Say Something Anonymous Reporting System
Wilkes County Schools is committed to creating and sustaining a comprehensive, coordinated effort to improve the overall safety and well-being of our students, educators, and administrators.
We believe implementing community-wide programs and initiatives that involve parents, teachers, administrators, local law enforcement, mental health & wellness professionals, and elected officials is the best approach for protecting our students, staff, and campus visitors.
The Say Something Anonymous Reporting System (SS-ARS) program, which fulfills the mandate requirement under 115C-105.51 of NC Law, teaches students, teachers, and administrators to recognize warning signs of individuals who may be a threat to themselves or others and Say Something to a trusted adult OR use its anonymous reporting system. Specifically, the program educates participants to:
- Recognize the signs and signals of at-risk behaviors, especially within social media.
- Take every sign and signal seriously.
- Act quickly to get help by talking to a trusted adult OR report it anonymously through SS-ARS 24/7 Crisis Center, mobile app, or website.
- Respond to and manage the submitted tip via multi-disciplinary educator and administrator teams.
- Sustain the curriculum and awareness via student clubs, in-school activities, and call-to-action weeks.
Our students are often aware of the problems their peers are facing, so we must empower them to know the danger signs and give them the tools to help each other with the assistance of trained and caring adults. SS-ARS teaches them what to look for in text, video, and photos while empowering them to act quickly to help a fellow student.
The SS-ARS program is being provided and sustained at no cost to Wilkes County Schools through Sandy Hook Promise (SHP), a national non-profit organization. SHP's age-appropriate, research-based programs are in 50 states with more than 14,000 schools and over 12 million students and adults trained. They have an exceptional track record, reputation, and level of expertise in working effectively with kids, parents, and teachers to improve school safety and culture.