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A Guide to Safe Schools EARLY WARNING TIMELY RESPONSE The full text of this public domain publi- cation is available at the Departments home page at http://www.ed.gov/offices/ OSERS/OSEP/earlywrn.html and in al- ternate formats upon request. For more information, please contact us at: U.S. Department of Education Special Education and Rehabilitative Services Room 3131 Mary E. Switzer Building Washington, D.C. 20202-2524 http://www.ed.gov/offices/OSERS/OSEP/ earlywrn.html American Association of School Administrators American Counseling Association American Federation of Teachers American School Counselors Association Council of Administrators of Special Education Council for Exceptional Children Federation of Families for Childrens Mental Health National Association of Elementary School Principals National Association of School Psychologists National Association of Secondary School Principals National Association of State Boards of Education National Education Association National Mental Health Association National Middle Schools Association National PTA National School Boards Association National School Public Relations Association Police Executive Research Forum Organizations Supporting This Guide Email: David_Summers@ed.gov Telephone: (202)205-9043 TDD: (202)205-5465 FIRS 1-800-877-8339, 8 a.m. - 8 p.m., ET, M-F This guide was produced by the Center for Effective Collaboration and Practice of the American Institutes for Research in collaboration with the National Asso- ciation of School Psychologists, under a cooperative agreement with the U.S. De- partment of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Office of Special Education Programs (grant# H237T60005). The development of this guide was sup- ported by the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services, Office of Special Education Programs, under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Dissemination of the guide was supported by the Office of Elemen- tary and Secondary Education, Safe and Drug-Free Schools Program. Dwyer, K., Osher, D., and Warger, C. (1998). Early warning, timely response: A guide to safe schools. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education. August 1998 ii Executive Summary Although most schools are safe, the violence that occurs in our neighborhoods and communities has found its way inside the schoolhouse door. However, if we understand what leads to violence and the types of support that re- search has shown are effective in preventing violence, we can make our schools safer. Research-based practices can help school communitiesadministra- tors, teachers, families, students, support staff, and community membersrecognize the warning signs early, so children can get the help they need before it is too late. This guide presents a brief sum- mary of the research on violence prevention and intervention and crisis response in schools. It tells school communities: What to look forthe early warning signs that relate to vio- lence and other troubling be- haviors. What to dothe action steps that school communities can take to prevent violence and other troubling behaviors, to intervene and get help for troubled children, and to re- spond to school violence when it occurs. Early Warning, Timely Response A Guide to Safe Schools Sections in this guide include: Section 1: Introduction. All staff, students, parents, and members of the community must be part of creating a safe school environment. Schools must have in place approaches for addressing the needs of all children who have troubling behaviors. This section de- scribes the rationale for the guide and suggests how it can be used by school communities to develop a plan of action. Section 2: Characteristics of a School That Is Safe and Re- sponsive to All Children. Well functioning schools foster learning, safety, and socially appropriate behaviors. They have a strong academic focus and support students in achiev- ing high standards, foster posi- tive relationships between school staff and students, and promote meaningful parental and community involvement. This section describes charac- teristics of schools that support prevention, appropriate inter- vention, and effective crisis re- sponse. Section 3: Early Warning Signs. There are early warning The full text of this public domain publication is avail- able at the Departments home page at http:// www.ed.gov/offices/OSERS/ OSEP/earlywrn.html. iii signs that, when viewed in con- text, can signal a troubled child. Educators and parentsand in some cases, studentscan use several significant principles to ensure that the early warning signs are not misinterpreted. This section presents early warning signs, imminent warn- ing signs, and the principles that ensure these signs will not be misinterpreted. It concludes with a brief description of us- ing the early warning signs to shape intervention practices. Section 4: Getting Help for Troubled Children. Effective interventions for improving the behavior of troubled children are well documented in the re- search literature. This section presents research- and expert- based principles that should provide the foundation for all intervention development. It describes what to do when in- tervening early with students who are at risk for behavioral problems, when responding with intensive interventions for individual children, and when providing a foundation to pre- vent and reduce violent behav- ior. Section 5: Developing a Pre- vention and Response Plan. Effective schools create a vio- lence prevention and response plan and form a team that can ensure it is implemented. They use approaches and strategies based on research about what works. This section offers sug- gestions for developing such plans. Section 6: Responding to Cri- sis. Effective and safe schools are well prepared for any poten- tial crisis or violent act. This section describes what to do when intervening during a cri- sis to ensure safety and when responding in the aftermath of crisis. The principles that un- derlie effective crisis response are included. Section 7: Conclusion. This section summarizes the guide. Section 8: Methodology, Con- tributors, and Research Sup- port. This guide synthesizes an extensive knowledge base on violence and violence preven- tion. This section describes the rigorous development and re- view process that was used. It also provides information about the projects Web site. A final section lists resources that can be contacted for more infor- mation. The information in this guide is not intended as a comprehensive prevention, intervention, and re- sponse planschool communities could do everything recom- mended and still experience vio- lence. Rather, the intent is to pro- vide school communities with re- liable and practical information about what they can do to be pre- pared and to reduce the likelihood of violence. Contents Letter ............................................................................................................................. i Executive Summary ..................................................................................................... ii A Guide to Safe Schools ............................................................................................... 