Safety at Interlochen

At Interlochen, student safety and well-being are our top priority. We are committed to fostering a nurturing, inclusive, and secure environment where students thrive artistically, academically, and personally. Our protection of minors program is based on a complex ecosystem of written policies, routine practices, education and training, monitoring, and vigilance – all of which intersect and reinforce one another to minimize risk and promote safety and accountability for all Academy and Camp students and participants.

Campus Access & Physical Security

All vehicle entrances to the Interlochen campus are gated and monitored.
Campus Safety staff are based at the Interlochen Welcome Center and oversee all visitor management, ID protocols, and emergency response coordination.
All employees, volunteers, and visitors receive credentials that must be worn visibly at all times while on campus. Individuals without visible credentials are returned to Campus Safety.
Interlochen facilities are equipped with building access controls and comprehensive security camera coverage to help monitor and protect campus environments.

Campus Safety & Student Supervision

Interlochen maintains a robust, 24/7 campus safety operation. Trained safety personnel are stationed in buildings throughout campus, oversee access points and security cameras, and conduct security checks across campus to support the safety and security of our students, employees, and guests.
Faculty and staff supervise students in classrooms, residence halls, and during all student /activities, ensuring support in all academic and residential settings.
All employees undergo comprehensive background checks and screening prior to employment.
For faculty and staff, Interlochen maintains rigorous safety protocols, and one-on-one interactions with students are limited. While private music lessons are conducted individually, instructional spaces have been designed to ensure visibility and accountability. The Music Center, built in 2019, intentionally incorporated windows into practice rooms and studios as part of its safety-focused design. Windows must remain unobstructed during private lessons, providing visibility while preserving an appropriate learning environment.
Interlochen does not permit unsupervised contact between students and any visiting adults who are not employees.

Background Checks

All Interlochen staff undergo multiple background checks prior to employment, including but not limited to:

County and national criminal history screenings.
Sex offender registry checks.
Department of Health and Human Services child abuse/neglect clearance for all staff 21 and over.

All Interlochen trustees also undergo background checks prior to being appointed to the board.

Faculty, Staff, Volunteer, and Trustee Training

All faculty, staff, volunteers, and trustees are required to be trained annually on mandatory reporting and appropriate student contact, and all faculty and staff are required to participate in annual meetings on mandated reporting. In addition, Interlochen maintains clear guidelines for interactions between trustees and students, which are shared in trustee orientations and reinforced annually.

All education staff receive extensive education and training on appropriate student contact, behavior management, and professional boundaries. Education staff participate in regular meetings and workshops covering:

Mandated Reporting: All education staff are mandatory reporters under Michigan state law and are required to report their suspected child abuse or neglect through Children’s Protective Services. This mandatory reporting requirement is documented in policy, reinforced through training, and reiterated in practice.
Student Behavior Management: All educational staff are trained on how to foster appropriate and respectful community behavior in and outside of the classroom.
Student Development and Care: All education faculty and staff are trained on age-appropriate student development care, as well as professional boundaries and relationships.

Emergency Procedures & Safety Planning

Interlochen maintains a comprehensive site emergency plan and collaborates with local emergency responders.
Regular drills (lockdowns, fire drills, etc.) are conducted in partnership with local emergency responders.
Interlochen has partnered with Safe Havens International to conduct comprehensive campus safety reviews and completed a FEMA-aligned Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA).
Interlochen has also partnered with Project IX (Now Grand River Solutions) and ATIXA (Association of Title IX Administrators) to evaluate all policies, procedures, and programs to protect students against sexual and gender-based harassment, misconduct, or abuse.

Safety at Concerts & Performances

Safety measures are tailored to each event and may include:

Metal detectors and bag checks at entry points
On-site presence of local law enforcement and EMT personnel
Clearly marked entrances, exits, and emergency evacuation routes
Event-specific protocols managed by Campus Safety in coordination with venue and production teams

Housing & Guest Access

Access to student living spaces at Interlochen is strictly controlled to ensure the safety and privacy of all students.

Academy Housing: All Academy living areas have controlled access which requires an ID that electronically controls entry, and students and visitors must check in with the front desk upon entering, which is monitored by staff. No one may enter Academy residential spaces without proper authorization.
Camp Housing: Only enrolled campers and designated Camp Life staff are permitted in camp housing divisions beyond closely monitored check-in and check-out times. Anyone who is not a camper or Camp Life staff—including parents, donors, alumni, trustees, or other guests—must check in at the division headquarters with a photo ID and is not permitted beyond this area.
Stone Hotel and Cottages: Interlochen operates a public hotel on campus, which is physically separate from both Academy and Camp housing. Hotel guests do not have access to any student living spaces.

