October is safety month for the Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District!  For the entire month of October, all students learn valuable safety lessons useful both in school and the broader world. During safety month, students participate in a series of lessons, designed in collaboration between a team of school psychologists, early childhood teachers, special education teachers, and local law enforcement. “We hope our students walk away from safety month feeling empowered with tools for school and beyond,” Superintendent Dan Unertl shares. 

As part of the lessons, the Oak Creek Fire department visit all seven Oak Creek-Franklin elementary schools to teach elementary students about fire safety, including what to do if there is an emergency at home. After the presentation, students are invited outside to see the firetruck and Sparky the fire dog!

Students also learn about SPEAK UP, SPEAK OUT (SUSO) Wisconsin, a program created by the Wisconsin Department of Justice- Office of School Safety. SUSO was created to help keep students safe by offering a comprehensive, one-stop place to turn with safety concerns, including a threat reporting system. Tip lines are used to identify not just threats to schools, but also other daily safety concerns. 

The Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District continues to focus on and actively pioneer school safety in the region. “Our strong partnerships with the Oak Creek Police Department and the Oak Creek Fire Department have been instrumental in building our school safety program,” says Lisa Reid, the District’s Safety Coordinator.  “We are thankful to our community partners who share their time and expertise with us,” Lisa Reid shares.  

OCFSD, OCPD, and OCFD are committed to serving our community, together.