In response to violence against students and school personnel in the past decade, school districts have implemented an array of security measures designed to keep all the occupants of a school free from harm. Despite these safeguards, personnel continue to operate under the assumption that it's not a question of "if," it's a question of "when."…

Medical emergencies can happen in any school at any time. They can be the result of preexisting health problems, accidents, violence, unintentional actions, natural disasters, and toxins. Premature deaths in schools from sudden cardiac arrest, blunt trauma to the chest, firearm injuries, asthma, head injuries, drug overdose, allergic reactions,…

Those who spent time in the classroom recognize the need to formulate well-designed lesson plans before they can provide a first-rate education. A lesson plan provides guidance on what they will be teaching, the tools they will need to teach a lesson, and their expectations for the outcomes of the lesson--what kids will learn. The same is true for…

Thanks to the proliferation of handheld devices and social media such as Facebook and Twitter, people can share information instantly and succinctly. The December 8, 2011, shooting on the Virginia Tech campus underscores how important it is for information to go out quickly but accurately to help school administrators effectively manage a crisis.…

Preparing for every possible contingency seems daunting, but with teamwork and some help from the government, it's almost do-able. There is a great system out there that will help business professionals and educators develop a strong, effective emergency preparedness plan. If they haven't done a good job of implementing a solid emergency response…

School system leaders never know when disaster may strike. Having a plan in place to protect vital data and systems is crucial. School system leaders need to be actively involved in crisis preparedness, planned response, and recovery to ensure student and staff safety and to make certain that all important operations, services, processes, and…

In the wake of a major disaster, damage assessment can be particularly challenging for organizations with dozens or even hundreds of affected properties. Those with well-documented information about predisaster facility conditions can more readily pinpoint those facilities that are at the greatest risk of damage and to determine how to prioritize…

School business administrators have long recognized the need for a workable data recovery plan regardless of cause. Yet many have not reassessed their current data backup and recovery capabilities, perhaps because they have not experienced a catastrophic failure. There are three reasons school business administrators may not realize or recognize…

Aging school infrastructure, changing population dynamics, decreased funding, and increased accountability for reporting school success all require today's school business officials to combine a variety of disparate data sets into a coherent system that enables effective and efficient decision making. School business officials are required to: (1)…

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)

Addresses development and implementation of emergency procedures in school settings. The first step is to establish a school-safety committee that meets quarterly and a district safety committee that sets overall direction. Procedure manuals should specify staff responsibilities and should be written so that recovery processes may be switched…

Discusses common weather-related hazards (floods, windstorms, and winter storms) and provides some steps administrators can take to protect their schools. Suggests administrators periodically assess their school's commitment to loss control, housekeeping, suitable building construction and reinforcement, sprinkler systems, water supply,…

Field trips are troublesome for educators, because normal responsibilities may be exacerbated by supervision and transportation requirements. Forms should be very comprehensive as to field-trip description, objectives, provisions, special instructions to students, and liability-release statements. Emergency preparedness and specific supervision…

Disaster recovery planning need not be expensive nor complete to be effective. Systematic planning involves several crucial steps, including outlining the final plan, understanding the nature of a disaster's effects and the stages of disaster recovery, prioritizing appropriately, and learning how to test the plan in a practical way for the…

A Colorado school district chose self-testing, self-diagnostic emergency lighting equipment, specially designed to monitor all phases of an emergency lighting unit's operation and performance. (MLF)