National Heritage Academies Expands Safe Schools Week to Digital Environments
A charter network uses internet monitoring software and parent education to safeguard 80,000 daily online activities during Safe Schools Week.
- By Jesse Jacobs
- October 20, 2026
Physical safety protocols in K-12 education increasingly share space with digital threat monitoring as schools adapt to pervasive internet access among students.
During Safe Schools Week, National Heritage Academies is highlighting digital threat detection alongside traditional emergency preparations. The network operates 105 partner schools serving thousands of students across multiple states.
To monitor digital activity on campus network infrastructure, all schools within the network utilize BARK for Schools. The automated monitoring system scans approximately 80,000 daily searches, emails and online activities conducted across student Google accounts and school internet connections. The software flags indicators of self-harm, potential violence, bullying and inappropriate search queries, immediately routing alerts to campus safety personnel for intervention.
Safety administrators emphasize that digital risk extends beyond physical school grounds, requiring coordination between educational institutions and households.
Network safety administrators hosted a joint digital safety seminar with youth online advocacy group Protect Young Eyes to provide guidance for guardians. Safety experts recommend that parents initiate regular, low-consequence discussions regarding technology habits and maintain open communication channels to address digital crises when they arise.
The digital monitoring initiatives run concurrently with standard safety protocols during the observance week, including first responder visits, severe weather drills and emergency response planning.