NIHCM Foundation Webinar Creating Safer Schools & Healthier Children: A Model Bullying Prevention Program

Center for Safe Schools Director Lynn Cromley joined the Highmark Foundation and partners as presenters in this national webinar about the groundbreaking, large-scale bullying prevention initiative throughout Pennsylvania schools.

Read more: NIHCM Foundation Webinar Creating Safer Schools & Healthier Children: A Model Bullying Prevention Program

The Mid-Atlantic Equity Center Online Sessions

The Center for Safe Schools is pleased to announce its collaboration with The Mid-Atlantic Equity Consortium, Inc., which will serve as The Mid-Atlantic Equity Assistance Center for 2011-2014 under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

The Mid-Atlantic Equity Center is one of ten regional equity assistance centers funded by the U.S. Department of Education under Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It provides technical assistance and training services in the areas of race, gender and national origin (English Language Learners/ESL) free of charge to public school districts and other responsible governmental agencies in federally-designated Region III, which includes: Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. The goal of the Mid-Atlantic Equity Assistance Center is to ensure that all children have access to equitable education opportunities in order to complete college and succeed in their careers.

Mid-Atlantic Equity Assistance Center services for Pennsylvania educators will be coordinated by Senior Educational Equity Specialist, Pamela Higgins Harris and State Equity Field Coordinator, Michelle Nutter, Project Manager for the Center for Safe Schools. Pam can be reached at 301-657-7741 x113, or pchh@maec.org. Michelle can be reached at 717-763-1661 x212, or mnutter@csc.csiu.org. Please contact them to discuss how MAC may assist your district.

Free School Bus Driver In-service Programs

The NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) has available a free school bus driver in-service training series. This series of refresher trainings comprises nine programs on driving a school bus. The nine programs are; Adverse Weather, Driver Attitude, Emergency Evacuation, Highway Rail Grade Crossings, Know Your Route, Loading and Unloading, Student Management, Students with Special Needs, and Vehicle Training. Click here to access the training series.

School Bus Driver Training on Bullying Prevention

The Safe and Supportive Schools Technical Assistance Center at the U.S. Department of Education can assist you.  On SSSTA web site they offer a two module series for school bus driver’s that can be delivered within your district by your own trainers. For more information and to download free training materials, click here.

NEWEST PDE recommended MOU for Schools and Law Enforcement

PDE has released to schools their latest MOU for schools and law enforcement to comply with ACT 104 of 2010 (HB 101). Schools are required to update this MOU not less than every two years and should follow the current model MOU for a starting point in developing their local MOU. Click here to download the most recent MOU (Word format).

Key Principles for School Security in Planning for Reductions in Force

In light of ongoing budgetary cutbacks and resulting large-scale lay-offs around the nation, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools (OSDFS) and its Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools (REMS) Technical Assistance (TA) Center developed a checklist, Key Principles for School Security in Planning for Reductions in Force (RIFs).

Read more: Key Principles for School Security in Planning for Reductions in Force

Asst. U.S. Attorney General Robinson and OJJDP Acting Administrator Slowikowski Discourage the Use of “Scared Straight” Programs

In an op-ed published February 1, 2011, in the Baltimore Sun, Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs Laurie Robinson and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention's Acting Administrator Jeff Slowikowski discuss how the use of scared straight programs to prevent delinquency is ineffective and can harm youth.

Robinson and Slowikowski comment on a study by Anthony Petrosino and researchers at the Campbell Collaboration, which analyzed results from nine scared straight programs and found that participants were up to 28 percent more likely to offend in the future.

As a result of such evidence, the U.S. Department of Justice does not support scared straight-style programs, and instead focuses on programs that research has proven effective, such as mentoring programs, which use positive relationships to modify youth's behavior.

Robinson and Slowikowski write, "The fact that "scared straight" programs are still being touted as effective, despite stark evidence to the contrary is troubling."

Click here to read the full article.

U.S. DOJ's Civil Rights Division Releases Anti-Bullying Video as Part of National "It Gets Better" Project

On December 9, 2010, the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice released a video addressing bullying and harassment of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth, and those who do not conform to gender stereotypes about male or female behavior or appearance.

Read more: U.S. DOJ's Civil Rights Division Releases Anti-Bullying Video as Part of National "It Gets Better" Project

Assigning Police Officers to Schools

This guide from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, Assigning Police Officers to Schools, summarizes the typical duties of School Resource Officers, synthesizes the research pertaining to their effectiveness, and presents issues for communities to bear in mind when considering the adoption of an SRO model.

Read more: Assigning Police Officers to Schools

Responding to a Suicide Cluster: Palo Alto School District

U.S. Department of Education—Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools (REMS) Technical Assistance Center releases a new guide in their Lessons Learned from School Crises and Emergencies Series: Responding to a Suicide Cluster: Palo Alto School District.

Read more: Responding to a Suicide Cluster: Palo Alto School District

FBI Video on Best Practices for CCTV Systems: Caught on Camera

Using a fictional transit bus bombing as its story line, the 20-minute instructional video produced by the FBI’s Forensic Audio, Video and Image Analysis Unit shows how closed circuit television (CCTV) systems can be installed and maintained for maximum effect—not only for the business owner but for the needs of law enforcement as well.

Read more: FBI Video on Best Practices for CCTV Systems: Caught on Camera

EPA Alert on PCB in Schools

In recent years, EPA has learned that caulk containing potentially harmful polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) was used in many buildings, including schools, in the 1950s through the 1970s. In general, schools and buildings built after 1978 do not contain PCBs in caulk. EPA offers guidance for school administrators and building managers with important information about managing PCBs in caulk and tools to help minimize possible exposure. To access the EPA Schools Information Kit, click here.

Schools Chemical Cleanout Campaign (SC3)

The U.S. EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has information to assist schools with managing their chemicals. Whether in elementary school maintenance closets or high school chemistry labs, schools use a variety of chemicals. When they are mismanaged, these chemicals can put students and school personnel at risk from spills, fires, and other accidental exposures. Chemical accidents disrupt school schedules, can injury to students and staff while potentially costing thousands of dollars to clean up.

The EPA’s Schools Chemical Cleanout Campaign (SC3) aims to ensure that all schools are free from hazards associated with mismanaged chemicals. SC3 gives K-12 schools information and tools to responsibly manage chemicals. To view the SC3 program, click here.

The Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) Risk Vulnerability Assessment Team Security Assessment

If your schools has had a security assessment conducted by the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) Risk Vulnerability Assessment Team from the Pennsylvania Office of Homeland Security that the report should be considered confidential and access to the report's contents should be solely between the school district and PSP Team.

The PSP Team does not and will not share the report with anyone or any other agency. The report is protected under Homeland Security Freedom of Information Act. It is understood that you can share it internally as you desire. Since the report contains detailed descriptions, photographs and a risk/threat analysis of your building's security vulnerabilities which, if made public, could pose a possible danger, school districts are strongly encouraged not to share the report with anyone outside the district. This may result in the release-even if unintentional-of its sensitive contents. If you receive requests for this report from an outside entity and have questions about releasing it, you may contact either the PSP Team or PDE safe school staff.