K-12 educators often face the dilemma of how to respond to a student who makes a threatening statement. They must decide whether the threat is credible and the student poses a real danger, as well as how to respond to keep everyone safe. In such situations, a team of professionals often does a "safety assessment" to learn more about this…

There is an increased risk of workplace accidents for younger employees. Academic laboratories have demonstrated a higher prevalence of accidents. Occupational health and safety (OHS) education plays a central role in reducing the risk of accidents and aims to habituate safety behavior in educational settings. The current research aims to…

As schools continue to transition from pandemic-induced disruption to a new normal, educators must realize that the most vulnerable students are the ones who've been harmed the most. The problem is, because trauma and mental health distress aren't immediately visible, educators won't know "which" students are in a quiet state of…

In this stirring follow-up to the award-winning "Fostering Resilient Learners," Kristin Van Marter Souers and Pete Hall take you to the next level of trauma-invested practice. To get there, they explain, educators need to build a "nest"--a positive learning environment shaped by three new Rs of education: relationship,…

In schools, a Code Red alert indicates a potential or immediate threat within a building or on a campus and is the signal for a full-scale lockdown of all classrooms. This book, "Code Red: Conversations and Solutions for an Educational System in Crisis," presents a variety of voices from teachers, administrators, teacher preparation…

Safety and school culture are both reinforced through a school's disciplinary system. However, when disciplinary action is decided, it would be remiss to assume that the choices made are always objective. A wide range of student needs and behaviors may present themselves in any given school classroom, and at times, the student or family…

Creating a culture of respect begins with the internal capacity of teachers and students to be respectful of self and of others. Nurturing this internal capacity involves fulfilling the fundamental social and emotional needs for a sense of belonging and a sense of self. The "beingness," the affective and overt behaviors of individuals…

Much is written at the elementary school level concerning bullying and the socioemotional needs of gifted and talented (GT) students; however, in the last 10 years, little qualitative research exists concerning the early adolescent GT age group. In the social environment of classroom life, early and current research indicates that many of these…

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted every aspect of people's lives. As New Jersey looks to the future and plan for students to return to schools in-person this fall, they must recognize and prepare for the ways the virus and necessary public health response has changed and will change the way students learn. This Restart and Recovery Plan provides…

This is the executive summary for "The Road Back: Restart and Recovery Plan for Education." The COVID-19 pandemic impacted every aspect of people's lives. As New Jersey looks to the future and plans for students to return to schools in-person this fall, they must recognize and prepare for the ways the virus and necessary public health…

This article take a critical look at what can be done to create safe school climates for all students because some schools are not the safest places in our communities when it comes to emotional or intellectual safety--and this is especially true for those who are "different." Children with special needs, gender non-conforming students,…

Bullying harms kids in nearly every way imaginable. It disrupts their learning; it causes them to suffer anxiety and depression; and it undermines their feelings of safety and connection to school. New understandings of bullying are based on relationships and connect directly to the growing appreciation of the role of the social climate within…

Background: Seattle Public Schools has implemented policies and programs to increase safety, family involvement, and student achievement for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth. This case study examines students' perceptions of bullying and harassment in the school environment, and teacher intervention when these…

Federal and State Government policies and curricula mandate the uptake of emergent digital technologies within schools. Recent research focusing on the propagation of adolescent-produced sexual images via digital technologies, more commonly known as sexting, highlights the need for an examination of the risks associated with the use of digital…

This article addresses the pervasiveness of harassment in schools in the United States and presents ways to recognize and stem bullying in music classrooms. Music educators are in a unique position to recognize atypical behaviors in their students. Music educators who teach middle and high school ensembles often retain the same students in their…