Purpose: The overall purpose of this journal-ready dissertation was to determine the degree to which school level (i.e., elementary, middle, and high schools) and school urbanicity (i.e., city, suburb, town, and rural) were related to written safety plans (i.e., active shooter, hostage, bomb, and pandemic flu/disease threats) and drilled safety…

This article reports on the role, activities, and lessons learned of a state mental health authority--the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services--in responding to the mental health needs of families and community members following the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. Following the introduction, we provide a brief…

School counselors have an ethical and professional responsibility to offer counseling services during crises such as a school shooting. Limited research has explored the lived experiences and practices of school counselors who have experienced a school shooting. This article discusses a qualitative case study investigating school counselors'…

Shortly after the attack on Sandy Hook Elementary School that killed 20 children and six school staff members on December 14, 2012, Connecticut Governor Dannel P. Malloy established the Sandy Hook Advisory Commission to review laws, policies, and practices in place at the time to make recommendations to reduce the probability of another attack.…

In response to the killing of 20 children and 6 adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 17, 2012, this position statement argues that research supports a thoughtful approach to safer schools, guided by four key elements--balance, communication, connectedness, and support--along with strengthened attention to mental health needs in the…

A major school crisis can cause physical and emotional distress as well as impact student academic performance. The purpose of this study was to use a web-based survey to explore Missouri school counselors' perceptions of individual and school-wide crisis preparedness and crisis training experiences. Results indicate that the more involved school…

A tragic school shooting occurred in Brazil on April 7, 2011. A young adult male returned to the school that he had previously attended, Tasso da Silveira in Realengo, and shot and killed 13 and wounded another 20 students or teachers. Realengo, a suburb of Rio de Janeiro, is composed of hard working lower and middle class families with strong…

The purpose of this case study was to evaluate the perceptions of participants regarding their effectiveness in responding to defiant student violence as a crisis response team, following crisis response team training. The participants were a group of 10 volunteer PK-6 public school educators from western Wisconsin. The study took place during the…

Some tragedies are so emblazoned in people's minds that years later they can recall where they were when they first heard the news. The assassinations of John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr., the Challenger explosion, and the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks are among these events. So also is the Columbine High School tragedy of April 20, 1999.…

Traditionally, violent acts against children in Japan were considered private, isolated incidents largely outside the reach of government policy and legal action. Increasingly, however, public perception in Japan, mainly driven by the mass media, has shifted away from such complacency. A few well-publicized attacks on children have forced Mombusho…

Education in emergencies comprises learning opportunities for all ages. It encompasses early childhood development, primary, secondary, non-formal, technical, vocational, higher and adult education. In emergency situations through to recovery, quality education provides physical, psychosocial and cognitive protection that can sustain and save…

This article presents a case study designed for use in educational leadership courses to heighten awareness of what is required of tomorrow's principals when it comes to assuming ultimate responsibility for student safety. Since the Columbine High School shootings in Littleton, Colorado, in April 1999, many other incidents of students bringing…

Dunblane Primary School, Scotland, and Columbine High School, USA. Two headline tragedies that have led to trauma for their pupils and staff. Trauma that could be devastating because of the psychological impact and the practical requirements a crisis brings. Children's social and personal development can be negatively affected, their academic…