Today kicks off the first Michigan Safe Schools Week with speakers, presentations and a “Best In Show” poster and project judging contest at the Capitol Rotunda from 10 to 11 a.m.

As facilitator of Michigan Safe Schools Initiative workshops in the School of Criminal Justice, Audrey Martini said the purpose of the week is to have schools reassess safety measures and precautions.

“It is to raise awareness of creating a safe learning environment, not just physical but mentally as well,” she said.

A bulletin was sent to all Michigan school districts requesting they participate in the week by holding a contest where students create posters and projects that emphasize keeping schools safe. They were then to be judged by the school district and sent to the School of Criminal Justice to appear at the Capitol.

Don Weatherspoon, assistant superintendent of the Department of Education, said officials were asking all school districts to review their procedures and plans related to safe schools and to share those plans and expectations with their communities.

“We want to reinforce the fact that schools are safe and we want kids to continue to think of their schools as a place to learn, socialize and grow,” he said. “Safe Schools Week really heightens our awareness of the need to maintain a vigilance for safety and this is a a chance for the renewal of that awareness. Things change in our schools and societies and so do our events. We really want people to think about it as a unified basis opposed to an individual basis.

“The poster and project contest try to recognize children and to look at the issue of safe schools through the eyes of a child.

Sheridan Rhoads, safe schools program coordinator for the Michigan Safe Schools Initiative, looks at the event as being a very positive thing.

“I hope the kickoff event will spur the community to take a look at what they’re doing and not to let safe schools be taken for granted again like they were for years,” he said.

Guest speakers appearing at the kickoff include Weatherspoon; state Sen. Bill Van Regenmorter, R-Georgetown Township; Lt. Gov. Dick Posthumous, Col. Michael Robinson, director of the Michigan State Police; and Craig Yaldoo, director of the Office of Drug Control Policy.