Healthy routines. Thoughtful systems. Prepared adults.
How Does GMPS Keep Children Healthy & Safe?
At Glenview Methodist Preschool, children’s health and safety are supported in layers. We use thoughtful everyday practices and multiple systems working together — including classroom cleaning and handwashing routines, illness monitoring, physical security, prepared adults, active supervision, emergency planning, and clear communication — so children can focus on being children.
GMPS has also made substantial investments in building security, including approximately $118,000 in improvements funded through the IEMA Non-profit Security Grant.
How We Support a Healthy School Environment
Keeping children healthy is part of our everyday routine. Classrooms and shared spaces are cleaned and disinfected regularly, children and staff practice frequent handwashing, and teachers monitor children for signs of illness throughout the day.
For routine classroom cleaning and disinfecting, GMPS uses Force of Nature, a non-toxic, EPA-registered disinfectant that allows us to clean classroom surfaces effectively while using a gentler alternative to many traditional cleaning products.
GMPS also follows established guidelines for when children should remain home or be excluded from school because of illness. When families need to be aware of exposure to a communicable illness in their child’s classroom, GMPS provides a health alert so parents have the information they need to monitor their child.
What Does “Layered Safety” Mean at GMPS?
Safety at GMPS is not one locked door, one policy, or one piece of equipment.
We use multiple layers of protection so that if one system is not enough on its own, other systems are already in place.
- 1
Secure Environment
Controlled access protects the building, preschool wing, and classroom areas.
- 2
Prepared Adults
Staff training, certifications, drills, and clearly defined responsibilities.
- 3
Active Supervision
Teachers stay alert, account for children, and anticipate risks throughout the day.
- 4
Emergency Readiness
Supplies, hard-copy rosters, communication plans, and evacuation procedures.
- 5
Continuous Review
We review, practice, and improve our procedures with local first responders.
No single system is our safety plan. The layers work together.
How Has GMPS Invested in Physical Security?
GMPS received approximately $118,000 through the IEMA Non-profit Security Grant, allowing us to make substantial improvements to the physical security of our preschool and the larger building.
The project was designed to create multiple layers of protection rather than depend on any single security measure.
The preschool wing is secured at both ends during the school day, creating an additional controlled-access layer between the rest of the building and the preschool classrooms.
Layered Controlled Access
- Electronic access control at exterior doors throughout the building
- The preschool wing is secured at both ends during the school day
- Controlled access at the entrances to the preschool wing
- Higher-security replacement doors at preschool-wing entrances and classroom doors
- Additional secured interior access points, including shared spaces
Visitor & Emergency Systems
- Camera-equipped doorbell system so visitors can be identified before entry
- Panic buttons in classrooms and the preschool office
- Security window film on glass doors and adjacent glass panels
- Additional locks that create layers of security before reaching the preschool area
Who Can Enter the Preschool?
GMPS uses controlled access rather than allowing visitors to enter the preschool freely.
During the school day, the preschool wing is secured at both ends, adding another layer of protection between the larger building and the preschool classrooms.
Visitors communicate with the office through our camera-equipped entry system and are identified before access is granted.
Additional secured access points provide layers of protection between the building exterior and preschool classrooms.
How Are GMPS Teachers Prepared for Emergencies?
Security equipment is only one part of a strong safety plan. GMPS teachers maintain training and certifications that prepare them to respond to everyday injuries as well as more serious emergencies.
CPR + First Aid
GMPS teachers are CPR and First Aid certified.
Stop the Bleed
Teachers are trained to respond to severe bleeding while emergency help is on the way.
2 AEDs
Two automated external defibrillators are available in the building.
GPD + GFD
Annual training with Glenview Police and Fire helps us review and strengthen our procedures.
At our 2026 annual safety training, GPD and GFD personnel gave GMPS an ‘A+’ for our safety protocols and policies. We are proud of that feedback — and we continue looking for ways to improve.
How Does GMPS Prepare If Normal Systems Are Down?
Emergency planning has to work even if technology or cell service does not.
Each classroom has an emergency bag, and GMPS maintains an emergency binder with essential information and procedures.
Each Classroom Emergency Bag Includes
- Current class rosters and photographs of children
- First-aid and basic safety supplies, Stop the Bleed kit
- Information teachers may need if phones or digital systems are unavailable
Our Backup Planning Includes
- A central emergency binder with procedures and key information
- Staff roles and practiced emergency routines
- An off-site evacuation and family reunification plan
How Will Families Hear From GMPS in an Emergency?
If an emergency requires us to leave the GMPS campus, families will receive instructions and updates through Brightwheel, including information about where and how children will be reunited with their families.
Please keep Brightwheel notifications turned on and make sure your family contact information is current. In an emergency, Brightwheel is our primary communication tool with enrolled families.
How Is Safety Built Into Every School Day?
Active Supervision
Teachers position themselves to see and hear children, scan the environment, and pay particular attention during transitions.
Arrival + Dismissal
Our established car-line routines create a predictable handoff directly between families and GMPS staff.
Secure Visitor Entry
Visitors communicate with the office through our camera-equipped entry system and are identified before access is granted.
How Does GMPS Keep Reviewing and Improving Safety?
We do not consider a safety plan something that gets written once and put on a shelf.
Each year, GMPS reviews our procedures and works with the Glenview Police Department and Glenview Fire Department during staff safety training.
Their feedback helps us refine protocols, practice responses, and make improvements as needs and best practices evolve.
No single system is our safety plan. The layers work together.
Can Preschool Be Safe Without Feeling Restrictive?
Yes.
The purpose of all of these systems is not to make preschool feel like a high-security environment.
It is actually the opposite.
When thoughtful adults have taken care of the safety planning, children are free to play, explore, build, run, make friends, try new things, and become more independent.
The adults take care of the safety so children can concentrate on being children.
What Can Families Do to Support School Safety?
- Keep Brightwheel notifications turned on
- Keep emergency contacts and authorized pickup information current
- Follow class-specific arrival and dismissal instructions
- Follow Brightwheel instructions if an evacuation or reunification is ever needed
- Read school safety communications when they are sent
- Ask us if you have questions about a procedure or your child’s safety
About the Author
Written by Karen Coan, M.A. in Education, Director of Glenview Methodist Preschool
Karen has served as Director of GMPS since 2016 and works closely with teachers and families on curriculum, school transitions, behavior guidance, safety, staff development, and program planning.
Last updated: October 2026