Approaching School Leaders About Safety Assessments
Asking questions of school leaders—from principals to superintendents to school boards—is an important part of ensuring safe learning environments for students. Parents have the right to understand how schools assess and manage facility safety, particularly given how widely these practices can vary.
This draft email is designed to help you ask informed, specific questions. Personalize it so it reflects your school and community. If you receive a vague or incomplete response, follow up and ask for more detail—clear answers are a reasonable expectation.
Sample e-mail
Subject: Request for Information on School Facility Safety Assessments
Dear [Name],
I am a parent of a [grade] student at [school], and I am writing to better understand how the school ensures that its facilities and infrastructure are regularly assessed for safety.
I understand that regular, comprehensive safety assessments of facilities and infrastructure are an important part of preventing injuries at schools. To better understand our school’s approach, it would be helpful to know:
How often formal, documented safety assessments are conducted
What areas are included (e.g., facilities, equipment, and infrastructure)
How findings are documented and prioritized
Who is responsible for overseeing and ensuring these assessments are completed
My interest in this issue is informed by Ready, Set, Safe!, an organization focused on preventing injuries from facility-related hazards, established after a fatal incident involving a large gate falling on a first-grade student. It underscores how critical consistent, thorough assessments are. They have some resources that could be helpful too, including an FAQ and questions to ask potential assessors.
I would appreciate any information you can share on the points above, including any existing documentation. If helpful, I would also welcome a conversation.
Thank you for your time and attention to student safety.
Best,[Name][Contact Information]
Now what?
Let us know how your school leaders respond, what information they can provide, and any additional questions you or they may have. Email us at info@readysetsafe.org.
