PARMA, Ohio — The City of Parma has brought back an initiative to teach little ones about safety.
Safety Town is designed to help pre-k children gain a better understanding of the importance of safety in their own lives.
Some of the Safety Town topics include:
- Personal Identification
- Fire Safety
- Railroad Safety
- Pedestrian Safety
- Driver Safety
- Bicycle Safety
- School Bus Safety
- Stranger Danger
- and 911 Instruction
The city set aside $40,000 for the program and the total capacity of it is 200 students across 10 sessions.
The program runs from July through August.
Safety Town is not mandatory prior to entering kindergarten, but it's an opportunity Shannon Check was fully on board with for her oldest son, Jackson, who has ADHD.
For Jackson or any Parma child to be eligible, proof of Fall 2025 kindergarten enrollment and proof of child residency are needed.
After registering, a check in the amount of $25 to the City of Parma must be provided.
Check provided the necessary documents to the city. Jackson, an incoming student at First Step Preschool, was deemed eligible to participate in this summer's Safety Town.
"I tried to sign him up for the safety town in our city and they needed an aide for him to participate. I couldn't provide an aide and I couldn't be his aide either way so he wouldn't be able to participate in this class," Check said.
Check emailed the city's safety department in June for help.
"I’m very sorry to share that our Safety Town program is not currently equipped to support special education or special needs services," Parma Safety Director Bob Coury told her. "We unfortunately do not have the staffing, resources, or expertise needed to provide individualized support or accommodations."
Check said it broke her heart as a mom to read that response, as she felt like her son wasn't as important as children who do not have special needs.
"It's really hard when they're not recognized because then us moms have to keep fighting for their rights to be included," Check said.
I reached out to Coury for more information.
Parma’s Safety Town is open to every child who meets the program’s school attendance and residency requirements. This is our first year for the program, and children with developmental disabilities have already attended Safety Town. We welcome and encourage participation from all families.
For children who require one-on-one assistance, we do ask the parent or guardian to provide support during the sessions to ensure the child’s safety and learning experience. This approach is consistent with other similar community-based programs.
Looking ahead, we recognize the importance of making Safety Town even more accessible to children of all abilities.
Beginning in summer 2026, the City of Parma will enhance programming through a collaboration with the Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities.
According to Coury, the city will take the following steps:
- Curriculum Enhancements: We will revise the program curriculum to ensure it meets the needs of children with developmental disabilities.
- Inclusive Messaging: We will update the Safety Town website and registration materials to ensure they reflect inclusive and welcoming language.
- Staff Training: All Safety Town instructors will receive additional training to improve their ability to educate and support children of all abilities.
"We are committed to making Safety Town a safe, educational, and inclusive experience for every child," Coury said.
Check said that hearing of the incoming changes is music to her ears.
"Very happy," she told me. "Keep emailing, keep calling, keep picking at them until you get a response because if you don't, who's gonna advocate for your child?"
Safety Town classes will run through Aug. 7.