Schools hosting community safety forum Thursday

Havre Public Schools is hosting its third Community Safety Forum of the year Thursday at the high school auditorium from 6 to 7 p.m.

“I think the thing that will be really unique this time, maybe a little different than the last couple of times, is that you are going to hear directly from the principals,” Havre Public Schools District Superintendent Andy Carlson said. “They each are going to take a piece from their building to answer some of the questions that were generated from the two previous (safety forums) and we’re also going to do an overview again, because I think it’s really important for parents and folks in our community to hear what are your safety protocols.”

Carlson said with from each school principal, people will have the chance to hear what’s happening in the whole public school system.

He added that people will also have the chance to hear from Transportation Department Director of Operations Jim Donovan.

“How I view it is an ongoing conversation we’ve started with the schools and with our communities. That’s the emphasis behind it and hopefully it’s informative for everybody who is able to attend,” Carlson said. “Our main purpose is to let parents and the community know we do have plans, we do have a pretty good structure in place, and when things happen, they’re going to be impressed.”

One of the topics discussed at the forum is what each school’s process is during a threat assessment. 

Havre schools have been shut down or put into a closed campus status several times over the last few years.

Carlson said he would like to have two to three safety forums a year.

“My big thing is why we would want  the community (to) be a part of this is because they are part of this, and it’s a great way for us to communicate and try to build a trust level of ‘we have this in place, and we do have a plan for everything that happens, and we do have a process for everything that happens,’ and we are going to follow those,” he said.  

The Community Safety Forum is not only for parents who have children in the community schools, but the entire is invited as well, Carlson added.