In response to growing concerns over school violence, crime, and safety, schools continue to implement school crime prevention and reduction policies and programs. Aside from the increased demands on school budgets imposed by new and enhanced school safety programs, two additional factors further complicate matters. First, just as schools vary in…

Background: We examined written language in Wisconsin school wellness policies (SWPs) for federal mandate compliance, quality related to obesity prevention, and school characteristics associated with variations in quality. This is the first near census of Wisconsin SWPs and examines whether adhering to federal mandates results in strong policies…

All states have youth sports concussion laws that have helped shape school concussion policy. However, state laws do not specify how schools distribute policy. The present study examined parent, youth, and school personnel's knowledge of school concussion policy in Colorado and ease of access to policy via school website. Youth (n = 1,987),…

Suicide is a leading, preventable cause of death in our nation for youth ages 10-24, and rates have increased slowly, but steadily since 2007. The rate of increase recorded between 2014 and 2015 for the youth 15-19 years old was the largest jump in the past decade (from 11.6 to 12.5 per 100,000) and the rate for youth 10-14 years old doubled…

The overarching goal of schools is to create a safe, supportive environment where students can thrive and learn. This begins with a dedication to students' social and emotional well-being, and effective policies and programs that create a culture of trust. Such a culture provides an optimal learning environment, and is also a proactive step…

Purpose: To help protect students from school employee sexual misconduct, this qualitative case study examines implementation of school employee sexual misconduct policies in five geographically and demographically diverse school districts that experienced incidents of school employee sexual misconduct in 2014. Method: Data were collected from 92…

Throughout the school year, recommendations were revised several times to reflect what was currently known about the SARS-CoV-2 virus and best public health practices as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS). The situation surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic…

As the focus on bullying has grown, attention to incidents of and concern about sexual harassment has diminished. It is easy to understand that sexual harassment can be a form of bullying, especially when it is used to intimidate, but it is also a form of discrimination prohibited by federal and state laws. Effective implementation and enforcement…

Educators can prevent much of the sexual misconduct in schools if they know how to recognize and respond to suspicious patterns and if administrators enforce an environment of high expectations for behavior. School districts can assess their schools and the district for being at risk of educator sexual misconduct and then can develop and enforce…

Background: One way to address tobacco use by youth is for primary and secondary schools to adopt and implement comprehensive tobacco policies. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the comprehensiveness of tobacco policies in St. Louis County, Missouri public school districts. Methods: We evaluated the strength of tobacco policies from all 23…

This study investigates barriers to facilitating family-school partnerships with immigrant families as identified by teachers in an urban school district with high rates of immigration. Participants consisted of 18 elementary teachers who identified predominantly as Hispanic (38.9%) or non-Hispanic White (33.3%), were frequently bilingual (55.6%),…

The threat of terrorism is a concern in public facilities including schools. This study focused on school districts in a southwestern state. Terrorism emergency preparedness policies are well-documented as measures to protect students and staff in school districts from terrorism threats and vulnerabilities. However, those threats and…

Sexting, the practice of sending sexually explicit messages or photographs of oneself or others on digital electronic devices, presents challenges for schools and professional school counselors. The implications of sexting for schools, school counselors, students, and parents are discussed. School counselor interventions, developing school…

It is important for every student in Ohio to attend school every day. Missing too much school has longterm, negative effects on students, such as lower achievement and graduation rates. There are many reasons students miss school, but districts often can directly impact their students' attendance. By using data to identify and support students who…

It is well known that chronic diseases are the most common, costly, and preventable of all health issues in the United States. Chronic diseases continue to be a major health concern. Of the top 10 leading causes of mortality, 7 are identified as chronic. More recently, the prevalence of these chronic conditions has increased among the adolescent…