Interlochen Core Values and Community

All staff and students receive education on how to build an inclusive community that aligns with Interlochen Core Values: Just an Idea, Drawn Here, The Artist’s Journey, and Solo e Tutti. At Interlochen, we are drawn together in community, on our artist’s journey, working individually and together.
Interlochen Center for the Arts is committed to building a community where every voice is not only heard but deeply valued. Our dedication to fostering an inclusive environment enhances all we do.

Community Building

Academy students participate in structured programs that communicate the values, norms and expectations of Interlochen, fostering a community of respect for all. These programs include:

Annual orientation and educational sessions for Academy students and parents that reinforce community expectations and ensure students and families understand how to report concerns.
Weekly Advisory meetings where students engage in developmentally appropriate discussions on key topics, guided by faculty mentors.
Weekly Community Meetings, whole school assemblies, where the entire Interlochen community connects around essential learnings.
Residential Programming that reinforces lessons in empathy, independence, collaboration, and responsibility.
Community Service requirements that enable students to contribute to projects that embody Interlochen’s values and practice social responsibilities.

This education equips students not only to succeed at Interlochen but to thrive in an evolving world, where leadership and empathy are needed.

Student Support

Academy students receive multi-pronged support through:

Onboarding and orientation programming, including extra support for our youngest students.
Peer Mentoring, where 9th and 10th grade students are partnered with select and recommended 11th and 12th grade mentors, to help them feel comfortable at Interlochen.
Mental Health Support and Counseling Services, including 24/7 crisis counseling through our partner, Uwill.
A full, on-campus health provider clinic, open sixteen hours per day for treatment of illness and injuries, and 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for urgent matters.
Health education, including sex education and substance use prevention seminars.
Affinity groups and issue-based support groups.

Protection from Discrimination

Interlochen adheres to all applicable federal and state laws prohibiting discrimination and harassment in employment and education. Interlochen does not discriminate in its admissions practices, in its employment practices, or in its educational programs or activities. Interlochen also prohibits retaliation against any person opposing discrimination or participating in any discrimination investigation or complaint process internal or external to the institution.
All employees are trained on protecting students and staff from discrimination of any kind.

Digital & Social Media Safety

Interlochen upholds clear expectations for responsible digital conduct. Bullying, harassment, or other harmful behavior on social media or digital platforms violates community standards and is not tolerated.
Through Interlochen’s Advisory programming, students are encouraged to reflect critically on their social media use and online presence.

Oversight

Interlochen’s accrediting body, the Independent Schools Association of Central States, ISACS, as well as the State of Michigan, which licenses Interlochen, regularly reviews all of our operational areas, including our health, wellness, and safety policies.
The Audit & Risk Management Committee of our Board of Trustees actively reviews policies, procedures, and safety practices, including a periodic review of child protection policies and a summary of reported incidents or concerns from the prior academic year to ensure oversight, monitoring, and accountability.

Reporting Pathways

Interlochen provides multiple reporting pathways, including internal reporting options to share concerns about boundary violations or misconduct and external reporting options to share concerns about suspected abuse or neglect with external authorities. Students, faculty, and staff are supported in bringing forth concerns and Interlochen is committed to fully investigating and resolving the reports to support child safety and accountability.

Interlochen maintains an anonymous reporting form on our website. Reports submitted through that form are automatically routed to designated senior administrators, who share responsibility for monitoring, reviewing, and ensuring appropriate follow-up. Any reports of adult-to-student misconduct are shared directly with the President, along with a review of actions taken and next steps. This team-based structure helps ensure that concerns are addressed promptly, consider all available information, and are reviewed by a multi-disciplinary team, rather than delegated to an individual.
As a Michigan school, Interlochen also participates in the State of Michigan’s OK2SAY program. OK2SAY is a confidential student safety reporting system that allows individuals to confidentially submit tips about potential harm or criminal activity involving students, employees, or the school without involving administration. Reports made through OK2SAY are shared through a comprehensive communication system to facilitate tip sharing among students, parents, school officials, community mental health providers, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, and law enforcement, as appropriate, about harmful behaviors that threaten to disrupt the learning environment. This provides another mechanism for students and families to report concerns externally and does not rely solely on internal channels. OK2SAY signs are posted on campus.
Students can also report concerns directly to any trusted adult in the community—including residential faculty, classroom teachers, counselors, advisors, and Campus Safety personnel. Employees, volunteers, and trustees participate in annual training on their mandatory reporting responsibilities. This training instructs employees, volunteers, and trustees who have a reasonable suspicion of physical, sexual, or emotional abuse, neglect, or exposure to unsafe environments (such as drugs or violence), to report this activity to their supervisor and/or school administration immediately. When there is a suspicion of child abuse or neglect, this information is reported to Child Protective Services.
Students may also contact Campus Safety directly or call 911 in an emergency.

Safety Concerns

We prioritize the safety of our students and review all concerns through the lens of child protection. Any report of misconduct, safety concern, or violation of our community standards is investigated promptly in accordance with the law. Concerns can be reported directly: