The Safety Management Setup screen is the central location for configuring the Safety Management module. Districts use this screen to define settings such as event categories, student accounting processes (reunification and check-in behavior), communication management (notifications, Portal messages, and alerts), and the designation of specific locations for reunification events.
All configurations on this screen are school-specific. Settings apply only to the school selected at the top-right of the screen.
Before configuring the Safety Management module on the Safety Management Setup screen, profile permissions should be set up first in Users > Profiles, followed by system preferences in Setup > System Preferences.
Profile permissions control who can configure, initiate, and manage Safety Management events. These permissions should be reviewed and assigned before enabling system preferences or completing setup. See Profiles for step-by-step guidance with setting up user profiles.
Administrators may need access to setup, event management, and reporting, depending on their role.
Setup Menu
- Safety Management Setup
- Safety Management Setup (View) - Allows the user to view the Safety Management Setup screen without editing capabilities (based on additional permissions below).
- Safety Management Setup (Edit) - Allows the user to configure events, check-in statuses, portal banners, notifications, assistance alerts, attendance, and safe locations (based on additional permissions below).
- Settings
- Settings (View) - Allows the user to view the Settings tab of the Safety Management Setup screen.
- Settings (Edit) - Allows the user to configure events, check-in statuses, portal banners, notifications, assistance alerts, and attendance on the Settings tab of the Safety Management Setup screen.
- Locations
- Locations (View) - Allows the user to view the Locations tab of the Safety Management Setup screen.
- Locations (Edit) - Allows the user to configure safe locations, assign safe locations, and assign reunification locations on the Locations tab of the Safety Management Setup screen.
Students Menu
- Safety Management
- Safety Management (View) - Allows the user to view the Safety Management dashboard, including active, upcoming, and past events.
- Safety Management (Edit) - Allows the user to initiate, manage, and end safety events (based on additional permissions below).
- Bypass Requirement to Update Status
- Bypass Requirement to Update Status (View) - When enabled, the user is not prompted to update their own check-in status during the event.
- Events
- Events (View) - Allows the user to view active, scheduled, and past events in the Events tab of the Safety Management screen.
- Events (Edit) - Allows the user to manage events, including scheduling, modifying, and ending events.
- Staff Check-In Status
- Staff Check-In Status (View) - Allows the user to view staff check-in statuses during an active event, including Safe, Awaiting Check-In, Needs Assistance, and Absent.
- Staff Check-In Status (Edit) - Allows the user to update or modify staff check-in statuses, mark staff as absent, update safe locations, enter or edit assistance notes, and edit the Witness check box to indicate whether the staff member is a witness to the event.
- Student Check-In Status
- Student Check-In Status (View) - Allows the user to view student check-in data during an active event, including status, location, and who last updated the record.
- Student Check-In Status (Edit) - Allows the user to update student check-in statuses, including changing students to Accounted For, Needs Assistance, or Absent, update locations, enter assistance notes, and edit the Witness check box to indicate whether the student is a witness to the event.
- Triage Report
- Triage Report (View) - Allows the user to view students and staff who have been marked as Needs Assistance and assigned a triage category during an active event.
- Triage Report (Edit) - Allows the user to update triage levels, locations, and assistance notes for students and staff appearing in the Triage Report.
- Witness Report
- Witness Report (View) - Allows the user to view individuals marked as witnesses to an event, including recorded witness types and notes.
- Witness Report (Edit) - Allows the user to document witness information, update witness types, and enter or edit witness statements.
- Reunification Status Report
- Reunification Status Report (View)- Allows the user to access to the Reunification Status tab, including the Student List, Waitlist (if enabled), and Reunified data.
- Reunification Status Report (Edit) - Allows the user to verify reunification contacts, enter PINs or scan QR codes, upload photos (if required), perform manual overrides, and update reunification statuses.
- Student/Waitlist subtab
- Student/Waitlist subtab (View) - Allows the user to view students awaiting reunification and those verified on the waitlist.
- Student/Waitlist subtab (Edit) - Allows the user to verify contacts, move students to the waitlist, update waitlist information, and complete reunification actions.
- Reunified subtab
- Reunified subtab (View) - Allows the user to view details of students who have already been successfully reunified, including contact information, timestamps, and staff involved.
- Reunified subtab (Edit) - Allows the user to Undo the reunification and move the student back to previous list (the Waitlist tab or Student List to wait for reunion or reunion verification).
