Every threat of violence to others, school/district buildings will be taken seriously. In support of maintaining a safe and welcoming environment for all, administrators and staff will investigate reports of, or evidence regarding, student behavior on or off school grounds that could pose a threat to the safety or welfare of other students or staff.

Parents need to discuss with their children the ramification of making any type of threat. Every infraction that impacts the safety and well-being of students and staff will be addressed to maintain a safe and secure learning environment.

In general, a threat situation will be deemed to exist when, following investigation by school administration, a student has been determined by admission or by reliable informant(s)/evidence to have communicated a death threat against others, a threat of mass violence, a threat involving weapons or explosive device, a threat against school property, or exhibited behaviors that suggest a substantial risk of lethal violence, or predatory behavior. Threats maybe direct, indirect, conditional, or veiled. Threats may be communicated in person, electronically, through third party, or by other intentional or unintentional means.

In assessing the potential level of danger of student’s behavior, administrators will consult with their Executive Director/Supervisor regarding the evidence and if necessary, will send a referral to the district’s threat management team for further investigation and support. For the safety and security of our campuses an administrator may elect to have a student removed from campus until the threat management team completes the investigation which will involve an interview with the student and parent named in the threat. However, family refusal to assist the threat management team or administrator in completing the assessment by participating in interviews, will not prevent the team from completing those parts of the assessment which the team has obtained knowledge.

The intention of the threat assessment process is to assess the threat and reduce the potential for future violence toward others. It is not a disciplinary process. The following is a summary of steps that are followed during a threat assessment:

NOTE: THIS PROCESS WILL BE FOLLOWED FOR ANY THREAT, REGARDLESS OF STUDENT WITHDRAWAL, LAW ENFORCEMENT INVOLVEMENT, ETC.

Step 1
• Site administration is made aware of a student who has made a threat against others or an entity (e.g., school building)
• Site administration completes investigation to determine veracity of report

Step 2
• If a threat is verified, site administrator completes Threat Management Referral Form and submits it to their Executive Director/ Supervisor, unless no further action is required.

• • If the site administrator believes the threat is not substantive, the student does not pose a threat, and that the district Threat Management Team is not required, they will keep a copy of the referral form in the secure filing cabinet with bullying incidents and e-mail the pertinent information about the situation to their Executive Director/Supervisor.

• Reviews TMT Referral Form with Site Administration and together they complete the Threat Management Decision-Making Guidelines makes decisions/recommendations regarding appropriate next steps.
• If a student/staff is a target of the threat, the Site Administrator should alert that person and, if a student, his/her parent/guardian.

Step 3

• If the Site Administrator and Executive Director/Supervisor determine a referral to the District Threat Management Team (TMT) is appropriate:
  • Executive Director/Supervisor forwards the completed TMT Referral Form and Decision-Making Guidelines to the TMT using the link on the Decision-Making Guidelines.
  • District TMT will respond to the Executive Director/Supervisor that they have received the referral.
  • Site administrator sends Teacher/Staff Questionnaire to appropriate staff members, for them to return it prior to the District TMT convening.
  • Site administrator works with school psychologist and/or behavior interventionist to complete Initial Student Interview prior to District TMT convening.
• District TMT determines which members will respond; those members work with site administration to identify the date/time TMT will convene, and the approximate time interviews might start.
• Site administration alerts the parent/guardian as appropriate for them to ensure the student and parent/guardian are available for follow-up interviews.
• When District TMT arrives, site administration should have the following available:
  • Room to complete additional interviews and assessment (e.g. conference room)
  • Student cumulative file; health file; special education records; discipline history; attendance; grade history, documents, pictures, etc., related to threat; any other information pertinent to the student/situation
  • Completed Initial Student Interview and Teacher/Staff Questionnaire

Step 4
• District TMT reviews initial referral with school team (e.g. site administration, psych/BI, etc.)
• District TMT completes follow-up interviews with student, parent, teachers, and student witnesses (when necessary).
• District TMT reviews documents described above

Step 5
• District TMT completes Threat Assessment and Summary/Recommendations
• If site administrator was not part of discussion during Assessment and Summary/Recommendations, TMT reviews those documents with site administration and/or other appropriate staff.

Step 6
• Site Administrator reviews Summary/Recommendations with student, parent, and appropriate staff.
• This team completes the Student Supervision Plan by identifying recommendations that are appropriate and feasible to implement.

• If necessary, complete Targeted Student Protection Plan and/or Student Safety Plan

Step 7
• Site Administrator shares results of Threat Assessment with their Executive Director/Supervisor.
• Site Administrator ensures final page of District TMT Protocol is placed in the student’s cumulative file
• All other pertinent pages (Referral, Decision-Making Guidelines, Assessment, Summary/Recommendations, Student Supervision Plan, Offended Student/Staff Supervision Plan, Safety Plan) should be maintained in secure filing cabinet with Bullying Incidents for future reference.

A.R.S. 15-841
District Policy JK; JIC

Code of Federal Regulations:
34 CFR §§ 99.31(a)(1)(i)(B)(3) and 99.33(a)(2)
34 CFR §§ 99.31(a)(10) and 99.
34 CFR § 99.33(a)
34 CFR §99.36