By Craig Beytien
Being entrusted with the welfare and education of children is perhaps one of the most important responsibilities in society. We have to get it right, starting with providing a safe place to learn. As Dr. Ronald Stephens, Executive Director of the National School Safety Center says, "A safe learning environment is critical for teachers to teach and students to learn to the best of their abilities." Parents want to know that school administrators have done all they can to ensure the safest schools possible and that they know how to deal with both external and internal crises.
As a school board member, I have learned about the multitude of challenges faced by administrators and Boards of Education as they develop district safety plans. The level of detail is astounding. I have learned that the most effective safety planning incorporates information from all stakeholders. A state police official in charge of school safety confirmed that too many district leaders are relying upon observations and assumptions made by a few administrators to develop their plans, when they should be including insights provided by all staff. It is not unusual for the plan to be created, filed, and forgotten as busy administrators move on to the next important issue on their desk. This process was inherited from an era in which it was difficult for overworked individuals to collect and analyze large amounts of quantitative and qualitative input.
The concept of "all-hazards planning" was originally put forth by Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in its Civil Preparedness Guide. This publication acknowledges the need for flexibility in planning, and the strategies and tactics that are appropriate to such hazards. This means that safety plans are not "beginning of the year tasks" that get done and filed away. Rather, they should be adaptive and monitored throughout the school year based on safety issues that arise and feedback from staff members, local safety professionals and the larger community.
Collaboration is also key. Lloyd Bokman, of the Ohio Emergency Management Agency , suggests that, "…the functional approach (of developing a safety plan) should quantify the risk area, geography, and demographic considerations that apply to each hazard." He continues, "Assessment that results in effective hazard planning must involve all stakeholders in the process, as each play a role in executing any plan. This is particularly true in a school environment where students and staff are located in many sites throughout the building or campus where not knowing what to do, when, can cause additional challenges." An important aspect of a successful plan is trust. Bokman explains that, "Having a plan is only half the battle. Staff confidence in their role for each hazard circumstance is critical."
NSSC Executive Director Stephens reinforces the importance of broad involvement of all staff in crisis planning by adding, "Each building in the district needs to be assessed relative to safety concerns across programs, plans, roles and physical plant and all staff must be part of the formulation and execution of the ultimate plan for it to be effective."
Methods of achieving the above can vary. Emerging collaborative technology provides a new option for determining safety awareness and confidence in existing plans, along with ongoing identification of concerns and recommendations for addressing them—all from those working throughout the districts. After all, who is in the best position to know these things in each unique environment?
By taking advantage of the eyes and ears of trusted adults with a thorough knowledge of their learning space within a district, administrators and Boards of Education can be confident that their plan addresses every possible perspective from their own stakeholders. Armed with this information they are not "assuming" they know the situation in every corner of every building—they are certain. Accurate and comprehensive information is critical for the creation of new safety plans as well as the validation and maintenance of existing safety plans.
Being entrusted with the welfare and education of children is perhaps one of the most important responsibilities in society. We have to get it right, starting with providing a safe place to learn. As Dr. Ronald Stephens, Executive Director of the National School Safety Center says, "A safe learning environment is critical for teachers to teach and students to learn to the best of their abilities." Parents want to know that school administrators have done all they can to ensure the safest schools possible and that they know how to deal with both external and internal crises.
As a school board member, I have learned about the multitude of challenges faced by administrators and Boards of Education as they develop district safety plans. The level of detail is astounding. I have learned that the most effective safety planning incorporates information from all stakeholders. A state police official in charge of school safety confirmed that too many district leaders are relying upon observations and assumptions made by a few administrators to develop their plans, when they should be including insights provided by all staff. It is not unusual for the plan to be created, filed, and forgotten as busy administrators move on to the next important issue on their desk. This process was inherited from an era in which it was difficult for overworked individuals to collect and analyze large amounts of quantitative and qualitative input.
The concept of "all-hazards planning" was originally put forth by Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in its Civil Preparedness Guide. This publication acknowledges the need for flexibility in planning, and the strategies and tactics that are appropriate to such hazards. This means that safety plans are not "beginning of the year tasks" that get done and filed away. Rather, they should be adaptive and monitored throughout the school year based on safety issues that arise and feedback from staff members, local safety professionals and the larger community.Collaboration is also key. Lloyd Bokman, of the Ohio Emergency Management Agency , suggests that, "…the functional approach (of developing a safety plan) should quantify the risk area, geography, and demographic considerations that apply to each hazard." He continues, "Assessment that results in effective hazard planning must involve all stakeholders in the process, as each play a role in executing any plan. This is particularly true in a school environment where students and staff are located in many sites throughout the building or campus where not knowing what to do, when, can cause additional challenges." An important aspect of a successful plan is trust. Bokman explains that, "Having a plan is only half the battle. Staff confidence in their role for each hazard circumstance is critical."
NSSC Executive Director Stephens reinforces the importance of broad involvement of all staff in crisis planning by adding, "Each building in the district needs to be assessed relative to safety concerns across programs, plans, roles and physical plant and all staff must be part of the formulation and execution of the ultimate plan for it to be effective."
Methods of achieving the above can vary. Emerging collaborative technology provides a new option for determining safety awareness and confidence in existing plans, along with ongoing identification of concerns and recommendations for addressing them—all from those working throughout the districts. After all, who is in the best position to know these things in each unique environment?
By taking advantage of the eyes and ears of trusted adults with a thorough knowledge of their learning space within a district, administrators and Boards of Education can be confident that their plan addresses every possible perspective from their own stakeholders. Armed with this information they are not "assuming" they know the situation in every corner of every building—they are certain. Accurate and comprehensive information is critical for the creation of new safety plans as well as the validation and maintenance of existing safety plans.
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