Is your school prepared to deal with a crisis, whether it's a hurricane, an earthquake, an explosion at a nearby chemical facility, an active shooter, or one of many other possibilities? Does your school have an up-to-date plan to deal with hazards of all sorts? Do teachers and other staff members know what to do in emergency situations to protect…

Since March of 2020, educational communities have largely been in survival mode with little attention, time, or resources allocated to the ongoing work of school safety and violence prevention. Planning and implementing initiatives for a return to school cannot just focus on a return to "normal" because of significant increases in other…

Tragic events in recent years underscore the need for school to be a safe and positive learning environment for every student. In the absence of a safe and positive learning environment, a student may feel disconnected, disregard consequences, and engage in bullying or other destructive behaviors. These conditions can foreshadow acts of violence…

The overarching goal of schools is to create a safe, supportive environment where students can thrive and learn. This begins with a dedication to students' social and emotional well-being, and effective policies and programs that create a culture of trust. Such a culture provides an optimal learning environment, and is also a proactive step…

Several federal agencies jointly produced the "Guide for Developing High-Quality School Emergency Operations Plans" ("School Guide") (ED571878) in 2013. The "School Guide" recommends schools undertake emergency management planning within the context of district, local, regional, state, tribal, and federal agency…

Everyone agrees that school in the fall cannot look the same as it did before the pandemic. Education leaders must organize people, time, and money to make up for learning losses, help students reconnect with schooling, support students' increased social and emotional needs, respond to physical distancing and sanitation requirements, and provide…

Developing positive school climates and improving school discipline policies and practices are critical steps to raising academic achievement and supporting student success. However, there is no single formula for doing so. Rather, the growing body of research and best practices in the field should inform locally developed approaches to improving…

Describes the integration of security systems to provide enhanced security that is both effective and long lasting. Examines combining card-access systems with camera surveillance, and highly visible emergency phones and security officers. as one of many possible combinations. Some systems most capable of being integrated are listed. (GR)

Outlines four phases in the development of a disaster recovery plan that will ensure minimal disruption of operations in the event of a disaster. (MD)

Outdated, unknown, or unneeded amounts of dangerous or inappropriate chemicals are often found in K-12 schools across the nation, potentially putting students and staff at risk. Because of the nature of some of the chemicals, even small amounts may present a risk. Thus, dangerous chemicals represent one of the critical environmental health and…

The School Safety Review Checklist is an important component of the broader school crisis resources that have been developed by the Vermont School Crisis Planning Team. The Team is comprised of members from the law enforcement, emergency management, health, and education organizations who have worked throughout the year to update school and…

Describes the importance of developing a school violence prevention and crisis response plan, explaining what an effective plan should include; how to establish a school-based team; essential components of a crisis response plan; how to ensure safety via contingency provisions to the crisis response plan; and how to handle the crisis aftermath. A…

This American School and University supplement theme issue provides information from experts in the security industry concerning school violence and its prevention. Articles address the lessons learned from recent school shootings that may help reduce future occurrences, the need for a greater adherence to order in schools to set the stage for a…

After tornado leveled Grand Prairie Elementary School (Joliet, Illinois), concerted effort by architects and the school community paid off when new school was opened two years later. Hallways in new building are staggered throughout school to avoid the creation of wind tunnels in event of another tornado. Guidelines for disaster preparations…

Information to assist the school community develop and adapt a self-sufficient safety program for its school is presented in this workbook. Steps involved in the planning process are outlined in section 2. Section 3 describes how to estimate potential earthquake impact and how to identify hazards. The fourth section discusses what to expect and…