School Safety Plan
Students are more successful in their academic achievement, college and career readiness, and personal/social growth in schools with a positive, supportive climate (Hernández & Seem, 2004). A major component of school climate is safety (Bradshaw, Waasdorp, Debnam, & Johnson, 2014). Not only do students need to feel physically safe in school, but they also need to be protected mentally and emotionally. If students are constantly worried and preoccupied with concerns for their safety or what they should do in an emergency situation, they will not be able to focus in the classroom and thus will struggle academically. As professional school counselors, it is our responsibility to ensure the safety of our students so that they can reach their fullest potential.
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According to authors of one article in Professional School Counseling, the foundational, rigorous, peer-reviewed journal of the school counseling profession, "Effective and safe schools are places where there is strong leadership, caring faculty, parent and community involvement--including law enforcement officials--and student participation in the design of programs and policies" (Hernández & Seem, 2004, p. 260). School counselors are leaders of the school, and one of our responsibilities as leaders is promoting a safe school while fostering cooperation among all members of our school and community. School counselors can do this by "establishing a sense of belonging among students as a means of building safe schools" (Daniels et al., 2007, p. 487). Researchers have found that students who feel more connected to their school "were better protected from risk factors and had more positive in-school outcomes (e.g., better attendance, better grades, higher test scores) as well as out-of-school outcomes (e.g., lower substance use and abuse; lower likelihood of having early sexual experiences; being a victim of violence; and sustaining injuries from behaviors, such as not wearing a seat belt or driving while drinking)" (Lapan, Wells, Petersen, & McCann, 2014). School counselors can also provide school-wide prevention lessons and activities related to bullying, coping, and stress-management skills that can help protect against these crises and promote a safe school environment.
As much as school counselors and other key stakeholders work to prevent these emergencies, there is a chance they will still occur. Some emergencies like natural disasters are unpreventable, and all we can do is be sure that we are prepared to handle the situation when the time comes. Many schools have an Emergency Operation Plan in place that detail responsibilities for administrators and other school leaders - e.g. school counselors! - as well as specific instructions for staff and students to follow in emergency situations. Noblesville High School (NHS) has a thorough plan in place that is used and practiced throughout the school year (*because NHS's Emergency Operation Plan is confidential, I have attached a very similar sample plan below). These comprehensive plans are important in providing everyone in the school with clear, detailed instructions for how to handle any situation that could potentially arise, and with knowledge and preparedness comes confidence rather than panic. Another helpful component of school safety plans can be providing teachers and students with brief outlines of those plans for quick reference during a moment of crisis. While these plans are definitely important, practicing through trainings and drills are key in ensuring the plans' effectiveness. I have seen these drills in action at NHS, and I have seen how important it is for every person to take the drill seriously. School counselors can promote the seriousness of these drills by being visible and engaged throughout the entirety of the drill. The NHS administrators have also done a wonderful job of providing prompt, constructive feedback to all stakeholders, offering praise and areas for improvement to guarantee everyone's safety in the event of a true emergency.
During emergencies, and especially crisis situations, students and fellow staff members will look to their school counselors for cues on how to act (Daniels et al., 2007). This is the time when we need to put our calm, confident self-management strategies to use in order to keep everyone safe. If professional school counselors include school safety and prevention activities within our comprehensive school counseling programs, and do our best to maintain our composure and identity as leaders during crisis situations, we can promote safe and positive climates in our schools that in turn enhance the success of each of our students.
As much as school counselors and other key stakeholders work to prevent these emergencies, there is a chance they will still occur. Some emergencies like natural disasters are unpreventable, and all we can do is be sure that we are prepared to handle the situation when the time comes. Many schools have an Emergency Operation Plan in place that detail responsibilities for administrators and other school leaders - e.g. school counselors! - as well as specific instructions for staff and students to follow in emergency situations. Noblesville High School (NHS) has a thorough plan in place that is used and practiced throughout the school year (*because NHS's Emergency Operation Plan is confidential, I have attached a very similar sample plan below). These comprehensive plans are important in providing everyone in the school with clear, detailed instructions for how to handle any situation that could potentially arise, and with knowledge and preparedness comes confidence rather than panic. Another helpful component of school safety plans can be providing teachers and students with brief outlines of those plans for quick reference during a moment of crisis. While these plans are definitely important, practicing through trainings and drills are key in ensuring the plans' effectiveness. I have seen these drills in action at NHS, and I have seen how important it is for every person to take the drill seriously. School counselors can promote the seriousness of these drills by being visible and engaged throughout the entirety of the drill. The NHS administrators have also done a wonderful job of providing prompt, constructive feedback to all stakeholders, offering praise and areas for improvement to guarantee everyone's safety in the event of a true emergency.
During emergencies, and especially crisis situations, students and fellow staff members will look to their school counselors for cues on how to act (Daniels et al., 2007). This is the time when we need to put our calm, confident self-management strategies to use in order to keep everyone safe. If professional school counselors include school safety and prevention activities within our comprehensive school counseling programs, and do our best to maintain our composure and identity as leaders during crisis situations, we can promote safe and positive climates in our schools that in turn enhance the success of each of our students.
References:
Bradshaw, C. P., Waasdorp, T. E., Debnam, K. J., & Johnson, S. L. (2014). Measuring school climate in high schools: A focus on safety, engagement, and the environment. Journal of School Health, 84(9), 593-604.
Daniels, J. A., Bradley, M. C., Cramer, D. P., Winkler, A., Kinebrew, K., & Crockett, D. (2007). In the aftermath of a school hostage event: A case study of one school counselor's response. Professional School Counseling, 10(5),
482-489.
Hernández, T. J., & Seem, S. R. (2004). A safe school climate: A systemic approach and the school counselor. Professional School Counseling, 7(4), 256-262.
Lapan, R. T., Wells, R., Petersen, J., & McCann, L. A. (2014). Stand tall to protect students: School counselors strengthening school connectedness. Journal of Counseling & Development, 92(3), 304-315. doi:10.1002/j.1556-
6676.2014.00158.x
Bradshaw, C. P., Waasdorp, T. E., Debnam, K. J., & Johnson, S. L. (2014). Measuring school climate in high schools: A focus on safety, engagement, and the environment. Journal of School Health, 84(9), 593-604.
Daniels, J. A., Bradley, M. C., Cramer, D. P., Winkler, A., Kinebrew, K., & Crockett, D. (2007). In the aftermath of a school hostage event: A case study of one school counselor's response. Professional School Counseling, 10(5),
482-489.
Hernández, T. J., & Seem, S. R. (2004). A safe school climate: A systemic approach and the school counselor. Professional School Counseling, 7(4), 256-262.
Lapan, R. T., Wells, R., Petersen, J., & McCann, L. A. (2014). Stand tall to protect students: School counselors strengthening school connectedness. Journal of Counseling & Development, 92(3), 304-315. doi:10.1002/j.1556-
6676.2014.00158.x