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What is School Safety?

August 28, 2024

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What is School Safety?

5 Essential Resources for Learning & Application

In its most basic sense, school safety means ensuring everyone feels secure and valued. It encompasses everything from bullying prevention to mental health, physical security, emergency preparedness, and more. Keeping schools safe is a continuous effort that requires teamwork and involves the community and people from diverse backgrounds. It includes preventing problems before they happen, responding appropriately to incidents when they arise, and supporting community members when harm does occur. 

Navigating the basics of school safety can be challenging, especially if you’re unsure how to begin. Below are five NCSS resources and trainings that we believe will best guide you through this important topic.

 #1 – What is School Safety (Podcast Episode)

This 20-minute podcast, the first in a series on Comprehensive School Safety Planning, features six guests discussing school safety.

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Excerpt from the What is School Safety Podcast: One of the roles that we can play is to try and create an environment that allows students to actualize as learners and to go to school without fear of being bullied or victimized, and really concentrate on their learning and really becoming the best individuals that they can be.

#2 – School Safety at a Glance (Guide)

This short guide explores recent Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System data and shares school safety strategies and approaches for creating safe learning environments.

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Excerpt from School Safety at a Glance: Prevention strategies have the strongest evidence supporting their implementation and success in reducing violence.

 #3 – First Steps for Engaging Your School Safety Network (Self-Paced Training)

This self-paced workshop helps you identify and engage your school safety network. You’ll learn strategies for effective partnership and buy-in, understand key terms for influencing your network, and create a network map and influence grid to enhance your engagement efforts.

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Excerpt from First Steps for Engaging Your School Safety network: Before you engage your school safety network, it's important to ask yourself, 'What are the intended results of my school safety projects? Which collaborators will help me achieve these results?'

 #4 – School-Based Prevention Programming (Webinar)

This webinar, part of a series on improving school climate and safety, focuses on how school-based prevention programs can enhance school climate. Experts discuss various examples and their effect on fostering a positive school environment.

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Excerpt from School-based Prevention Programming: Well-established goals, strategies, and clearly explained expectations of engagement for students and staff often lead to more significant buy-in from the school community.

 #5 – Key Considerations for Bullying Prevention (Guide)

This guide offers essential information for developing and maintaining effective bullying prevention programs. It covers an overview of bullying, strategies for prevention, context-specific considerations, youth engagement and empowerment, and resources on the effect of social media on bullying.

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Excerpt from Key Considerations of Bullying Prevention: Creating a positive school climate, where everyone feels like they belong, are valued, and where they feel physically and emotionally safe, is an essential component of bullying prevention.

For a deeper dive into school safety, consider: