SAFER SCHOOLS NEWS-VOL. 13 pg. 2

Volume 13 – Page 2
Are there Warning Signs?
Why don’t we see it coming?? 

Learn More about School Violence Readiness Training

2% have ‘stringent security’ which means they have a full-time guard, use metal detectors, and control who has access to the campus. That leaves 3% with no security measures at all. One correlation is that the schools with the highest security are the ones that have the highest instances of crime. But what about the other schools? As stated before, Columbine was not considered a ‘high-risk’ school. So one step that might be taken by the schools is to increase their security levels. One thing that many schools are doing is issuing name badges. These must be worn at all times. Although this won’t stop students from causing violence, it could stop outsiders from easily appearing on campus, IF ALL school personal take an active part in the enforcement of the Visitors Policy. They stick out by their lack of a name badge. Further, teachers and administrators have an easier time identifying students who are causing disruptions.

Schools can also institute violence prevention programs and zero tolerance policies. Want more information on these programs? Check out the following:

• Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP)
• National Crime Prevention Council
• Safe and Drug-Free Schools Programs

What Can Parents Do?

They can pay attention to subtle and overt changes in their children. Many times there are warning signs well in advance of violence. They can watch for these and report them to guidance counselors. Some examples include:

• Sudden lack of interest
• Obsessions with violent games
• Depression and mood swings
• Writing that shows despair and isolation
• Lack of anger management skills
• Talking about death or bringing weapons to school
• Violence towards animals

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 What Can Teachers Do?

• Similar to parents, watch for the above warnings signs
• Talk to parents about concerns they might have – remember to keep the lines of communication open
• Bring concerns to guidance counselors and administration
• Be consistent in enforcing classroom and school policies
• Make your room a prejudice-free classroom – set the policy from the first day and enforce it
• Teach Conflict Resolution Skills to students.
• Teach anger management skills as the need arises – be a good role model for the students yourself
• Create a plan of how to handle emergency situations with your students

What Can Students Do?

• Refuse to succumb to negative peer pressure, especially when violence is involved
• Report any knowledge of weapons on campus
• Tell your teachers about suspicious behaviors of other students
• Walk away from confrontations

In Summary

Worries about school violence should not hamper the job  educators must perform. However, we need to remain aware of the possibility that violence could erupt anywhere. We must strive to work together to create a safe environment for ourselves and our students. Once again, I would like to hear your thoughts. How safe do you feel?

Please email me at Mike@KeysToSaferSchools.com

Written By:
Mike Nelson
Director

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Learn More:

• How to determine – If my School is unsafe?
• Keys’ FREE “Knowledge Base Center” – Managing Dangerousness pdf downloads
• Keys’  Crisis Recovery: Returning to Normal
• See Books & Material on Safety
• See Assessing Dangerousness in Adults & Assessing the Potentially Dangerous Student
• Learn more about our Subject Matter Experts