Mo. families grieve 2 slain in school buses wreck

Rescue personnel work at the scene of an accident involving two school buses and a tractor-trailer on Aug. 5 near Gray Summit, Mo.
Rescue personnel work at the scene of an accident involving two school buses and a tractor-trailer on Aug. 5 near Gray Summit, Mo. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

What was supposed to have been a day of fun for a high school marching band turned into a day of chaos and tragedy, when the two buses taking them to an amusement park slammed into a highway wreck, killing a 15-year-old student and the driver of another vehicle.

The Aug. 5 morning crash near Gray Summit, about 40 miles west of St. Louis, Mo., sent dozens of children from St. James’ John F. Hodge High School to hospitals, where most were treated for minor injuries and released. Two students remained hospitalized that evening.

But Jessica Brinker, a 15-year-old student who was sitting in the back of the first bus to hit the wreck, was killed, the Missouri State Highway Patrol said.…Read More

Handcuffs for first graders?

hands-in-handcuffsHow far can a school go in disciplining students? Twenty states have laws permitting…

How far can a school go in disciplining students?

Twenty states have laws permitting corporal punishment in schools and in the most recent statistics from 2005-06, more than 223,000 students were subjected to physical punishment during the school year. But the numbers have been steadily declining since more than 1.5 million students were struck in 1976. Corporal punishment has its detractors, but also many very staunch defenders.…Read More

Schools: Protect yourselves

arrestingHere’s another story that leaves me shaking my head. A Midwestern school district has reported…

Here’s another story that leaves me shaking my head. A Midwestern school district has reported thefts of air-conditioning units at four schools this summer. The damages total more than $80,000. At one school alone, thieves–looking for valuable copper tubing–made off with 13 entire units. Two other schools reported a total of 10 units stolen. Another campus had seven units destroyed as the thieves searched for copper.

One official said the district has insurance, but with a $100,000 deductible. The loss so far is equivalent to the salaries of two teachers, he said. Not many districts can afford this type of loss.…Read More

Don’t ‘pass the trash’

DeniedStampAn investigation in 2008 by the state of Oregon found that 47 schools in the state had made a “pass the trash” deal over the previous five years. “Pass the trash” is a dangerous…

Thorough background checks are one of the best ways to ensure that the administrators, teachers, and staff you hire and volunteers for your campus don’t have potentially dangerous skeletons in their closets.…Read More

Safe passages

DAREChicago has had major problems with gangs attacking people throughout the city, including school kids going to and from school each day. I’m sure many of us remember the terrible online video that showed…

Chicago has had major problems with gangs attacking people throughout the city, including school kids going to and from school each day. I’m sure many of us remember the terrible online video that showed the fatal beating of high school honor student, Derrion Albert, as he headed home from school last fall.

Now there is good news from Chicago. The city plans to spend $25 million in federal stimulus funds on three school violence prevention programs. About $10 million will go towards a mentoring program for 1,500 high-risk students. The mentors will help the students find jobs and line up tutoring and social services.…Read More

Let cops carry the guns

Police GunOne thing that still surprises me is the number of states willing to allow college and university students to carry concealed weapons on campus. More than 30 years in law enforcement has taught me that any guns on campus…

One thing that still surprises me is the number of states willing to allow college and university students to carry concealed weapons on campus. The laws are changing fast, but as of today, 25 states prohibit guns on campus.

But 23 leave it up to the campus administration to decide. Georgia allows students with a permit to keep a concealed weapon in their cars on campus. And students with a permit in Utah can carry concealed handguns.…Read More

What price on student safety?

PoliceStudentsOne of the most important security measures any district can employ is a program in which…

School resource officers are one of the most important security measures any district can employ. This is a program in which schools and local law enforcement have worked hand-in-hand to help improve safety and security on campuses. In an emergency, having a trained and armed police officer at each school can help save lives and limit property loss.

Police and sheriff’s departments across the country also recognize the deterrent value to criminals by having a dedicated officer at each school. It’s been a win-win situation.…Read More

Cameras up North

Emergency firefighting cover - Operation FrescoAlthough security cameras in schools raise staff and student privacy issues, they can be highly beneficial when it comes to deterring crime.

Up in British Columbia, school cameras are supposed to be used only as a last resort for controlling vandalism and other crimes. Boards of education are required to seek approval from school planning councils before approving camera installations.

These rules are intended to give parents a voice on school safety issues and protect the privacy of students, faculty, and staff. It’s always a good idea to get parents to be involved in their children’s safety at school.…Read More

Practice the plan

HandcuffedRecently police officers moved through a Florida middle school hunting for a gunman that had opened fire on campus. There was blood everywhere. Students were lying on the floor, wounded. Fortunately, the shooter was never found…

Recently police officers moved through a Florida middle school hunting for a gunman that had opened fire on campus. There was blood everywhere. Students were lying on the floor, wounded.…Read More

Securing K-12 networks for 1:1 computing

students-using-laptopThe adoption of 1:1 computing programs and online K-12 learning programs are driving an industry-wide move toward accessible network access. In East Grand Rapids Public Schools, and in school districts nationwide, requirements to provide students and teachers with easy access to online tools and the internet are paramount to creating an effective learning environment.

With today’s budget cuts, the only sustainable way to provide 1:1 computing is to allow students to bring their own computers to school. Deploying a network access control (NAC) solution that supports a multi-vendor environment, wireless and wired networks, and multiple computing device types is a necessary best practice for accomplishing this.

We talk a lot about “democratizing student access to technology” around here–letting students choose the computing platforms and learning tools that work best for them. NAC gives students access to networks and learning resources using the devices of their choice, and keeps them off restricted networks while providing the security and malware protection that prevent network outages.…Read More

Lock the gates

LockedSchoolIt seems a first-grade student recently slipped away from a Massachusetts school with the intention of walking home. Apparently, none of the school staff noticed him leaving. Fortunately, he was spotted by a police officer who returned him safely to campus. The principal said a review was underway. This isn’t a difficult fix…

Sometimes, we need to remember to lock our schools–especially elementary campuses–not just to keep the bad guys out, but our students safely inside during classroom hours.

It seems a first-grade student recently slipped away from a Massachusetts school with the intention of walking about three miles home. Apparently, none of the school staff noticed him leaving. Fortunately, he was spotted by a police officer who returned him safely to campus.…Read More

Kid vandals?

GraffitiThe criminals seem to get younger all the time. A school in Louisiana recently reported…

The criminals seem to get younger all the time.

A school in Louisiana recently reported vandalism–a dozen broken windows, two fire extinguishers discharged, and profanity scribbled on walls. The damage was estimated at about $3,000.…Read More