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Panama To Implement New Reporting System

PANAMA — Panama Central School is working to implement a new safety system.

Recently, the school has put in place the Say Something Anonymous Reporting System, similar to what many other schools have done or are doing since Sandy Hook. The school also looked into adding a Knox Box — a secure box that contains the keys to the building for emergency personnel — but ultimately decided to choose an alternate path.

There are more than 2.9 million participants nationally in the Say Something Anonymous Reporting System program.

“The Anonymous Reporting System is a reporting system that can be utilized by students to report incidents that are potentially of a violent nature either towards others or a student threatening harm against themselves,” said Aaron Wolfe, Panama superintendent. “This reporting is done through a variety of tip tools — phone, web, and app based — that individuals can utilize should they encounter this type of information.”

Wolfe said there has been extensive research that led up to the system, which showed that violent behaviors that have led to violent school incidents have often been observed by students before the incident happens. This often happens via social media before any adults are aware of threats or potential violence.

“The See Something, Say Something Program was developed as a result of an active effort to reduce school gun violence after the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting that occurred in Connecticut in 2012,” Wolfe said. “A group of concerned parents and community members formed an organization called Sandy Hook Promise, which eventually developed the Anonymous Reporting System allowing an avenue for reporting potentially violent and/or concerning behaviors affecting students and schools.”

Students and staff at the school will be trained to identify potential signs of violent behavior and will be introduced to the new reporting system and its procedures, including how to report something, the superintendent said.

“Tip reporting is staffed 24/7/365 by trained counselors and specialists functioning as first line vetters of information who then contact school teams and law enforcement as required,” Wolfe said. “When tips are deemed to be life-threatening, law enforcement is immediately called as well as the school-level team associated.”

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