Dear Parents,

In our ongoing commitment to student and staff safety, we have repurposed our former maintenance office into a dedicated Police Hospitality Room/Security Office. This space will serve as a central hub for safety coordination, visitor oversight, and collaboration with law enforcement and parish partners. While we will not publish sensitive operational details (per expert guidance), I want to share several high-level updates and why they matter.

What’s new:

Police Hospitality Room/Security Office (former maintenance office):

• Centralizes safety resources and radios, supports check-ins and supervision, and provides an on-site base for coordinated responses.
• Large viewing screen for all school campus security cameras.
• Improves visibility and rapid communication across campus.
• Created in partnership with our local precinct to welcome officers between calls with 24/7 access.
• Stocked with snacks, refrigerated refreshments, microwave, and a desk for report writing or quiet rest for our local South Mountain Precinct Officers.

Why this strengthens safety:

Frequent, friendly police presence: The hospitality room encourages officers to stop by more often. Combined with the police hub at the YMCA on our street, this means officers are regularly on or near campus and the church—an added deterrent to anyone considering harm and a faster path to assistance if needed.

Community relationships that kids can see: Positive, routine interactions with law enforcement (e.g., drop-ins, friendly waves at carline, periodic classroom visits) help students view officers as trusted helpers, lowering anxiety while raising readiness.

What remains in place:

• At St. Benedict Church: The Porters of St. Joseph attend and monitor all Masses, including every School Mass. All church doors are locked during School Masses, with controlled entry and staff at key locations.
• On campus: All classroom doors remain locked at all times; all visitors check in through the front office and wear visible badges; regular lockdown and evacuation drills are conducted; thorough Run, Hide, Fight training for ALL faculty & staff are conducted, and additional non-publicized expert-recommended measures are maintained.
• Strong law-enforcement partnership: Officers are often visible driving up and down 48th street throughout the day, park in our front lot and the back lot of St. Benedict, keeping a close eye on both the school and church, and they are quick to respond when called. We are also blessed with SJB parents who are police officers and detectives, strengthening communication and awareness.

Thank you for your continued trust and partnership. These upgrades add another layer of deterrence and day-to-day support without creating unnecessary alarm. If you have questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

READ PRINCIPAL'S LETTER