- Initiate Safety Event
- Initiate Safety Event (Edit) - Allows the user to initiate a Safety Management event, including selecting the event type, mode (Training, Drill, Alarm), and starting the event immediately or scheduling it for a future date and time.
- End Safety Management Event
- End Safety Management Event (Edit) - Allows the user to end an active Safety Management event once all required conditions are met. For reunification events, all students must be reunified unless the user has the override permission. For check in only events, all students must be accounted for unless the user has the override permission.
- Override to End an Event
- Override to End an Event (Edit) - Allows the user to force-end a reunification event even if students are not reunified (for reunification events) or accounted for (for check in only events). This action requires confirmation and automatically logs override notes on affected students (typically reserved for district-level administrators).
- Safety Management Dashboard
- Safety Management Dashboard (View) - Allows the user to view the Safety Management Dashboard screen, which provides administrators with a real-time, centralized view of active events. This read-only dashboard displays key information such as student and staff statuses, assistance needs, reunification progress, and location distribution.
Student Fields
Reunification PIN
- Reunification PIN (View) - Allows the user to view the "Reunification PIN" student field in the Safety Management category in Student Info.
- Reunification PIN (Edit) - Allows the user to edit the "Reunification PIN" student field in the Safety Management category in Student Info. This permission also allows the user to click the "Assign Pin Numbers to Students" button in Safety Management Setup to assign PINs to students.
The "First Responder" profile is automatically created by Focus as an Admin role. The profile has several permissions enabled by default. First responders can access Focus using your district's Focus URL with /firstresponders appended to the end. The district can set up Single Sign-On with law enforcement and emergency responders. After logging in, first responders will be directly navigated to the Triage Report tab of the Safety Management screen.
Setup Menu
Under Portal, the "Allow Login" permission is enabled by default.
Students Menu
The View and Edit profile permissions to the Safety Management screen are enabled by default, as well as the View permission for "Bypass Requirement to Update Status," "Staff Check-In Status," and "Student Check-In Status." The View and Edit permissions are enabled for "Triage Report" and "Witness Report." See the Administrator Profile Permissions for details on each permission.
Teachers are granted access to Safety Management primarily for classroom-level accountability, student check-in, and assisting with reunification, based on district policy.
Students Menu
- Safety Management
- Safety Management (View) - Allows the teacher to view the Safety Management screen during an active event.
- Student Check-In Status
- Student Check-In Status (View) - Allows the teacher to view student check-in information for their scheduled class(es) during an active event, including current status and location.
- Student Check-In Status (Edit) - Allows the teacher to update student check-in statuses for students in their class or custom roster, including marking students as Accounted For, Needs Assistance, or Absent, updating locations, and entering assistance notes.
- Triage Report
- Triage Report (View) - Allows the teacher to view students who have been marked as Needs Assistance and assigned a triage category during an active event.
- Triage Report (Edit) - Allows the teacher to update triage levels, locations, and assistance notes for students appearing in the Triage Report.
- View Staff Triage Status - Allows the teacher to view staff on the Triage Report.
- Witness Report
- Witness Report (View) - Allows the teacher to view students marked as witnesses to an event, including recorded witness types and notes.
- Witness Report (Edit) - Allows the teacher to document witness information, update witness types, and enter or edit witness statements.
- View Staff Witness Status - Allows the teachers to view staff on the Witness Report.
- Reunification Status Report
- Reunification Status Report (View) - Allows the teacher to view reunification information for students assigned to their class(es) as well as the entire school, including the Student List, Waitlist (if enabled), and Reunified data.
- Reunification Status Report (Edit) - Allows the teacher to assist with reunification by verifying contacts, entering PINs or scanning QR codes, uploading photos (if required), and updating reunification statuses for their students as well as the entire school.
- Student/Waitlist subtab
- Student/Waitlist subtab (View) - Allows the teacher to view students awaiting reunification or verified on the waitlist.
- Student/Waitlist subtab (Edit) - Allows the teacher to verify contacts, move students to the waitlist, and complete reunification actions for students they are assisting with.
- Reunified subtab
- Reunified subtab (View) - Allows the teacher to view students who have already been successfully reunified, including release details and timestamps.
- Reunified subtab (Edit) - Allows the teacher to Undo the reunification and move the student back to previous list (the Waitlist tab or Student List to wait for reunion or reunion verification).
