“Eric is a very bright young man who is likely to succeed in life.” Anger management counselor describing Eric Harris on 2/3/99 —————————- Submitted by Robert Rinearson, Ft. Wayne Community Schools and local newspaper columnist
Blog Archives
School Access Control: Two Simple, But Powerful, Practices
Proximity or swipe card readers, electronic door opening controls, surveillance cameras, and visitor management systems are among a list of access control and management strategies put in place in schools across the nation. School administrators and safety officials can effectively integrate these and other strategies into their school security plans. But two simple, but powerful, practices are too frequently overlooked and/or under-emphasized: […]
School Safety Quotes: On Motivational Speakers
“They make you laugh. They make you cry. And then they leave you wondering, ‘Why?’ All fluff, no stuff.” Dr. Stephen Sroka, President, Health Education Consultants Dr. Steve Sroka is an internationally experienced speaker and consultant on youth sex, drugs, and violence issues. As a veteran health educator and crisis intervention expert, Steve shares a concern that many people […]
School Safety News: The Week in Review (Jan 18-22, 2010)
Highlights of school safety, security, and crisis incidents and issues around the nation for the week of January 18-22, 2010: Cleveland, OH: Teacher robbed in school parking lot An elementary school teacher was robbed and her car was stolen as she arrived at work around 7:30am. Appomattox, VA: Explosives found at home of suspected Va. gunman […]
What School Administrators Can Learn from Senator-Elect Scott Brown
The surprise victory by now Senator-elect Scott Brown has been the buzz in national news for the past two days. Brown, the Republican candidate for the Massachusetts Senate seat held for decades by former Senator Ted Kennedy, won an election believed at first to be a guaranteed win for his Democratic challenger. How did Brown pull off […]
Steps Parents Can Take to Address School Safety Concerns
Rarely does a week go by where I don’t receive emails from parents with concerns about safety at their child’s school. While I have no firsthand knowledge of the facts of these cases, many appear on the surface to be rational and legitimate issues. Although the facts vary case-to-case, a few common themes have emerged: School safety […]
Timely Parent and Media Communications on School Safety
Failing to communicate school safety and crisis incidents to parents and the media in an effective and timely manner can become its own separate story. It can also put a dent in the credibility of a school district and its leaders from the superintendent to the building principal. One reporter working on a story which questioned a school […]
Is Staff Arrival and Departure Security in Your School Safety Plan?
A Cleveland elementary school teacher was robbed and her car was stolen as she arrived outside the school around 7:30am today. This incident illustrates the importance of thinking about school security beyond just the hours when students are present. All schools, especially those in high-crime areas, should have security considerations in place from early staff arrival until the […]
Managing Gangs and School Safety: Denial or Determination?
An uptick in gang activity in many communities has forced schools around the nation to grapple with school security issues in and around campuses. Just since the beginning of this school year last August: A 16-year-old female high school honors student in Long Beach, CA, was shot and killed while leaving a high school homecoming game. Police reported the […]
School Safety News: The Week in Review (Jan 11-15, 2010)
Highlights of school safety, security, and crisis incidents and issues around the nation for the week of January 11-15, 2010: Fort Wayne, IN: Concordia stunned by student attack A 14-year-old male student allegedly stabbed a 17-year-old male student with a large military-style knife, and then chased the victim through the hallways at a private high school. Rosemead, CA: […]