Lincoln Charter School

Safety

Prioritizing Safety: Communication & Emergency Preparedness

At Lincoln Charter, our primary responsibility is to maintain a safe educational environment. This is the first email in a series of communications, which are intended to detail several of the safety efforts we undertake throughout each year. These include proactive, preventative, and reactive measures. This email covers emergency preparedness and subsequent emails will address mental health & student/staff health. As part of our continued efforts to develop and refine our safety efforts, all of this information will be housed here at www.lincolncharter.com/safety.

This email is not intended to provide an exhaustive list of safety measures, additional protocols/procedures are not disclosed to preserve security. Within these emails, there is some crossover between the various categories of safety, but regular safety team/administration meetings and periodic training underpin and align these efforts.

At Lincoln Charter School, safety is not just a priority—it is the foundation of everything we do. Our approach blends proactive preparation, clear communication, and partnerships with local/regional experts to create a secure and supportive environment. We invest significant time, resources, and training to ensure that our staff, students, and families are ready for any situation.

General Measures:

Clear Communication: ParentSquare and StudentSquare are used to provide timely updates about drills, first responder visits, and urgent safety alerts.

Say Something: This tool is sponsored by Sandy Hook Promise. This organization has used the Sandy Hook tragedy to develop a platform that allows any individual to make an anonymous report to alert LCS and law enforcement. This tool can be used to address bullying, perceived or actual threats, and numerous other situations. In addition, we utilize GoGuardian to monitor internet activity (24/7/365) to identify potential issues.

Car Rider Pro: This tool allows dismissal to occur in an orderly and organized manner, particularly for elementary-age students. Car Rider Pro tags are individually assigned, ensuring that each student/carpool unit is properly identified as part of this daily process.

Key Safety Measures:

Local Law Enforcement Partnership: A full-time School Resource Officer (SRO) is assigned to each campus through our partnership with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department. SROs receive ongoing training and support, specific to school safety.
Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department K-9 visits: In conjunction with our dedicated SROs, a K-9 unit will visit each campus periodically, or as needed. Parents will receive information each time a K-9 unit has visited campus.
Regular Safety Drills: Monthly fire drills and scheduled lockdown/severe weather drills keep our response procedures fresh and practiced. Parents will be notified after each drill. These drills align with the safety plan for each respective building/campus.
Visitor Management: The Raptor system ensures all visitors check in with a valid ID before entering campus. This system maintains a list of current visitors and screens individuals, identifying issues before visitors are allowed to traverse beyond the front lobby of each building and/or alerting staff if unauthorized individuals attempt entry. All exterior doors are locked throughout the school day, and visitors are buzzed into the lobby to gain initial access to the building.
RAVE app: This tool allows staff members to use a phone app to uniformly alert leadership & law enforcement of a potential issue.
Technology-Enhanced Monitoring: Interior and exterior cameras with advanced monitoring tools help us maintain campus security. This system uses state-of-the-art technology to assist our team in preventing and reacting to safety situations. Buses are also equipped with cameras.
Threat Assessment: The Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management (BTAM) team—made up of administrators, law enforcement, and counselors—reviews and addresses potential safety concerns. In North Carolina, making threats (including false reports) against schools is a crime.
Campus Safety Team: Meets regularly to assess and update both short-term and long-term safety strategies.

School Board Policies: A variety of Board-approved policies address school safety and codify standard efforts across the Lincoln Charter district. These policies include a prohibition against bullying, harassment, and discrimination.

We appreciate your support of these measures. Parents/guardians play a vital role in keeping our campuses safe. You can support our emergency preparedness efforts by ensuring that your contact information is always up to date in ParentSquare, talking with your child about the importance of taking drills seriously, and reminding them that anonymous reporting tools like Say Something exist to protect our community. We also encourage families to model calm and supportive responses when discussing safety, so students feel reassured rather than fearful. Together, we can make sure that safety feels like a shared responsibility, not just a school procedure. It takes all of us to keep our community safe!

If you have any questions about this topic in safety, please feel free to reach out to the following individuals:

Jonathan Bryant, Chief Administrator

Taylor Helms, Director of Advancement & Engagement

Denver campus:

Mr. McCorkle, Assistant Building Administrator (grades 7-12) and Safety Team Lead

Deputy Scott, SRO

Ms. Nance, Ms. Doyle, and/or Ms. Amos - Building Administrators

Lincolnton campus:

Mr. Peterson, Assistant Building Administrator (grades 6-12) and Safety Team Lead

Deputy Schaeffer, SRO

Ms. Peterman, Mr. Bealer, and/or Ms. Kelly - Building Administrators

Supporting Mental Health at LCS: Caring for the Whole Child

At Lincoln Charter, our primary responsibility is to maintain a safe educational environment. This is the second email in a series of communications, which are intended to detail several of the safety efforts we undertake throughout each year. These include proactive, preventative, and reactive measures. This email covers mental health and emotional safety, and a subsequent email will address student/staff health. As part of our continued efforts to develop and refine our safety efforts, all of this information will be housed on our website at www.lincolncharter.org/safety.

Within these emails, there is some crossover between the various categories of safety, but regular safety team/administration meetings and periodic training underpin and align these efforts.

