School Safety Review for Beginning Teachers Kentucky Center

School Safety Review for Beginning Teachers Kentucky Center for School Safety Denny R. Vincent, School Safety Consultant

MILITARY POLICE OFFICER n TEACHER n ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL n NASSP PRESIDENT n PERSONNEL DIRECTOR n ACTING SUPERINTENDENT n SCHOOL SAFETY CONSULTANT n

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Ø ONCE PHYSICAL NEEDS ARE RELATIVELY SATISFIED, THE INDIVIDUAL’S SAFETY NEEDS TAKE PRECEDENCE OVER OTHER NEEDS. Ø STUDENTS DO NOT LEARN EFFECTIVELY IF THEY DO NOT FEEL SAFE!

“I’ve come to the frightening conclusion that I am the deciding element in the classroom. It is my personal approach that creates the climate. It’s my daily mood that makes the weather. As a teacher, I possess a tremendous power to make a person’s life miserable or joyous.

I can be a tool of torture, or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a person humanized or de-humanized. ” Haim Ginott

Most important factor in school safety • Truly care for the kids! • They don’t care how much you know…they want to know how much you care. • Be their Teacher and not their buddy. • You will be their protector

TRUSTED ADULT • Positive relationships between students and adults – an adult advocate they can talk to This is the number one way to stop tragedies, such as school shootings, from happening

Basic Standards • Mutual Respect-treat each student with dignity • Show Caring • Control your classroom • Be consistent and fair and don’t lose your “cool” • Keep your room orderly, clean and free of clutter • Students should be able to move about your room unimpaired • Require mutual respect among all students.

Basic Standards • Keep your classroom door locked during instruction • Lessons learned at Sandy Hook • Be aware of possible pushback • Keep your classroom key on your person at all times • Keep your classroom door locked when you’re not there • Keep your personal belongings locked up

KEEP ALL EXTERNAL DOORS LOCKED ØSECURITY VESTIBULE ØBUZZER SYSTEM WITH CAMERA AND AUDIO ØSCRIPT FOR RECEPTIONIST ØALARMS ON DOORS NOT USED FOR REGULAR ENTRY/EGRESS

Basic Standards: School Rule Enforcement • If the school has an Instructional Discipline program in place, get trained in it and follow it to the letter • Be familiar with the School District’s Code of Conduct • Be familiar with your school’s code of conduct…which can be more detailed and more strict than the District’s code. • Inconsistency of rule enforcement is one of the biggest problems we observe throughout the state…which can create unsafe situations.

Supervision KRS 161: 180 • Nothing deters misbehavior any better in a school than having an adult present and actively supervising students. • Principals are required by law to establish a supervision plan that encompasses the entire school day…from arrival thru dismissal. 1. Arrival-walkers, buses and cars 2. Dismissal-walkers, buses and cars 3. Hallways– active vs passive supervision 4. Classrooms 5. Playground (“the bench”) 6. Lunch duty

Supervision (continued) 7. Restroom duty—gender issues 8. Game duty 9. Access control—visitor policy 10. General duties assigned by the principal

ACTIVE SUPERVISION THE SINGLE MOST EFFECTIVE STRATEGY FOR MAKING SCHOOL SAFE IS THE PHYSICAL PRESENCE OF A RESPONSIBLE ADULT IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY

Points to remember about Supervision responsibilities • Develop active supervision practices rather than passive supervision. • Remember when on supervision: “Every student in the school is your student” (not just those assigned to your classroom) • “See something, Hear something-Say something” • Develop Situational Awareness

Emergency Operations Plan • Know and be familiar with the school’s EOP. • You should be taught this by your principal. (side comment) • Many emergencies occur outside of class time • Never talk to the news media following an emergency…direct all media to the principal. • Always fill out an accident report form when something happens under your supervision. (keep a copy for yourself) • Keep 4 X 4 sterile gauzes in your desk drawer and in your Go Kit. (bleed outs) • Know your school’s severe weather safe zones • Take first aid training if offered

Emergency Responses • Train your students to remain quiet during all drills and/or evacuations. • Keep accurate attendance during all drills and evacuations. • Four major Emergency Responses to be practiced by all schools: • 1. Fire, 2. Lockdown, 3. Earthquake and 4. Severe Weather (all drills must be conducted during the first 30 days of school) • Reverse evacuation…not required but a good idea to practice. • Shelter-in-place…not required but…. .

