Petersburg City Public Schools

Safety and Security

We believe in our community plays a vital role to provide a safe learning environment for our children. If you see something, say something. If you know something, make sure someone at the school knows it too.

Here are additional ways Petersburg City Public Schools maintains a safe, supportive and nurturing culture:

Extensive and growing camera system in all schools and buildings.
Firearm detection devices
Maintaining and training in emergency response protocols.
Collaborating with local law enforcement to provide SRO’s.
Providing DCJS certified school security officers
Providing de-escalation skills training
Conducting state mandates for emergency preparation and safety response drills.
Addressing student behavior and mental health needs proactively with anti-bullying initiatives and positive behavioral interventions and supports.
Supporting students through school counseling and other school services
Each school has a threat assessment team to evaluate and respond appropriately.
Developing meaningful relationships with every student from our professional teachers and staff.

What should students expect in the morning entrance to the school?
Students need to enter through the designated door as instructed by the school administrator. Once students enter, they will be greeted by school security and/or an administrator. All book bags will be searched. At some schools, walkthrough metal detectors are deployed. They will require students to remove and give to security all keys, phones, and purses/pocketbooks before walking through the metal detector.
At some schools, an open-gate weapon detection system is in place. When students enter, Chromebooks must be given to security prior to walking through the open gate system. However, students can retain purses/pocketbooks, cell phones, and headphones. Students will be required to walk between the two pillars.
Any alert from either the walk-through metal detectors or the weapons detection system requires the student to undergo additional security measures such as a hand wand scan and/or search.

What should students expect from school security while in school?
Certified School Security Officers (SSOs’) can assist students with direction and information on their class schedule. SSO’s are positioned throughout the school and request students to go into their assigned class. Students loitering in the hallways will be asked to move to class.
SSO’s will check for hall passes. Students without a pass and/or refusing to go to class will be referred to the principal for disciplinary action.
SSO’s are responsible for maintaining a safe learning environment and may intervene when a situation arises that may cause an injury to a student or staff member. This includes restraining students during physical altercations to prevent a serious injury.

What should students expect from security when exiting school at the end of the day?
SSO’s will be posted in the bus loop and at the exit door to ensure students get to their bus expeditiously and safely.

What should parents/caregivers expect from school security?
The safety of our students is, first and foremost, in our mission. Schools deploy various weapons detection systems to effectively keep firearms and other serious weapons from entering our school.
Lockdown drills and fire drills are conducted in accordance with Virginia Administrative Code 8VAC20-131-260. School facilities and safety.
School security provides a professional approach when working with your child. If a parent or caregiver believes that a member of the school security team did not act in a professional manner, complaints should be sent to the Director of Security, Paul Ronca, at paronca@petersburg.k12.va.us. All complaints will be reviewed and investigated.
Parents and caregivers are not authorized to walk freely into our schools. All visitors, including parents and caregivers must use the intercom system placed outside the front door of each school and adhere to the instruction given by the administrator.