learning curve.”

To use the SafeSchools Alert system:

Download the free SafeSchools Alert in the app store.

Phone (509) 204-5754

Text (509) 204-5454

Email 1657@alert1.us

Access the district link on the web at http://1657.alert1.us or find the link at http://www.waitsburgsd.org

Use the district identification code of 1657 in all communication.