In the aftermath of the terrible tragedy in Newtown, Conn., that claimed the lives of 20 students and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School, school leaders are re-examining their school safety measures and procedures.
Here are some resources from the eSchool News archives that might help. (To read these stories, click on the headlines.)
Columbine’s lessons still sharp, a decade later [1]
A decade after two students opened fire at Columbine High School in Jefferson County, Colo., killing 13 and injuring dozens more before turning the guns on themselves, the lessons in crisis communications and management gleaned from this tragic event still resonate for school leaders nationwide…
Schools turn to technology to bolster their security–but will it help? [2]
Since Columbine, the terrorist attacks of 2001, and similar acts of violence, “the new normal is increasing the use of technologies to make campuses more secure,” says Ronald Stephens, president of the National School Safety Center in Westlake Village, Calif. But “no system is perfect, and despite all the high technology, the most effective strategy is the physical presence of a responsible adult,” says Stephens…
How to prepare for a crisis [3]
Putting together a crisis management plan is no easy task, but if the school violence of the past few years has taught us anything, it’s that there is no excuse for a school not to have one. So where should you start, and what should your plan include?