Puyallup ELC Blog

Hello, Cascade Christian Family! I am blessed and filled with gratitude to be welcomed into the Cougar community. As I step into the role of Safety & Security director, it is my responsibility to establish programs, procedures, and training to increase the safety of all CCS campuses. I will be working closely with the legendary Michael Hawkins in creating the safest and most secure environment for our students, staff, and families.  

My background and training are in psychology, athletics, personal protection, and the military. For the past seven years I’ve worked in environments helping to ensure the safety of people, their property, and their families.  

God has led me to Cascade Christian Schools, where I’m eager to use my knowledge and experience to help the CCS community in any way I can. The safety of CCS students is the utmost priority for our Safety & Security Team. Our mission is to shape CCS into the safest and most secure district in the nation. But we can’t do it alone! Charging forward, we’re working with organizations, the community, and law enforcement to build the following:

• Parent-Involvement Programs: These programs will incorporate parents into the school day, after-school activities, and meet-and-greets with the Safety & Security Team to ensure the whole school community is involved in our students’ well-being.
• Law Enforcement / Fire / EMS joint training exercises: We are working with first responders to get their expert advice as well as to facilitate efficient response times and communication in the event of an emergency.
• Increased Physical Security Measures: Risk assessments, critical-site analysis, and recommendations are being conducted to ensure our schools are secure, both inside and outside.
• A Comprehensive Targeted Violence Prevention Program: We are using models developed by the military, Secret Service, and private security agencies to aid us in creating a prevention program that helps students, faculty, and families prevent problems before they happen.  

Thank you for entrusting me in this position. I am humbled and immensely grateful to be a part of this wonderful community. Please reach out with any questions or concerns. You can reach me at PetersenJ@CascadeChristian.org.  

Read the full article, including more about Jake’s background and how God has prepared him for this role.