PHOTO ID’S FOR STAFF ØALLOWS FIRST RESPONDERS TO KNOW WHO WORKS THERE ØALLOWS VISITORS AND STUDENTS TO KNOW WHO’S IN CHARGE

VISITOR ID BADGES ØSTAFF KNOWS WHO HAS CHECKED IN ØSIGN-IN IS RECORD OF WHO WAS IN BUILDING ØFIRST RESPONDERS CAN QUICKLY IDENTIFY VISITORS ØENSURE THAT VISITORS SIGN OUT (CAR KEYS)

Fire Drills • • Required by NFPA Life Safety Code: Two fire drills during the first 30 days of school Then one per month (weather permitting) Each classroom should have an evacuation route map with primary and alternative routes indicated. (comment) • Take your class roster with you and maintain accurate accounting of your students. (be aware of the “pull-out. ”) • Take your Go Kit with you…if you have one.

Basic Go Kit Clipboard with lists of: • All classroom students • • • Students with special needs and description of needs (i. e. medical issues, prescription medicines, dietary needs), marked confidential Classroom personnel School emergency procedures Whistle Hat or vest for teacher identification First-aid kit with instructions Pens and paper Possible Red and Green Cards There are more things that can be added if necessary

Lockdown Drill • • Two Lockdown drills per year Always practice the entire drill…don’t short cut it. Be familiar with the school’s lockdown procedure. You should be teaching with your door already locked. Run, Hide, Fight model ALICE model** To date…no one has entered a locked classroom door and harmed anyone. If the school is placed in a lockdown mode due to an actual shooter, do not open your door until some official opens the door for you.

Earthquake Drill • Two Earthquake drills per year • Drop, cover and hold • Be careful when leaving a building following a quake: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Electrical wiring hanging Gas lines could be leaking Water and electrical lines Hanging debris Take your Go Kit when leaving the area.

Severe Weather • Two severe weather drills per year • Know your evacuation plan • Know the different severe weather safe zones in your building • Keep your Go Kit handy. • Keep students away from glass and away from external doors.

Reverse Evacuation • Bringing students BACK into the building due to a pending danger. • Depending on the threat, go to the appropriate safe zone: classroom unless directed otherwise.

SHELTER IN PLACE – Turn off HVAC system – Seal room – Stay in room until informed that all is safe

Suicide prevention • KRS 158. 070 (3) (b) mandates 2 hours of suicide prevention training for all middle and high school staff members…annually. • KRS 156: 095 (6) (b) mandates all middle and high schools teachers are to disseminate suicide prevention literature to their students at the beginning of the school year. (Please take this seriously…I’ll explain. )

Other things to be aware of… • Child abuse…when in doubt report (protect yourselves…make three reports: Children services, principal and SRO…document. ) • • S. T. O. P. Online tip line Dating Abuse Bullying Dangerous behaviors Human Trafficking Alcohol/Drug abuse Parent civility policies

• • • No open containers Internet safety 2 minute rule

Review EOP flip chart • This is a good time for any questions you may have.

Thank You for your Time! For more information, contact: Denny R. Vincent Kentucky Center for School Safety denny. vincent@roadrunner. com Visit us on the web: www. kycss. org

Contact information Kentucky Center for School Safety Jon Akers, Executive Director 111 Stratton Building 521 Lancaster Ave Eastern Kentucky University Richmond, Kentucky 40475 jon. akers @eku. edu www. kysafeschools. org