Paint Branch HS Becomes a Safe Schools Maryland Gold School

The Montgomery County Public School becomes first high school in the State of Maryland to earn such a recognition from the Maryland Center for School Safety (MCSS) and Governor.

Since it was launched in 2018, the Safe Schools Maryland anonymous reporting system has given students, teachers, school staff, parents, and the general public an anonymous and seamless way to report any school or student safety ​concerns 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year. To date, Safe Schools Maryland has received over 1,400 anonymous reports and some of these reports have saved lives. 

Whether students are concerned about mental issues, self-harm or violence, anyone can use Safe Schools Maryland, which is accessible by phone at 1-833-MD-B-SAFE (1-833-632-7233), online at safeschoolsmd.org, and by downloading the free app via the App Store or Google Play. 

Since Safe Schools Maryland was launched four years ago the Maryland Center for School Safety (MCSS) has happily presented to audiences across the state about the anonymous reporting system. Yet, it wasn’t until last school year that the Maryland Center for School Safety started to offer a way in which individual schools could be recognized for educating their diverse community members about the invaluable resource that is Safe Schools Maryland. 

The Safe Schools Maryland Gold, Silver, and Bronze program incentivizes schools to educate their communities about the Safe Schools Maryland anonymous reporting system.

Learn how Paint Branch became a Safe Schools Maryland Gold School here.

To gain an audience with even a group of students, staff, or parents is hard enough – especially during a global pandemic that has reshuffled schedules and upended traditional learning environments. To gain an audience with all three of these groups – students, staff, and parents – is particularly impressive, and that’s why we reserve Safe Schools Maryland Gold School status for only those schools that can pull off the complete trifecta. 

As the first high school in the State of Maryland to be recognized as a Safe Schools Maryland Gold School, Paint Branch High School prioritized its commitment to school safety by allowing MCSS team members to speak to students, staff, and the greater parent community about the invaluable resource that is Safe Schools Maryland, and the school was recognized for this feat with a small ceremony in the school’s auditorium on February 16, 2022.

Dr. Afie Mirshah-Nayar, Paint Branch’s Principal, says that during COVID-19’s early months she saw an increase in anxiety and stress exhibited by members of the school community.

“Mental health issues impact our schools. Kids were home, without the close connection to the faculty and other students.” She said it was clear they needed an extra layer of support during these tough times. She decided to be proactive by ensuring her students, parents, and community members understood Safe Schools Maryland represented an extra way – beyond going to a trusted adult – that individuals could share their safety concerns. 

Kate Hession, Executive Director of the Maryland Center for School Safety (MCSS, in presenting the Governor’s Citation, said, “We are so proud of the schools, and in particular, their leaders, who are prioritizing getting information about Safe Schools Maryland in front of their student, staff, and parent communities, and Paint Branch High School, and in particular Dr. Mirshah, the principal here at Paint Branch, has led the charge and that’s why we are here today.” She added, “Dr. Mirshah, thank you for leading the way both in Montgomery County and in Maryland. Thank you for your leadership and thank you for valuing the Safe Schools Maryland Anonymous Reporting System.”

Is your school ready to go for the gold? Start your journey to become a Safe Schools Maryland Bronze, Silver, or Gold School today.