Disaster response planning should be a high and ongoing priority in college administration. To ensure safety well before disaster strikes, administrators must select appropriate and adequate insurance coverage and prepare a written catastrophe plan, developed cooperatively with students, parents, and community members and reviewed by staff…

Teamwork and cooperation were the keys in restoring school service in Berkeley County (South Carolina) 17 days after Hurricane Hugo. Offers school districts tips on what to do both before an emergency strikes and in the aftermath. Lists information available from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. (MLF)

Offers schools and parent-teacher groups an organized, systematic approach to the development, building, and maintenance of a safe playground. Includes advice on (1) initial planning strategies; (2) safety guidelines for the selection of equipment and surface materials; (3) layout and design; and (4) installation and maintenance. (TJQ)

The article reports on a 1989-90 survey which examined the campus crime rate and perceived issues at 219 colleges and universities. Institutional liability is addressed; and ways to reduce liability are recommended, including distributing notices to keep room doors and windows locked, conducting crime prevention workshops, and increasing security…

Explains how window replacement produces significant energy and maintenance cost savings. Offers an implementation process once a decision on window replacement has been made. The assessment of fuel bills, review of maintenance costs, and analysis of security features are covered. (GR)

School officials put a crisis communications plan into action after two Ohio students died and a third became critically ill from meningitis in May 2001. A mass immunization program prevented a major outbreak, and rumor control helped calm the public's fears. Recounts things learned from the experience. (MLF)

Presents a brief quiz for parents to see if their child's school building is taking basic steps to ensure a safe learning environment (e.g., Is the building locked? Are strict guidelines in place when students participate in field trips? Is adult supervision always maintained on playgrounds?). Suggested action plans are included. A sidebar offers…

Discusses school safety in this era of violence, presenting a public health model of prevention as it applies to the problem of youth violence, discussing causal factors known to be associated with violence and aggression, and examining practical strategies that can be incorporated into existing teacher education programs for addressing violence…

Provides a brief evolutionary history of change in educational facilities and the business market over the past 70 years and the journal "American School & University's" role as an information source. Examines how school buildings have changed, driven by new service demands and increasing enrollments. (GR)

Provides expert guidelines on ways to keep schools and children safe from building fires, such as maintenance of exits for easy egress in emergencies, maintaining fire-protection systems, and utilizing evacuation planning and drilling. Highlights fire-safety ideas as part of school-building and renovation projects. (GR)

Virtually no school is safe from violence. FBI statistics, which show that juvenile crimes actually peaked during the mid-1970s, are at odds with the public perception that crime rates among young people are at an all-time high. The FBI acknowledges, however, that the crimes committed by young people tend to be more serious than in the past, and…

This book provides information about health and safety hazards in art classrooms. The book outlines a practical plan for an art room safety program. It includes recommendations for providing protective equipment and enlisting students' active participation. Included are sample worksheets and checklists, explanations of legal liability, and…

This handbook presents guidelines and the rationale for creating a school violence committee. The committee is composed of Washington Education Association (WEA) members and addresses issues related to school safety. The committee defines the problem, sets goals for reaching solutions, and implements an action plan. Members may also review…

Guidelines to help local school systems in Maryland develop a comprehensive emergency plan and to increase student awareness are offered in this handbook. Following the introduction, chapter 1 outlines the roles of all participants in emergency planning and response. Chapter 2 describes the process for preparing an emergency plan, including…

Guidelines that will help individual communities reach the sixth National Education Goal are provided in this document. The goal states that by the year 2000, every American school will be free of drugs and violence and will offer a disciplined environment conducive to learning. Five stages in achieving safe and drug-free schools are outlined: (1)…