Why Principals Must Ask These 15 Questions to Ensure School Safety

by Michael Keany

15 School-Safety Reflection Questions for Principals

1. Do all staff members clearly understand our emergency procedures—and can they execute them without hesitation?

2. Are our arrival, dismissal, and hallway transitions adequately supervised every day?

3. Do we have strong, updated protocols for securing building entrances, classrooms, and exterior grounds?

4. Do students feel safe reporting concerns—and do they trust adults to respond appropriately?

5. Are we regularly reviewing and updating our threat-assessment procedures?

6. Do teachers know how to recognize early warning signs of student distress or concerning behavior?

7. Is our communication system (radios, PA, digital tools) fully functional and used consistently?

8. Do we routinely practice safety drills as they would really occur, not as scripted rehearsals?

9. Are student mental-health supports—counseling, check-ins, restorative practices—accessible and visible?

10. Are visitors screened consistently, respectfully, and reliably?

11. Do we have effective collaboration with local police, fire, and emergency management partners?

12. Is every staff member trained in trauma-informed responses to crises?

13. Do we analyze data from discipline, bullying reports, and incident logs to identify patterns?

14. Are classrooms organized in ways that support rapid evacuation or lockdown if needed?

15. Do families understand our safety procedures—and do we communicate with them proactively, not just in emergencies?

Why Principals Must Ask These 15 Questions to Ensure School Safety

School safety is not a single system—it is a living, evolving ecosystem shaped by people, routines, training, communication, facilities, and culture. The 15 questions above are designed to help principals examine that ecosystem with clarity and purpose. When principals consistently ask themselves these questions, they build a culture of vigilance that protects students not only in moments of crisis, but every day.

The first set of questions focuses on staff readiness, because even the most sophisticated safety plans will fail if adults are unprepared. Asking whether all staff can execute emergency procedures without hesitation forces a principal to look beyond compliance. It is one thing for teachers to sign a form that says they reviewed procedures; it is another thing entirely for them to make split-second decisions during a lockdown or evacuation. Similarly, questions about supervision during arrival, dismissal, and transitions emphasize that many safety incidents occur not during dramatic emergencies but during everyday movement when eyes are not where they need to be.

Another essential area is building security and operations. Principals must ensure that doors close properly, visitor protocols are consistently followed, and classrooms can be secured quickly. These questions encourage principals to view security not as a checklist but as a continuous verification process. Even small lapses—an open side door, an unlocked classroom, a malfunctioning radio—can create vulnerabilities.

Safety is also deeply connected to school climate. When principals ask whether students feel safe reporting concerns, they acknowledge that students are often the first to know when a peer is struggling or when a threatening situation is developing. A reporting culture depends on trust, and trust must be intentionally cultivated. Connected to this is the question about teachers’ ability to recognize early warning signs of distress. Many crises develop gradually; early detection can prevent escalation.

The questions also highlight the importance of mental-health supports. Safety is not just about preventing unsafe people from entering the building; it is about supporting the emotional well-being of the students already inside. Principals who reflect on the accessibility and visibility of counseling services ensure that students receive help before problems turn into crises.

Communication is another critical pillar. Asking whether the school’s communication systems are functional and consistently used requires principals to test equipment, rehearse protocols, and train staff in real-time decision-making. During emergencies, unclear communication can create panic and confusion; strong systems save lives.

Principals must also reflect on their partnerships with community responders. Schools cannot operate in isolation. Regular collaboration with police, fire departments, and emergency management agencies strengthens preparedness and provides expert insight. Practicing drills “as they would really occur” reinforces these partnerships and makes responses more authentic.

Finally, these questions emphasize data, families, and physical learning environments. Reviewing incident trends allows leaders to identify patterns and intervene early. Ensuring classrooms are arranged for rapid evacuation or lockdown is a practical but often overlooked element of readiness. And keeping families informed builds confidence and prevents misinformation during difficult moments.

In the end, these 15 questions embody a proactive, comprehensive approach to school safety—one that blends preparedness, compassion, operational rigor, and community trust. When principals continually reflect on these areas, they not only protect students from harm—they cultivate a school environment where every child feels secure, supported, and ready to learn.

References

1. U.S. Department of Education, Office of Safe and Supportive Schools. (2023). Guide for Developing High-Quality School Emergency Operations Plans. https://rems.ed.gov/docs/REMS_K-12_Guide_508.pdf

2. National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). (2020). School Safety and Crisis: Best Practices in Threat Assessment and Intervention. https://www.nasponline.org/resources-and-publications/resources/sch...

3. Federal Commission on School Safety. (2018). Final Report of the Federal Commission on School Safety. https://www2.ed.gov/documents/school-safety/school-safety-report.pdf

4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2022). Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) Framework. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/wscc/index.htm

5. National School Boards Association (NSBA). (2021). Safe Schools: Best Practices for Mitigating Violence and Improving School Climate. https://www.nsba.org/Advocacy/Safe-Schools

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Prepared with the assistance of AI software

OpenAI. (2025). ChatGPT (4) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com