- Initiate Safety Event
- Initiate Safety Event (Edit) - Allows the teacher to initiate a Safety Management event, including selecting the event type, mode (Training, Drill, Alarm), and starting the event immediately or scheduling it for a future date and time.
- End Safety Management Event
- End Safety Management Event (Edit) - Allows the teacher to end an active Safety Management event once all required conditions are met. For reunification events, all students must be reunified. For check in only events, all students must be accounted for.
Parents are provided view-only access to reunification information for their students through the Parent Portal and the Focus mobile app.
My Child Menu
- Safety Management (View) - Allows the parent to access Safety Management information related to their linked student(s) from the Parent Portal.
- Reunification (View) - Allows the parent to view reunification information for their student(s) during an active Safety Management event.
- View Reunification PIN (View) - Allows the parent to view their student’s reunification PIN. This PIN is used to verify identity during student pickup and may also be represented as a QR code, depending on district settings.
- View Reunification Location (View) - Allows the parent to view the designated reunification location for an active reunification event, indicating where they should report to pick up their student.
System preferences control how reunification verification behaves during a Safety Management event. These settings should be reviewed after profile permissions are assigned and before configuring Safety Management Setup. Safety Management preferences are located below the Hall Pass preferences in the General tab. System Preferences can be set at the Default School Preferences level to apply across the district, or at the School Preferences level to apply only to the school selected at the top-right of the screen. See System Preferences for step-by-step guidance with setting up preferences.
General tab
- Require Photo Upload When Reunifying Students - This setting determines whether staff must capture or upload a photo of the reunification contact when releasing a student. When enabled, the reunification process cannot be completed until a photo has been uploaded. Photos captured during reunification are stored with the student’s reunification record and are available for review after the event. This setting applies to all reunification events for the selected scope.
- Reunification Verification - This setting determines how reunification contacts verify their identity during student pickup. Districts may select verification by Pin Number or QR Code.
- When Pin Number is selected, each student is assigned a reunification PIN that is displayed in the "Reunification Pin" student field in the Safety Management category in Student Info, and in the Safety Management screen in the Parent Portal. Staff manually enter this PIN during reunification to verify the contact.
- When QR Code is selected, a QR code as well as a PIN is generated for each student and displayed in the Safety Management screen in the Parent Portal. Staff may scan the QR code during reunification. The student’s PIN remains available as a secondary verification method.
- Changes to this setting apply to future reunification events and determine what verification options are presented to staff and parents.
The "Assign Pin Numbers to Students" button on the Safety Management Setup screen generates a four-digit reunification PIN for all active students at the selected school. These PINs are used to verify approved reunification contacts during student pickup.
After PINs are assigned, they are stored in the "Reunification Pin" student field in the Safety Management category in Student Info, and are displayed in the Safety Management screen in the Parent Portal. If a student is enrolled after PINs have already been generated, a PIN is automatically assigned during the enrollment process. Clicking the "Assign Pin Numbers to Students" button again will overwrite existing PINs for the selected school.
1. In the Setup menu, click Safety Management Setup.
2. In the Settings tab, click Assign Pin Numbers to Students.
A pop-up message is displayed indicating that PINs have been generated.
The "Reunification PIN" student field stores the student's PIN. This field is automatically assigned to the Safety Management category in Student Info.
The Events section of the Settings tab is used to define the types of Safety Management events that can be initiated within Focus. Each event determines the workflows that will be available during an incident, including whether the event supports check-in only or student reunification.
Once an event has been active, it can no longer be edited.
1. In the Setup menu, click Safety Management Setup.
2. In the Events section of the Settings tab, enter the event information in the blank row.
- Title - Enter the name of the event as it will appear when initiating a Safety Management event.
- Type - Select the type of event, which defines how the event behaves and determines which workflows are available. Events may be configured as Check In Only, Reunify, or Reunify with Waitlist. When initiating an event on the Safety Management screen, the Event Type will default to this selection, but can be changed, if needed.
- Sort Order - Enter the sort order, which controls the order in which events appear when initiating an event.
- Schools - Select the school(s) that will have access to the event. Events may be made available to one or multiple schools.
3. Click Save.
4. Click Choose Icon to select an icon to be used as the visual symbol associated with the event.
Icons appear throughout the Safety Management interface to help users quickly identify the event type.
