District Administration - August 2007 - (Page 73)

PROFESSIONAL OPINION • Scott & Donna Poland School Safety is an Inside Job How to get your students involved early in the school year. T HE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL checked the Concerned Person’s Report Box (CPR Box), as is done daily at regular intervals, and found a note from a student indicating there was to be a ﬁght between rival student groups at lunch in the cafeteria. The “conspiracy of silence,” wherein students do not tell adults about homicidal and suicidal statements so prevalent among our youth, was not a factor. The school was able to alert security thanks to the eﬀorts of the student. The increased staﬀ presence in the dining commons resulted in a safe and routine lunch. How does a school principal create a school climate where students see their role in school safety as important and are likely to alert adults to potentially dangerous situations? The U.S. Secret Service studied school violence and found that the majority of perpetrators had told other students of their violent plans. The literature indicates that the conspiracy of silence occurs for these reasons: • Fear of retaliation from peers • Disbelief that a violent incident could really happen • Prior conditioning toward silence •Each advisor elected a safety represen• Lack of trust in adults to do the tative to meet with the principal monthly. right thing. The elected students became members of These attitudes are very prevalent and the School Safety Task Force and designed will not change overnight, but through a T-shirt with a school safety slogan selecthard work and student involvement, ed by the student body. school safety can be increased. The fol• At least once a week advisory discuslowing steps were taken in one school to sions focused on school safety issues. build trust between students and adults, • A format was created for priority safeincreasing their sense of belonging in ty issues to be immediately shared with the their school community. principal through “hot mail” when the is• Advisors in the ﬁrst week of school sue could not wait for a scheduled School stressed the important role that students Safety Task Force meeting. have in school safety and discussed meth• The School Safety Task Force recomods of seeking adult help. mended that CPR Boxes be placed in sev- The increased staﬀ presence in the dining commons resulted in a safe and routine lunch. eral hallways and monitored constantly by school administrators. • After school had been in session for a few weeks, all students were surveyed in advisories about school safety concerns and were asked to highlight areas on the school ﬂoor plan where they felt unsafe both before and after school. • A safety pledge requiring student and parent signatures was developed that indicates the role students have in school safety and the importance of notifying adults if violence is threatened or if they have knowledge of a weapon on campus. • Parents were invited to an evening presentation on school safety and were encouraged to share their own safety ideas. Students were oﬀered an incentive if one or more of their parents attended. For parents who attended, their children received a “get out of tardy sweep free” pass. Attendance at the parent session was high, and many important issues were discussed. School safety is of paramount importance to administrators, but it needs to include a commitment from students. It is not enough for administrators and teachers to meet regularly to improve school safety. There must be planned activities for students that create a sense of belonging and responsibility for safety at school. DA Scott Poland is chair of the National Emergency Assistance Team for the National Association of School Psychologists and a faculty member at Nova Southeastern University. Note: Scott Poland is a presenter in the EduComm Leadership Series one-day seminar “New Paths to School Safety and Security” in Framingham, Mass., October 2 and in Tarrytown, N.Y., October 3. Online registration opens July 16 (www.districtadministration.com). Donna Poland is the director of the Upper University School at Nova Southeastern University. August 2007 73 www.DistrictAdministration.com http://www.districtadministration.com http://www.DistrictAdministration.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of District Administration - August 2007

Contents
Editor’s Letter
Letters
News Update
Technology Update
Curriculum Update
Inside the Law
Research Corner
Computer Literature
District Profile
Administrator Profile
Bus Money
DIBELS Draws Doers & Doubters
Report from EduComm 2007
Ins and Outs of Outsourcing
Curriculum Clearance
How Well Does This Web Site Work?
New Products
Problem Solution
Online Edge
Speaking Out
Professional Opinion
Calendar of Events
Understanding the Times

District Administration - August 2007