1 About This Guide ............................................................................................................................................ 1 Using the Guide To Develop a Plan of Action ................................................................................................ 2 Characteristics of a School That Is Safe and Responsive to All Children ................. 3 Early Warning Signs ..................................................................................................... 6 Principles for Identifying the Early Warning Signs of School Violence .......................................................... 6 Early Warning Signs ........................................................................................................................................ 8 Identifying and Responding to Imminent Warning Signs ............................................................................. 11 Using the Early Warning Signs To Shape Intervention Practices ................................................................. 12 Intervention: Getting Help for Troubled Children ....................................................13 Principles Underlying Intervention ............................................................................................................... 13 Intervening Early with Students Who Are at Risk for Behavioral Problems................................................ 16 Providing Intensive, Individualized Interventions for Students with Severe Behavioral Problems ................................................................................................................. 19 Providing a Foundation To Prevent and Reduce Violent Behavior .............................................................. 19 Developing a Prevention and Response Plan ............................................................23 Creating the Violence Prevention and Response Plan .................................................................................. 23 Forming the Prevention and Response Team ................................................................................................ 24 Responding to Crisis ................................................................................................... 27 Principles Underlying Crisis Response ......................................................................................................... 27 Intervening During a Crisis To Ensure Safety ................................................................................... ........... 27 Responding in the Aftermath of Crisis .......................................................................................................... 28 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................31 Methodology, Contributors, and Research Support ..................................................32 Resources ...................................................................................................... Back Cover 1 Section 1: Introduction Most schools are safe. Although fewer than one percent of all vio- lent deaths of children occur on school groundsindeed, a child is far more likely to be killed in the community or at homeno school is immune. The violence that occurs in our neighborhoods and communities has found its way inside the schoolhouse door. And while we can take some solace in the knowledge that schools are among the safest places for young people, we must do more. School violence reflects a much broader problem, one that can only be addressed when everyoneat school, at home, and in the community works together. The 1997-1998 school year served as a dramatic wake-up call to the fact that guns do come to school, and some students will use them to kill. One after the other, school communities across the country from Oregon to Virginia, from Ar- kansas to Pennsylvania, from Mis- sissippi to Kentuckyhave been forced to face the fact that vio- lence can happen to them. And while these serious incidents trouble us deeply, they should not prevent us from acting to prevent school violence of any kind. There is ample documentation that prevention and early inter- vention efforts can reduce vio- lence and other troubling behav- iors in schools. Research-based practices can help school commu- nities recognize the warning signs early, so children can get the help they need before it is too late. In fact, research suggests that some of the most promising prevention and intervention strategies in- volve the entire educational com- munityadministrators, teach- ers, families, students, support staff, and community members working together to form positive relationships with all children. If we understand what leads to violence and the types of support that research has shown are effec- tive in preventing violence and other troubling behaviors, we can make our schools safer. About This Guide This guide presents a brief sum- mary of the research on violence prevention and intervention and crisis response in schools (see Section 8 for a review of method- ology and information on how to locate the research). It tells mem- bers of school communitieses- pecially administrators, teachers, staff, families, students, and com- munity-based professionals: What to look forthe early warning signs that relate to vio- lence and other troubling be- haviors. What to dothe action steps that school communities can take to prevent violence and other troubling behaviors, to intervene and get help for A Guide to Safe Schools 2 troubled children, and to re- spond to school violence when it occurs. The information in each section is not intended as a comprehen- sive prevention, intervention, and response system or plan. Indeed, school violence occurs in a unique context in every school and every situation, making a one-size-fits- all scheme impossible. Moreover, school communities could do ev- erything recommended and still experience violence. Rather, this guide is designed to provide school communities with reliable and practical information about what they can do to be prepared and to reduce the likelihood of violence. Creating a safe school requires having in place many preventive