5. To use a system image, click the desired image on the left side of the pop-up window.
To use your own image, drag an image file into the Your Images area on the right side of the screen, or click Choose a file and select an image file from your computer. Alternatively, click Take Photo and follow the prompts to take a photo using your device's camera.
Once a system image or custom image is selected, it will display in the Icon column.
6. To edit an icon for an event, click the image and select a new image in the pop-up window.
7. To edit the Title, Type, Sort Order, or Schools for an event, make your changes and click Save.
8. To delete an event, click the delete button (red minus sign) next to the Title.
9. In the confirmation message, click OK.
The row is grayed out. You must click Save to complete deletion.
10. Click Save.
The Check-In Statuses section of the Settings tab defines the status options used to track students and staff during an active Safety Management event. These statuses are predefined by Focus and cannot be added or removed.
Administrators may configure the display order and color associated with each status. These visual settings are applied consistently across Student Check-In, Staff Check-In, and related reports to support quick identification during an event.
1. In the Setup menu, click Safety Management Setup.
In the Check-In Statuses section of the Settings tab, the available check-in statuses are displayed.
- Accounted For - The student has been checked in and is accounted for. This status is used when a student is confirmed safe and present during an event.
- Awaiting Check-In - The student has not yet checked in and their location/status is unknown.
- Absent - The student was not present when the event began, and no further action is required.
- Needs Assistance - The student or staff member requires assistance, such as medical aid, and has not yet been attended to.
- Assistance Provided - The student or staff member has received the necessary assistance and is no longer in need of active response.
- Assistance Provided - Off Campus - The student or staff member has received assistance at an off-campus location and is not expected to continue through the on-campus reunification process.
2. Enter the Sort Order for each status, if desired.
3. Select a Color for each status, if desired.
4. Click Save.
The Portal Banners section of the Settings tab controls the messages displayed at the top of the Focus Portal and mobile app during an active Safety Management event. Portal banners are used to provide immediate, visible instructions or information to users when an event is in progress.
1. In the Setup menu, click Safety Management Setup.
2. In the Portal Banners section of the Settings tab, enter the information in the blank row.
- Title - Enter a short, descriptive name for the banner that will appear in the Portal. This title should be clear and concise to quickly communicate the purpose of the banner.
- Message - Enter the body text that will be displayed within the banner. This message should provide instructions or critical information for the event, such as guidance on safety protocols or status updates.
- Type - Select the type, which determines whether the banner is used for a Drill or Alarm event.
- Drill - The banner is used for training purposes and may have different messaging.
- Alarm - The banner is used for real emergencies and includes urgent messaging and notifications.
- Event - Select the event to associate with the banner. Only events that have been set up in the Events section of the Settings tab will be available for selection.
- Schools - Select the schools that should display the banner. The default is to apply the banner to all schools, but you can select specific schools as needed.
- Profiles - Select which user profiles will see the banner. The default is to display the banner to all profiles, but you can narrow the visibility to specific groups, such as administrators, teachers, or parents.
3. Click Save.
When the event ends, the Portal banner is automatically removed.
The Notifications section of the Settings tab controls the delivery of emergency messages during an active Safety Management event. Notifications can be sent via email, SMS, phone call, or push notification to users, based on the selected Communication template.
1. In the Setup menu, click Safety Management Setup.
2. In the Notifications section of the Settings tab, enter the information in the blank row.
- Title - Enter a short name for the notification, which helps identify it in the system.
- Notification - Select from pre-configured templates in the Communication module. These templates define the content of the message and the method of delivery. Templates must be created in the Communication module before they can be used in Safety Management Setup.
- Type - Select the event type (Drill or Alarm) for which the notification will be sent. Drill notifications are typically for training purposes, while Alarm notifications are sent during real emergencies.
- Event - Select the event to associate with the notification. This ensures that the right notification is sent for the appropriate event. Only events that have been set up in the Events section of the Settings tab will be available for selection.
- Schools - Select which schools will receive the notification. The default is to apply the notification to all schools, but you can select specific schools as needed.
- Profiles - Select which user profiles will receive the notification. You can narrow down the recipients to specific user groups, such as staff, students, or parents.
