Safety and Security at Bloomfield Hills Schools

The safety and security of our students and staff is an important part of planning for every school year. We are constantly evaluating and improving our security protocols to provide a safe and nurturing environment for our school community. Below is some information and updates about safety and security in Bloomfield Hills Schools.

MessagesXR

Bloomfield Hills Schools is excited to introduce a new messaging system, MessagesXR, that will help us communicate important information to families quickly and efficiently. The system will be used for emergency notifications and other time-sensitive communications. Families will be automatically enrolled to receive messages. Please take a moment to review and update your contact information in the Parent Portal (MiStar). Keeping your phone numbers, email addresses, and other contact information current will help ensure that you receive critical communications when you need them most. (Note: MessagesXR replaces Remind, which was discontinued this summer.)

Safety Terminology

Michigan legislation (House Bills 4095 and 4096) now requires districts to use a Standard Response Protocol (SRP) for emergency situations. This language comes from the I Love U Guys Foundation and was required to be implemented by July 1, 2026. As you will recall, Bloomfield Hills Schools made the transition to the SRP last school year.

As a reminder the five terms and their definitions are:

Hold: Hold will be used when movement needs to be restricted in a school building and will require students and staff to stay in one place. Families will not be able to pick up children during a Hold. Students and staff stay in the classroom and/or area they are in and learning will continue to the best of the schools’ ability.
Secure: Secure will be used when an external threat is close to or at another BHS location, or outdoors on school property, that requires students and staff to stay in the building. Families will not be able to pick up children during a Secure. Students and staff stay indoors and learning and passing time will continue to the best of the schools’ ability.
Lockdown: A lockdown is the complete shutdown of a building in the event of an imminent threat within the building. In the event of a lockdown, no external visitors may enter a building. The occupants of the room will secure themselves within the room and should move away from sight, maintain silence, and do not open doors.
Evacuate: This is where there is a need to move the occupants of a building from one location to another. Predominantly because the environment within that location is unsafe to remain in. This could be due to a gas leak, HAZMAT situation, water main break, etc.
Shelter: Students and staff will follow appropriate hazard and safety strategies. This is typically used for weather situations including tornados, floods, etc.

The SRP requires districts to use consistent terminology across Michigan. This will enable students, staff, community members, and first responders to have a shared understanding of safety terminology regardless of the Michigan school they are visiting.

In addition to adopting the new Standard Response Protocol (SRP), Bloomfield Hills Schools will continue to utilize ALICE®. During the 2026-27 school year, students and staff will review both SRP terms and ALICE® to support safety and security practices.

Visitor Aware

BHS implemented Visitor Aware last school year. The system streamlines the check-in process for visitors, verifies identification, and ensures that all individuals entering the building are authorized to be there.

When visiting any of our schools, please follow these steps to ensure a safe and efficient check-in:

Upon entering the front office, please use the iPad to check in with a valid, state-issued ID.
Once your check-in is complete, the office staff will grant you access to your desired location.
Receive and wear your printed visitor badge at all times while in the building.
Before leaving, return to the main office to check out.

Additional Safety and Security Information:

As part of the 2020 Bond, our elementary, middle schools and Bloomfield Hills High School are equipped with secure vestibules. BHS follows best practices and the recommendations as set forth by Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Systems Based Approach to layered school security.
The Administrator of Public Safety, Patrick Sidge, works in conjunction with district and school administrators, along with local police and fire departments to review and establish appropriate guidelines, procedures, and plans to ensure a safe learning environment at our schools.
BHS has two School Resource Officers, Officer Lower and Officer Riney. They are trained law enforcement professionals who work within our schools to build positive relationships with students and serve as a resource for schools around safety education and investigations.
The district nurse provides staff education on issues related to school health, follows-up on health concerns, addresses student specific health conditions, and supports students with emergency plans for medical needs.
The Emergency Operations Plan sets out a structured approach to handle, prevent, and recover from incidents in a systematic manner, and it is reviewed regularly to ensure compliance with local, state, and federal requirements.
A secure, district-wide radio network has been established. The two-way radios in all buildings allow district administrators to have direct conversations with one another, school resource officers, and local police dispatch in a critical incident.
BHS is committed to supporting our students' mental health by having social workers in our schools. BHS also has several school therapy dogs.
BHS has robust cyber security as part of our technology ecosystem to protect our students and staff.
All individuals that wish to become volunteers in our schools must have a background check completed prior to volunteering, and this has become part of the annual registration process for families.
The Board of Education unanimously voted in favor of a resolution to periodically disseminate materials stressing the importance of secure storage of firearms and to include this information in the online registration process.
BHS has Emergency Flip Charts in classrooms and key areas at every building. These flip charts serve as a quick reference guide during emergency situations, providing clear, concise instructions for staff and students. Aligned with best practices, the charts outline protocols for a variety of scenarios, including Standard Response Protocol actions, and medical emergencies.

For ongoing updates about safety and security, please visit our safety and security webpage.

Stay tuned for Safety Week, October 19-23, where BHS will review safety protocols, share safety tips on social media, and more.