Providing a Holistic, Proactive Approach to School Safety

Author #1

Summary

In order to foster a community that is built on trust and youth empowerment, school safety programs must provide a holistic, upstream solution to youth violence prevention. This includes providing education and tools to students that empower and train adults and students how to recognize signs and threats, to take them seriously, and to say something. In turn, these programs must show those who are upstanders and who may be victims of violence or at risk of suicide that the adults in their school communities take them seriously and are committed to building trust and keeping their students safe.

Recognizing that many students want and need a secure and anonymous way to share their concerns, the use of an anonymous reporting system provides a framework to help bridge that gap. However, it is critical that an anonymous reporting system not just provide a means to submit a tip, but it must be available and accessible and include certain features and specific tools that provide a holistic approach to youth violence prevention. These include but are not limited to the following:

  • Secure tip-reporting tech plaftorm that allows tipsters to submit tips via a mobile app, web-based tip form, or a telephone hotline.
  • 24/7/365 Crisis Center services that allow tipsters to conduct two-way dialogue with a Crisis Counselor
  • Student training that teaches students to idenfity signs and threats, take them seriously, and use the reporting system
  • Multi-disciplinary adult user training that teaches adults how to use the tip management system, manage tips, and how to work together to keep students safe
  • Lesson plans and activities to reinforce key themes of the program, which are aligned to Collaborative for Academic Social and Emotional Learning competencies.
  • Ongoing account support to ensure operational fidelity and efficacy, including professional development opportunities
  • Opportunities and activities to promote student leadership and empowerment
  • Evidence-based

Before considering launching an anonymous reporting system in their school community, it is important that district leaders consider these features when determining which is the right fit.

This paper has been withdrawn.
 

Providing a Holistic, Proactive Approach to School Safety

In order to foster a community that is built on trust and youth empowerment, school safety programs must provide a holistic, upstream solution to youth violence prevention. This includes providing education and tools to students that empower and train adults and students how to recognize signs and threats, to take them seriously, and to say something. In turn, these programs must show those who are upstanders and who may be victims of violence or at risk of suicide that the adults in their school communities take them seriously and are committed to building trust and keeping their students safe.

Recognizing that many students want and need a secure and anonymous way to share their concerns, the use of an anonymous reporting system provides a framework to help bridge that gap. However, it is critical that an anonymous reporting system not just provide a means to submit a tip, but it must be available and accessible and include certain features and specific tools that provide a holistic approach to youth violence prevention. These include but are not limited to the following:

  • Secure tip-reporting tech plaftorm that allows tipsters to submit tips via a mobile app, web-based tip form, or a telephone hotline.
  • 24/7/365 Crisis Center services that allow tipsters to conduct two-way dialogue with a Crisis Counselor
  • Student training that teaches students to idenfity signs and threats, take them seriously, and use the reporting system
  • Multi-disciplinary adult user training that teaches adults how to use the tip management system, manage tips, and how to work together to keep students safe
  • Lesson plans and activities to reinforce key themes of the program, which are aligned to Collaborative for Academic Social and Emotional Learning competencies.
  • Ongoing account support to ensure operational fidelity and efficacy, including professional development opportunities
  • Opportunities and activities to promote student leadership and empowerment
  • Evidence-based

Before considering launching an anonymous reporting system in their school community, it is important that district leaders consider these features when determining which is the right fit.