This simulation provides public administration, public policy, and management students and practitioners with an immersive disaster scenario. The table-top exercise provides an example of how municipal leaders can prepare for disaster scenarios and the importance of embedding social equity into disaster response. Additionally, it provides an…

The purpose of this study was to identify what southwestern area high school principals reported as the enactment of school crisis plans as described in the Center for Mental Health in Schools at UCLA (CMHS, 2008), "Resource Aid: Responding to a Crisis at School." The conceptual framework guiding the study was an adaptation of the Crisis…

The Thompson School District recognized after the Columbine incident in the spring of 1999 that it was lacking an adequate plan for crisis response. Colorado legislation led to a mandate for having a crisis response plan so the district purchased a "canned" crisis response plan that served the needs of response in a very immediate but…

Student and parent use of cell phones, text messaging and social networking through Facebook and Twitter can quickly become the enemies of a superintendent and principal. Rumors and misinformation about threats and other student safety issues that used to take hours and days to spread now goes viral in seconds. This rapid dissemination of…

School leadership is synonymous with challenge. However, some school leaders face true crises--situations threatening the continuing existence of their school. "Leading Schools During Crisis" analyzes leadership and behaviors of principals in these extraordinary circumstances. A simultaneously scholarly and practice-oriented book,…

Crisis planning includes making preparations for managing school buildings, grounds, occupants, and rescue and recovery personnel during and after a crisis. In "Practical Information on Crisis Planning: A Guide for Schools and Communities, the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools" states: When a crisis…

A flu outbreak at Madison Junior High School in Ohio prompted school officials to close the building for two days. At Webber Junior High School in Fort Collins, Colorado, where absenteeism recently hit 20 percent for two bad weeks, educators were forced to slow the pace of schoolwork so sick students did not fall behind. This article reports on…