District 200 summarizes safety work and details multi‑hour swatting response at Wheaton North

District safety officials told the Community Unit School District 200 Board about a year’s worth of safety work and training, and they described a recent Wheat North swatting incident that required a multi‑hour emergency response involving local police and the FBI.

"When there is a threat made by a student, we have teams at every school that can assess that," safety lead Matt Biskin said as he reviewed the district’s PREPARE model for prevention, response and recovery. He highlighted preventive metrics — including improved attendance and student engagement in many schools — and noted a continuing need to focus on areas where students report lower safety (bathrooms were singled out).

Biskin described how Wheat North staff and police handled the swatting call earlier in the year: incident command was set up, communications were maintained with parents and the community, and an after‑action review identified both strengths and areas for improvement. The district said it has improved coordination with the FBI and local jurisdictions as a result.

Other safety work highlighted included visitor‑screening protocols, classroom action guides, night locks, camera placement discussions at elementary schools, ALICE/Protect‑and‑Evacuate options and ongoing monthly meetings of a multi‑agency safety committee. Staff also described establishing cardiac response teams in each building and training plans for staff.

Board members asked about duration of the swatting incident, multi‑jurisdictional participation and sustaining parent engagement. Staff confirmed the district had sought grant opportunities such as the COPS program in the past and will continue exploring funding options.

The presentation concluded with next steps: expanding night locks to remaining rooms, considering camera placements, maintaining a regular cadence for the parent safety council, and conducting tabletop scenario training in June.