CPS outlines 'Whole School Safety' framework emphasizing relational trust and prevention

Chief Ronan Chablewski presented the district's Whole School Safety Framework as a cultural and operational shift that pairs traditional safety measures with restorative practices and mental‑health supports. Chablewski described three pillars — physical safety, emotional safety and relational trust — and said the policy is intended to move from compliance to ownership by schools.

"Safety is everyone's responsibility," Chablewski said, describing implementation steps that include training for school leaders, stronger community engagement with students and parents, transparency in tracking results, and integration with continuous improvement plans. He noted a University of Chicago Consortium partnership that will study implementation, including the removal of school resource officers and reinvestment outcomes.

Parents and youth leaders involved in the steering committee described local efforts to replace exclusionary discipline with restorative practices and emphasized student voice in planning. "Students and families are not simply recipients of school safety decisions. They are experts in their own experiences, and they must be co‑creators of the solutions," one youth panelist said.