Branford May Join Guilford in “Say Something” School Program

Branford schools may soon follow the lead of neighboring Guilford in adopting the Say Something Anonymous Reporting System (SS-ARS).

Madison is also studying the program.

The Say Something Anonymous Reporting System (SS-ARS) allows students to submit secure and anonymous safety concerns to help identify and intervene with at-risk individuals before they hurt themselves or others.

Concerned students simply submit a tip using the SS- ARS app, website, or by calling a dedicated 24/7 crisis center. SHP’s crisis center then triages the tip and communicates it back to the identified school district contacts and, as needed, to law enforcement.

Guilford Public Schools recently announced its partnership with Sandy Hook Promise (SHP), a leading gun violence prevention organization, to roll out the to students districtwide.

Guilford parent Kristin Song contacted school superintendent Paul Freeman in early spring of this year encouraging the schools to adopt SS-ARS.

Since the tragic loss of their 15-year-old son, Ethan, in January who died from a gunshot, Kristin and Mike Song have established the Ethan Miller Song Foundation dedicated to keeping kids safe.

The Foundation’s mission includes gun safety and advocacy, educating on the dangers of opioid abuse, texting and driving and the promotion of the Say Something Anonymous Reporting System.

Back in Branford, School Superintendent Hamlet Hernandez stated, at a recent Board of Education meeting, that he was familiar with the program. Superintendent Hernandez stated that the District has not adopted it, but is contemplating it, and he would encourage the Board to have a robust conversation about this.

Hernandez continued by stating that we need to be able to look at it, partner with other communities that have used it and see how it has worked and also see what we can learn from these communities. He concluded by saying that it is certainly something that is being looked at.

The Say Something Anonymous Reporting System is managed and maintained by a national digital leader in the school safety space and a 24/7 Crisis Center who is a national compliance leader, both have 20+ years of experience.

SHP provides overall management and training of SS-ARS to school districts and students and pays for 100% of the costs through donations, grants, and other gifts, to train and sustain the program in a school district.