ROANOKE, Va. – Whether you’re reporting a threat, bullying or a student in crisis, Roanoke City Public Schools want you to speak up for safety.
Dr. Hayley Poland is the assistant superintendent of student services. She says the district launched the safety tip line in the fall of 2022, called SpeakUp for Safety. You can call, text or email a tip 24/7 and you can stay anonymous.
“Usually, it is that first inkling that we have that something is happening or something is possibly going to happen,” said Poland. “The earlier that our students or our community members or our families see something and say something, then we’re able to do something.”
Last week, Poland said they were flooded with tips.
“I am very thankful for every report that came in. Even if it was a duplicate, that’s okay. We wanted to make sure that we were able to provide all of those to the police department,” said Poland.
The tip line is not just for students. Teachers, parents and community members are encouraged to use it too.
“We are thankful to our families and to our students. Most importantly our students because ultimately, they’re the ones that are seeing something,” said Poland. “I think they truly value having this resource. They don’t have to feel like they’re tattling and they can also let us know things after hours.”
The tip line is not a replacement for calling 911 or 988 in an active emergency. It’s just another way you can speak up for safety.
“We want our students to have a voice and they are truly grabbing that voice and saying, ‘Yes, we want our schools to be safe and this is how we’re going to hold each other accountable,’” said Poland.
To report a school or student-related concern, you can call or text: 540-200-1999. You can also email a tip by clicking here.