This article outlines a set of recommendations to college and university leaders and governing bodies on how to develop crisis-management systems to ensure that their institutions are as well prepared as possible for a wide range of crises. These recommendations are based, in part, on crisis-management programs developed for various business…

This publication presents a collection of resources on violence prevention and safe schools. This document contains the following parts: (1) Introduction; (2) A Few Resource Aids; (3) Public Policy and Funding Opportunities; (4) More Resource Aids on Violence Prevention and Safe Schools; and (5) Concluding Comment. Individual sections contain…

Although schools have implemented school safety plans as a result of the violence witnessed on rare occasions in schools today, schools are less likely to be prepared for emergencies such as Katrina or 9/11; this is true even for schools in locations prone to hurricanes, tornadoes, or earthquakes. Whereas disaster plans typically involve school…

The 2004 Vermont School Crisis Guide has been revised to improve its use by School Crisis Teams and Public Safety Committees. The Guide is now organized by roles so users can quickly locate their responsibilities in a crisis. The Crisis Guide pages can be used to document pertinent information (time, witnesses) immediately after an emergency…

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…

Physical measures such as weapons checks and metal detectors are inadequate to forestall school violence. The key to managing crises is a trained, broad-based crisis-intervention team and a crisis-management plan. Team responsibilities include developing an intervention plan, coordinating with community services, educating and training staff, and…

Summarizes discussions from a seminar focusing on earthquakes and educational facilities, including findings related to educational buildings; partnerships; training; standards, regulations, and procedures; finance and legislation; and research and support. (EV)

Discusses why history and "thinking outside of the box" should encourage schools to acknowledge that they are potentially vulnerable targets of terrorism. Presents new safety and security issues raised by the threat of terrorism, including anthrax scares, cell phone use, and field trips. Describes "heightened security"…

Although no school is immune from violence, a school can increase its resistance by identifying and seeking consensus about a safety problem, organizing a central committee, studying the problem, formulating a plan, conducting a safety audit, and training crisis response teams. Taking action to lessen staff's fears and vulnerability can improve…

To prepare for every imaginable crisis, principals and their staffs should form a schoolwide crisis-management team, conduct an ongoing schoolwide safety audit, develop comprehensive emergency policies and procedures, provide training and information in first aid and behavior management during emergencies, accommodate information sharing, and…

This fact sheet provides a list of "lessons learned" to assist schools in better preparing for a crisis event. The list was compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of Education specifically to assist schools in preparing for a terrorist attack. The lessons can help schools better identify appropriate…

Since June 1999, the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Secret Service have been working as a team to try to better understand--and ultimately help prevent--school shootings in America. The authors believe the results of this effort have given schools and communities real cause for hope. Through the "Safe School Initiative," staff…

Advice on how educators can react when tragedy strikes is the focus of this book. It discusses school emergencies, making recommendations to help school administrators, teachers, district administrators, school staff, and district policy-makers prepare for, respond to, and contain a crisis. The book is based on the collective experience of school…

Although school districts are critical to the operation of the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act (SDFSCA) Program, relatively little is known about how they plan, implement, and evaluate their SDFSCA-funded prevention activities. The U.S. Department of Education initiated this study to provide a more complete description of the ways…

In Georgia, the DeKalb School District's preparations for school safety include: fast-track evacuation procedures for schools near potentially dangerous sites; a plan that relocates students who are displaced from their schools; a capacity to provide shelter in case of emergency; and three means of internal communication. (MLF)