It's hard to imagine anything more devastating than a deadly shooting at a school. The setting (often thought of as among the safest places in our communities) and the ages of both victims and perpetrators are particularly troubling. The intense media coverage that typically follows a school shooting reinforces how disturbing such events are. As…

In light of recent highly publicized and tragic incidents, such as the February 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, school communities are increasingly concerned about student and teacher safety. School leaders, politicians, and community members are frantically seeking solutions to the problem of school…

An intensive orientation program gives new teachers in one district and valuable introduction to the instructional culture. The authors argue that by aligning your orientation and onboarding processes to the mission and vision of your school, you are creating stronger relationships among school leaders and teachers and also reducing teacher…

Over the last 20 years, high-profile episodes of bullying have stirred up broad public alarm. This attention may appear to be merely trendy, but it's important. Bullying--commonly defined as systematic exclusion, aggression, or harassment that one child or a group of children inflicts on less powerful children--is pervasive in schools. Many…

Because our world is increasingly affected by chemical and natural pollutants, schools need to take extra precautions to ensure a healthy learning environment. (Author)

Increasingly, children who learn good conflict-management skills find themselves negotiating with kids who would rather fight--even over minor matters like cutting into line, taking a pencil, or touching a classmate's desk. A Pittsburgh teacher has worked to create a physically and emotionally safe classroom and devised a Students Against Violence…

A personalized education, according to Ted Sizer, means that students are known by adult professionals in the school. Administrators at a California high school with 2,000 students and very large classes initiated an adopt-a-kid program by matching adult volunteers on campus with low-achieving students. This program, along with a successful block…

Schools desiring to set, enforce, and realize high academic standards must join with allies who set high expectations for preventing and addressing health impediments to learning. Health and learning outcomes (and inequities) are driven by powerful, remediable social environments, not by individual "lifestyle" choices. "Access"…

Discusses the results of a national survey of students in grades 8-11 on the extent and impact of sexual harassment. Sexual harassment is prohibited under Title IX and by most state statutes. Recommends that schools establish and enforce a harassment policy, discuss harassment with students, and create a supportive school environment. (PKP)

Many schools are using evidence-based social and emotional learning (SEL) programs to prevent certain student behaviors such as bullying and harassment, drug and alcohol abuse and violence. The changing of students' social and emotional behavior requires more than skill lessons, as it requires attention to the environment in which students learn.