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Dianne Kestler, first-year principal of St. Joan of Arc School in Aberdeen, visits with a student. (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff)

St. Joan of Arc School honored for safety measures


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Special to the Catholic Review Filed Under: Local News, News, Schools

St. Joan of Arc School in Aberdeen has become the first private school in Maryland to earn the Safe Schools Maryland Gold School award. 

The Maryland Center for School Safety educated the St. Joan of Arc community about Safe Schools Maryland, an anonymous tip line that allows students, parents, faculty and staff, and community members to report school or safety concerns anywhere in Maryland.

St. Joan of Arc earned its “Gold School” status after its student body, staff and parents each participated in safety training sessions with the Maryland Center for School Safety at the beginning of the 2021-22 academic year.

“The tip line is another way for our kids, teachers and school family to reach out for help – for themselves and for others,” said Dianne Kestler, principal at St. Joan of Arc School, which consists of 181 students, pre-K through eighth grade. “We want anyone in our community to report any school safety concern that has to do with the wellbeing of a student or staff member or the physical security of the school building.”

The tip line was launched in 2018 and accommodates more than 2,000 schools throughout Maryland, including all public schools, said Sandra Caldwell, a school safety analyst with MCSS. 

Anonymous tips can be reported by using the SafeSchoolsMd App available in the Apple App Store and Google Play, by email at safeschoolsmd.org or phone at 1-833-MD-B-SAFE (1-833-632-7233). Tips are routed quickly to school, public safety and health or social services personnel for follow up.

“It’s important that schools don’t have to wait until the next day of school to know what might be happening,” Caldwell said.

Caldwell, who supervised virtual training sessions at St. Joan of Arc, said the most prevalent concerns reported to the tip line are suspected assaults or intent to harm others, bullying or cyberbullying, or a planned school attack.

“At the beginning, most people thought the tip line was there to report the big event, such as (imminent) school shootings or other threats of gun violence,” said Caldwell, who added the tip line does not replace the 911 call system involving police, fire and medical emergencies. 

“We want people to share their concerns about possible drugs or gang activity or abuse or a mental health crisis [tip] that could help with suicide prevention,” Caldwell added. “People in school communities also report ‘the little things,’ such as a damaged sidewalk that could lead to a pedestrian tripping and falling.”

Trained tip takers respond around the clock, every day, year-round. In cases of immediate life threats or crimes in progress, local 911 and law enforcement will be notified immediately.

For cases that are useful to the school but do not warrant immediate action, designated school officials are notified through the Safe Schools Maryland system.

St. Joan of Arc School will receive an award, banner and a special citation at a presentation ceremony at the school, on a date to be determined. Besides representatives of the school, the ceremony will include MCSS staff, Archdiocese of Baltimore officials and possibly an official from the governor’s office.

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