- Message - Enter a short description of the notification being set for this event type
3. Click Save.
The Assistance Alerts section of the Settings tab determines which administrative profiles receive notifications when a staff member or student is marked as needing assistance during an active Safety Management event. These alerts ensure that designated responders are quickly notified when assistance is required, enabling a faster response time.
Administrators can configure which profiles will receive notifications for staff and student assistance alerts. This helps ensure that the right personnel are notified based on their role and responsibilities during an event.
1. In the Setup menu, click Safety Management Setup.
2. In the Assistance Alerts section of the Settings tab, enter the information in the blank row.
- Schools - Select which schools will trigger assistance alerts. You can select one or more schools.
- Profiles - Select which profiles will receive assistance notifications. You can select specific roles (such as emergency responders or district-level staff) to be alerted when a staff member or student requires assistance.
3. Click Save.
Assistance alerts apply to both student check-in and staff check-in workflows, ensuring that any individual marked as needing assistance is quickly identified and supported.
The Attendance section of the Settings tab controls how the system determines which students are automatically marked as absent during a Safety Management event. This ensures that students who are not expected to be on campus are not mistakenly flagged as unaccounted for during an event.
1. In the Setup menu, click Safety Management Setup.
2. In the Attendance section of the Settings tab, enter the information in the blank row.
- Type - Select whether the system uses Daily or Period attendance records to mark students as absent. This setting ensures that students who are absent (based on attendance data) are not included in the check-in process during an event.
- Schools - Select which schools the attendance rule applies to. You can select one or more schools to configure the rule.
- Grade Levels - Select the specific grade levels that the rule applies to. This is useful when different attendance types are required for elementary and secondary schools.
- Periods - (Applicable only when Period attendance is selected) Select which periods to check for absence codes during an event.
- Attendance Codes - Select which attendance codes are considered Absent. This ensures the system accurately identifies students who were marked absent before the event began.
3. Click Save.
The Safe Locations section of the Locations tab allows administrators to define the designated locations where students and staff should report during an active Safety Management event. These locations are used during events such as lockdowns, evacuations, and drills.
Each safe location can be school-specific (only available to the selected school) or district-wide (available across all schools in the district).
1. In the Setup menu, click Safety Management Setup.
2. Click the Locations tab.
3. In the Safe Locations section of the screen, enter the information in the blank row.
- Safe Location - Enter the name of the safe location (e.g., West Side Parking Lot, Gym, Football Field, etc.).
- District-Wide - Select the check box to indicate that the location is available across all schools in the district. Leave unselected if the location is only available to the selected school.
4. Click Save.
Safe locations are displayed on both the Student and Staff Check-In screens and are used to monitor where students and staff are during the event.
In the Assign Safe Locations section in the Locations tab, administrators can map safe locations to specific events and rooms. This ensures that during an event, only the relevant safe locations are presented to staff based on the event type and location of the classrooms. This setup is school-specific.
1. In the Setup menu, click Safety Management Setup.
2. Click the Locations tab.
3. In the Assign Safe Locations section of the screen, enter the information in the blank row.
- Event - Select the type of event that will trigger the use of a safe location (e.g., Lockdown, Fire, Evacuation).
- Safe Location - Select the safe location assigned to the event (e.g., East Side Parking Lot, Gym, etc.). The safe locations set up in the Safe Locations section of the screen are available for selection.
- Rooms - Select the rooms associated with the safe location. This field helps ensure that staff in specific classrooms are directed to the appropriate safe location during the event.
4. Click Save.
The Reunification Locations section of the Locations tab defines the specific locations where students should be reunited with their families or approved contacts during a reunification event. Each reunification location is associated with a specific event. This setup is school-specific.
This setting is essential for managing the reunification process, especially when multiple schools are involved in the same event.
1. In the Setup menu, click Safety Management Setup.
2. Click the Locations tab.
3. In the Assign Reunification Locations section of the screen, enter the information in the blank row.
- Event - Select the event type (e.g., Evacuation, Lockdown) that triggers this reunification location.
- Reunification Location - Enter the location where students will meet their parents/contacts (e.g., Focus Community Center, East Side Parking Lot). This location is designated during the event to facilitate reunification.
- Enabled - Select the check box to enable the reunification location, making the location active and available for the event; if unselected, the location is disabled and will not be used.
4. Click Save.
Reunification locations are displayed in both the Parent Portal and the Safety Management screen, ensuring that parents and staff are aligned on where to meet during an active event.