Develop Skills and Policies to Create and Implement a Safe School Atmosphere:

Steps

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Step 4: Develop policies and procedures for confidentiality of student information. With changing family structures and custody issues becoming more prevalent, consider whether the publication of student names, addresses, homeroom teachers and schedules is appropriate. District policy should be developed for personal information publication, use of pictures of students on web sites and the listing of honor roll achievements. Who has access to student records must be determined and then enforced. There are many legal aspects concerning the accessibility of student records. Check with your school district’s guidelines on student confidentiality

Step 5: Develop a plan for the physical safety of the school campus, i.e., SRO, fencing or other environmental features such as landscaping around campus, hall monitors, picture IDs, visitor registration and communication of offenders to school personnel.

There are many physical areas within the school building and grounds that should be assessed for safety. Are there dark, unmonitored stairwells? Is the perimeter fenced, treed or patrolled? Do adults monitor bathrooms and hallways? See web site: Larry Rosen. Can also link to tutorials: Crime Prevention through Environmental Design and Security Technologies

A system of visitor registration with badges or visitor pins must be implemented. As systems grow and add more employees, picture identification badges or other identifications methods should be implemented.

Many systems have developed a plan to communicate to school administrators the presence of sexual offenders living in the community. A positive relationship with local police departments can facilitate the ease of communicating this sensitive information.
The presence of a School Resource Officer is a major factor in ensuring the safety of the school building and campus. Fast and official communication can be provided between the school and local police. Back up help and resources can be readily available when needed. Information concerning crimes and other trouble in the areas surrounding the school can be communicated, resulting in the safe lock up of the school.

Step 6: Develop a plan for alternative placement and counseling for troubled students. Many schools have developed alternative schools for juvenile offenders and other students who cannot be successful in the regular school setting. It is highly recommended that students who are not able to meet success in the regular school setting be placed in alternative sites.

Step 7: Implement a personnel hiring plan to include police background checks and fingerprinting. When hiring new employees, it is imperative to do reference checks. As the reader knows, schools are the perfect setting for a captive audience for someone who wishes to do harm to children. Police background checks and fingerprinting should be common hiring practice.

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