Page 43 - August 2020 - The Castle Pines Connection

By Patte Smith School Scoop Safe2Tell replaces Text-A-Tip program 43 At the start of the 2020-21 school year, the Douglas County School District (DCSD) will streamline how concerned individuals report anonymous tips to DCSD sta . The district realized the two programs were similar, and after testing the Safe2Tell program, decided it was e ective, functional and would provide students and sta with a safe way to report tips to DCSD. It would also save taxpayer dollars. Tips will remain anonymous and can be sent using the Safe2Tell app, through the website (https://safe2tell.org) or by phone to 877-542-7233. It is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week throughout the year. Parents and the community can also send tips to Safe2Tell. For more information, visit https://safe2tell.org. Seeking intern writers The Castle Pines Connection is seeking student writers and/or photographers for our internship program for the 2020-2021 school year. Interns will have the opportunity to create community related content on a monthly basis. They will work closely with the editor of The Connection to develop and enhance their journalistic skills and produce a body of work throughout the year. Interested individuals can direct questions and submit a resume and writing sample to editor@castlepinesconnection.com. anonymous tips. Rather than operating both the Text-A-Tip and Safe2Tell programs, the District will only be using Safe2Tell moving forward. Safe2Tell is a state-funded initiative of the Colorado Department of Law, O ce of the Attorney General. The program focuses on children and youth and the issues they face – everything from bullying and physical threats, domestic violence and child abuse, assaults and harassment, alcohol and drugs, suicide threats, explosives, guns, knives and other weapons, stealing and vandalism and others. It was designed out of recommendations from the Columbine Commission Report that states that students need a safe and anonymous way to keep lines of communication open. The study realized that tragedies might be prevented if youth had a way to tell someone what they knew without fearing repercussions. The Text-A-Tip program that was instituted in DCSD in 2009 allowed students to report August 2020