The National School Safety Center (NSSC), state governors and state school superintendents sponsor America's Safe Schools Week, October 20-26, 2013. Originally established by NSSC in 1984, this observance is also actively supported by local, state, and national public officials and professional organizations.
NSSC's goal in this campaign is to motivate key education and law enforcement policymakers, as well as students, parents, and community residents to vigorously advocate for school safety. School safety includes keeping campuses free of crime and violence, improving discipline, and increasing student attendance. Schools that are safe and free from violence, weapons, and drugs are necessary to ensure the well-being of all children and the quality of their education.
The most important strategy for America’s Safe Schools Week observance is a call to action and a reminder for all to place school safety on the educational agenda. The following safety ideas can help you to take action where you live:
- Convince your school board, superintendent, and principals that quality education requires safe, disciplined, and peaceful schools.
- Develop a district-wide safe schools plan, as well as individual plans for each school in the system.
- Develop a school safety clearinghouse for current literature and data on school safety issues.
- Establish a systematic, district-wide mandatory incident reporting system.
- Prepare a school safety public information brochure.
- Develop safety policies.
- Develop and regularly update a school safety fact sheet for your district.
- Create a school safety advisory group.
- Support America's Safe Schools Week.
- Develop and maintain a community resource file of people known for their abilities to shape public opinion and accomplish goals.
- Build a public relations team, starting with school employees.
- Create a comprehensive identity program for your district.
- Publish a district magazine or newsletter.
Through these activities, schools can improve campus climate and discipline, as well as enlist participation from various groups to create partnerships in this important effort. Educators who take active roles and initiate positive programs—rather than just react when negative conditions arise—help create successful schools.
For more in-depth information on each of these steps, as well as additional guidance on working with school safety stakeholders like school staff, parents, and law enforcement, visit our comprehensive Safe School Weeks site.
For additional school safety products, free resources, and media tools, please visit our website.
Submitted by the National School Safety Center. “America’s Safe School Week.” https://sites.google.com/a/schoolsafety.us/nssc/safe-schools-week
For additional training and resources, visit www.ncpc.org.