We know that student safety extends beyond physical security. Emotional well-being, a sense of belonging, and access to support are essential for students to learn and thrive. At Lincoln Charter School, we have built a robust network of mental health supports to ensure every student feels valued, understood, and cared for. Our counselors spearhead a number of these efforts, however all staff are trained to identify and support students in a variety of ways. At Lincoln Charter, we pride ourselves on being a close-knit community—more like a family—where staff know students by name, understand their individual needs, and can quickly recognize changes in their well-being. This personal connection allows us to stay in tune with what is going on in our students’ lives and respond with care and support when it matters most. If your student, your family, or your family dynamics are experiencing a tough time, please let us know.

Key Safety Measures:

Counseling Department: Provides individual and group support to address emotional, behavioral, and social needs. Our counselors are trained to work with a spectrum of students, treating each as an individual. Counselors evaluate needs assessment data, conduct suicide assessment protocols (on an as needed basis), lead/coordinate staff training, and a variety of other preventative and reactive measures.
Comprehensive Mental Health Plan: Includes suicide assessment protocols, annual staff training, and clear procedures for responding to student needs.
Needs Assessments: Periodic surveys assess the social-emotional well-being of students to guide support efforts.
Social Work Support: Two social work interns collaborate with counselors to assist students and families.

School-based therapy: Lincoln Charter partners with several organizations that provide school-based therapy to students who may need a higher level of support.
Therapy Dogs: A therapy dog is stationed at each campus to provide comfort and support to students and staff. Training for the therapy dog handler and staff is provided to maximize the impact.
Ongoing Staff Training: Faculty and staff are trained to recognize signs of emotional distress and respond effectively.

We appreciate your support of these measures, it takes all of us to keep our community safe! One of the best ways parents can support our mental health efforts is by maintaining open conversations at home and letting us know if your child or family is experiencing challenges. Reach out to your child’s counselor if you notice changes in mood, behavior, or social connections—early communication allows us to provide timely support. Encouraging your child to build strong relationships with trusted adults and normalizing the use of counseling or therapy as a healthy resource also helps strengthen the culture of care at Lincoln Charter. When students see families and staff working together, they know they are not alone.

If you have any questions about this topic in safety, please feel free to reach out to the following individuals:

Jonathan Bryant, Chief Administrator

Taylor Helms, Director of Advancement & Engagement

Denver campus:

Your respective counselor

Janet Bealer, Social Worker Intern

Ms. Nance, Ms. Doyle, and/or Ms. Amos - Building Administrators

Lincolnton campus:

Your respective counselor

Janet Bealer, Social Worker Intern

Ms. Peterman, Mr. Bealer, and/or Ms. Kelly - Building Administrators

Student & Staff Health: Wellness Measures at LCS

At Lincoln Charter, our primary responsibility is to maintain a safe educational environment. This is the third and final email in a series of communications, which are intended to detail several of the safety efforts we undertake throughout each year. These include proactive, preventative, and reactive measures. This email covers student/staff health. As part of our continued efforts to develop and refine our safety efforts, all of this information will be housed on our website at www.lincolncharter.org/safety.

Healthy students are safe students. At Lincoln Charter School, we maintain high standards for physical health and wellness, ensuring that our campuses are equipped, staffed, and prepared to respond to health needs quickly. We also focus on prevention—promoting healthy choices and monitoring environmental quality.

Key Safety Measures:

Full-Time Nurses: Each campus has a trained nurse through our partnership with the Lincoln County Health Department. Nurses see students and staff throughout the day, disperse medication, act as a liaison with the Health Department, treat minor injuries/maladies, and monitor overall health.
Emergency Medical Resources: AEDs, epipens, and Narcan are available on site, with trained staff ready to respond.
Environmental Health Monitoring: Periodic air and water quality testing are conducted, plus LCS has active participation in the Clean Classrooms for Carolina Kids™ program. Both campuses receive water service via Lincoln County Public Works.

Asbestos: Lincoln Charter has an active Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) plan, and there is not any asbestos on any LCS site.

Vape detectors: MS and HS restrooms are equipped with vape detectors, which alert admin when air quality indicates vape use.
Health Education: Through these classes (and many science and other various classes) students receive instruction on healthy living and making positive life choices.
Athletic Health Support: Atrium Health provides full time athletic trainers for student-athletes during practices and competitions. In addition, Reserve Health (via Dr. Biondi) offers on-campus annual physicals for MS and HS student-athletes.
Telehealth Services: On-demand, on-site virtual care for students and staff via Atrium Health. Our nurses identify needs and make referrals to this service, minimizing the need for students and staff to leave campus for “urgent care” type assessments.
Inclement Weather: LCS collaborates with local authorities to determine if/when schedule changes (delays or cancellations) are necessary, due to impending or potential inclement weather.

Families can help us maintain a healthy learning environment by keeping students home when they are sick, ensuring that medical forms and emergency contacts are current, and encouraging healthy daily routines such as rest, nutrition, and hydration. Please make sure that any medications, health conditions, or allergies are communicated with our school nurses so they can provide the best care possible. Supporting your child in making healthy choices—such as avoiding vaping or substance use—also reinforces the messages we provide at school. Your partnership helps us protect not only your child but the well-being of our entire school community.

If you have any questions about this communication, please feel free to reach out to the following individuals:

Jonathan Bryant, Chief Administrator

Taylor Helms, Director of Advancement & Engagement

Denver campus:

Ms. Wright, School Nurse

Ms. Nance, Ms. Doyle, and/or Ms. Amos - Building Administrators

Lincolnton campus:

Ms. Starrett, School Nurse

Ms. Peterman, Mr. Bealer, and/or Ms. Kelly - Building Administrators