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Training Staff and Students to Respond to the Armed Intruder　 Recently a school district in Texas hired a company to instruct teachers and students in how to fight back if a gunman invaded a classroom. As the first district in the country known to institute this type of training, media attention was inevitable. While some applauded the effort, others, including local law enforcement, were critical of the tactic. The idea was heatedly debated across the Internet and in the pri

Assessing Students Threats of Violence - A School's Responsibility Hardly a month passes without a student somewhere in the United States being arrested or detained for making a serious threat of violence against individuals at a school. So what is a principal to do when aware of a possible threat of violence made by a student or students?   First, administrators should be aware that in 2002 the United States Secret Service and Department of Education published two critically

With the beginning of each school year administrators all across the country provide orientations, professional development opportunities, and assistance to new employees as to the way "we do things around here". These procedures include, but are not limited to student attendance, computerized record keeping, school improvement plans, master schedules, lunchroom procedures, etc. Granted, all of these are critical functions in the secondary schools of today, but administrators

Have you ever wondered what effective student supervision and successful fishing have in common?  If your answer has anything to do with 'strategy', you are on the right track. Ask any seasoned administrator, and he will tell you that for supervision to be effective, it must include administrative strategy.  As an experienced fisherman what determines where and how to fish, and his answer will also include some type of strategic decision making.  Time of day, weather conditio

School Staff and Sexual Misconduct It’s Not a Problem ‘Til It’s a Problem – And Then It’s a Big One Hardly a day passes without a report surfacing somewhere indicating a school employee has been accused, arrested or adjudicated for engaging in sexual misconduct with a student. For the average person, the occasional national splash of an incident may not convey the real extent of the problem, but for school principals, careful attention should be paid to these sensitive and em

Safety On the Bus - Everyone's Responsibility The basis for any successful student management program on district provided transportation should begin with the premise that the school bus is merely an extension of the classroom. Of all the responsibilities under the daily "umbrella" of school administrators, providing transportation for students to and from school, as well as to extracurricular activities, can be frustrating when students or parents fail to recognize that rid

Preparing for Severe Weather With the recent tragedy in Enterprise, Alabama in which a tornado struck the high school during the school day, it is prudent to once again reflect upon the strategies that should be part of a school’s emergency planning. Practicing for Situations of Severe Weather While certain parts of the country are more susceptible to severe storms and may warrant additional drills, a minimum of five should occur regardless of the location. From the first day

School Safety Homework - Make Sure You Make the Grade Everyone in the school business has homework and school principals are no exception; however, some of us are not getting our homework done in a timely manner. And for school administrators who procrastinate and fail to complete all assignments, it may result in more than just a "bad grade".  A study by the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and Arkansas Children’s Hospital Research Institute indicates that many sc

'Tis the Season...to be Safe & Secure The holiday season can create additional safety and security concerns for school principals. While this time of year is typically a period of giving, for some it will be a time for taking as well. Some school buildings experience extended days of closure with few, if any, activities occurring. These buildings resemble a home with the occupants gone on vacation, thus, creating an increased risk for burglary. On the other hand, some schools

Start Your School Safety Planning Now    While pre-service teachers receive instruction associated with classroom management, most will receive limited, if any, information related to issues of school violence. Unfortunately, many experienced teachers also lack knowledge and training on this important topic. Though most schools are secure and orderly, even the best of educational environments may experience events that turn violent; it is then that staff will be expected to r

21st Century Harassment - Sent Electronically Yours During most discussions of harassment and intimidation related to students, cyber-bullying is sure to be mentioned. And, while this hot topic may not be one of the most pressing problems facing  principals rest assured it will be one of the more troubling issues facing students. For principals, there is not always a clear line of distrinction between whether or not this type of behavior is a school matter.  however, as a sch

Crisis Planning - Outdoor Stadiums  It is safe to assume that most schools have emergency management plans that outline appropriate responses to events that happen during the school day. And some schools have written plans that accommodate the needs of a catastrophic event that might occur at a concert, theatre production, or other extracurricular activity. But how many schools have specific plans that provide instructions for administrators and other personnel in the event a

Bomb threats pose some unique planning and response issues for school administrators. And, though this is more typically a secondary school problem, planning should occur district-wide to include elementary, administrative and support facilities. Just what is an appropriate administrative response? First, evaluate the threat for credibility . Ignoring a bomb threat or always evacuating are two response strategies that can be inherently problematic. The first has some serious

Zero Tolerance - What does it really mean? You know you’re having a bad day when CNN arrives at school. But it isn’t just an act of school violence that may result in media scrutiny. It may be a student disciplinary suspension resulting from a district’s position of "zero tolerance." Bad day? Indeed. Do these events sound familiar?  A student is suspended for bringing a small knife, packed by her mother for the purpose of peeling an apple at lunch A five year old kindergarten

Who Is In Your School? Ask any administrator what causes heartburn and you’re likely to get a variety of answers. But one of the things mentioned at some point in the conversation will be the problem of controlling access in and around the school campus.  Most schools were built in a time when worrying about trespassers was not an issue, and many schools – particularly in rural areas – have multiple buildings; consequently, students are expected to walk between these structur

Workshop Description From time to time, students of all ages make veiled or direct threats of harm to self, other students, or school...