Category Archive: Parents and School Safety

What Does a Fireman Know About Being A School Board Member?

Posted by on April 16, 2010

If the fireman is Reno Contipelli, he knows a lot about school boards.  And he never stops learning about school safety and taking those lessons back to his school-community. Reno is a professional firefighter and dedicated 17-year school board member for Cuyahoga Heights Schools in Northeast Ohio.  He also heads up the board’s school safety committee. Reno […]

School Board Members Speak Out on School Safety – Part 3

Posted by on April 15, 2010

School board members Maria Starks from Dyersville, Tennessee, knows what is going on with school safety in her district.  She particularly knows and appreciates the role of her School Resource Officer.  She also shares information on cell phones in schools and her personal advice for board members. Listen to Maria Starks’ insights on school safety […]

School Board Members Speak Out on School Safety – Part 2

Posted by on April 14, 2010

David Fowler, School Board Member for the L’Anse Creuse Public Schools in Harrison Township, Michigan, does not just hear about school safety measures in his district.  He and his fellow board members actually participate in the training, drills, and related activities. I spoke with David, who attended one of my training sessions at the National […]

School Board Members Speak Out on School Safety – Part 1

Posted by on April 13, 2010

The National School Boards Association annual convention is always one of the highlights of my year.  Listening to, and talking with, our nation’s school board members inspires me as I hear about their commitment to school safety. My interviews with two board members, James Chavez and Kerry Young, found board leaders geographically from opposite sides of the country, […]

School Safety Interview: Board Member Marianne Jasen, NSBA Chicago Convention

Posted by on April 10, 2010

As a presenter at the annual National School Boards Association (NSBA) conventions, I have the great fortune of meeting many of our nation’s school board members, superintendents, and education support organizations. This year, at NSBA’s Chicago convention, we spoke a lot about the importance of keeping school safety on the front burner during tough financial times.  A […]

Bullying: Parent or School Responsibility?

Posted by on April 1, 2010

Who is ultimately responsible for school bullying – parents, schools, the victims? CNN’s Rick Sanchez and I had a lengthy on-air discussion yesterday afternoon on bullying, the roles of teachers and parents, who is responsible when a bullied teen commits suicide, and what parents can do to support their children who may be bullied or […]

School Anti-Bullying Laws Are The Wrong Approach

Posted by on March 31, 2010

School anti-bullying laws ‘sound good and feel good, but they provide little-to-no new resources to educators. High-profile bullying incidents, including a number resulting in victim suicides, have fueled calls for more state and federal anti-bullying laws.  The latest school bullying case in Massachusetts resulted in the death of 15-year-old Phoebe Prince and criminal charges against nine teens.  […]

Is School Safety Really a Priority to Your School Board, Superintendent, and Community?

Posted by on March 19, 2010

  Why is school safety always the first on the chopping block by school boards and superintendents when schools cut budgets?  Do they really care about school safety? It has been my experience that school board members, superintendents, and others in education are very caring people.  They care about kids.  And they care about their […]

Assessing Your School’s Security

Posted by on January 31, 2010

The next time you head onto your school campus, take a look at the site through a different lens. Instead of looking at your school from your eyes as a school employee or as a parent, look as if you are a school safety consultant: Campus perimeter:  Is there a defined perimeter distinguishing school property […]

Steps Parents Can Take to Address School Safety Concerns

Posted by on January 21, 2010

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 […]