measures for childrens mental and emotional problemsas well as a comprehensive approach to early identification of all warning signs that might lead to violence toward self or others. The term violence as used in this book- let, refers to a broad range of trou- bling behaviors and emotions shown by studentsincluding serious aggression, physical at- tacks, suicide, dangerous use of drugs, and other dangerous inter- personal behaviors. However, the early warning signs presented in this document focus primarily on aggressive and violent behaviors toward others. The guide does not attempt to address all of the warn- ing signs related to depression and suicide. Nevertheless, some of the signs of potential violence toward others are also signs of depression and suicidal risk, which should be addressed through early iden- tification and appropriate inter- vention. Using the Guide To Develop a Plan of Action All staff, students, parents, and members of the community must be part of creating a safe school environment: Everyone has a personal re- sponsibility for reducing the risk of violence. We must take steps to maintain order, demon- strate mutual respect and car- ing for one another, and ensure that children who are troubled get the help they need. Everyone should have an un- derstanding of the early warn- ing signs that help identify stu- dents who may be headed for trouble. Everyone should be prepared to respond appropriately in a cri- sis situation. Research and expert-based infor- mation offers a wealth of knowl- edge about preventing violence in schools. The following sections provide informationwhat to look for and what to dothat school communities can use when developing or enhancing violence prevention and response plans (see Section 5 for more informa- tion about these plans). We hope that school communities will use this document as a guide as they begin the prevention and healing process today, at all age and grade levels, and for all stu- dents. Violence is a major con- cern to parents, students, teachers, and the adminis- tration of any school. We have found that our best plan starts with prevention and awareness. At our middle school, the school psychologist, in conjunc- tion with the assistant prin- cipal, has developed an anti-intimidation and threat plan. Our school statistics reflect a dramatic decline in violence from the 1996-97 to the 1997-98 school year. We treat each and every stu- dent with respect. We are finding that they in turn are demonstrating a more re- spectful attitude. G. Norma Villar Baker, Principal, Midvale, UT 3 Section 2: What To Look For Well functioning schools foster learning, safety, and socially ap- propriate behaviors. They have a strong academic focus and sup- port students in achieving high standards, foster positive relation- ships between school staff and students, and promote meaning- ful parental and community in- volvement. Most prevention pro- grams in effective schools address multiple factors and recognize that safety and order are related to childrens social, emotional, and academic development. Effective prevention, intervention, and crisis response strategies op- erate best in school communities that: Focus on academic achieve- ment. Effective schools convey the attitude that all children can achieve academically and behave appropriately, while at the same time appreciating in- dividual differences. Adequate resources and programs help ensure that expectations are met. Expectations are commu- nicated clearly, with the under- standing that meeting such ex- pectations is a responsibility of the student, the school, and the home. Students who do not re- ceive the support they need are less likely to behave in socially desirable ways. Involve families in meaningful ways. Students whose families are involved in their growth in and outside of school are more likely to experience school suc- cess and less likely to become involved in antisocial activities. School communities must make parents feel welcome in school, address barriers to their participation, and keep families positively engaged in their childrens education. Effective schools also support families in expressing concerns about their childrenand they support families in getting the help they need to address behaviors that cause concern. Develop links to the commu- nity. Everyone must be commit- ted to improving schools. Schools that have close ties to families, support services, com- munity police, the faith-based community, and the commu- nity at large can benefit from many valuable resources. When these links are weak, the risk of school violence is heightened and the opportunity to serve children who are at risk for vio- lence or who may be affected by it is decreased. Emphasize positive relation- ships among students and staff. Research shows that a Characteristics of a School That Is Safe and Responsive to All Children 4 positive relationship with an adult who is available to pro- vide support when needed is one of the most critical factors in preventing student violence. Students often look to adults in the school community for guid- ance, support, and direction. Some children need help over- coming feelings of isolation and support in developing connec- tions to others. Effective schools make sure that oppor- tunities exist for adults to spend quality, personal time with chil- dren. Effective schools also fos- ter positive student interper- sonal relationsthey encour- age students to help each other and to feel comfortable assist- ing others in getting help when needed. Discuss safety issues openly. Children come to school with many different perceptions and misconceptionsabout death, violence, and the use of weapons. Schools can reduce the risk of violence by teaching children about the dangers of firearms, as well as appropriate strategies for dealing with feel- ings, expressing anger in appro- priate ways, and resolving con- flicts. Schools also should teach children that they are respon- sible for their actions and that the choices they make have consequences for which they will be held accountable. Treat students with equal re- spect. A major source of con- flict in many schools is the per- ceived or real problem of bias and unfair treatment of stu- dents because of ethnicity, gen- der, race, social class, religion, disability, nationality, sexual orientation, physical appear- ance, or some other factor both by staff and by peers. Stu- dents who have been treated unfairly may become scape- goats and/or targets of violence. In some cases, victims may re- act in aggressive ways. Effective schools communicate to stu- dents and the greater commu- nity that all children are valued and respected. There is a delib- erate and systematic effortfor example, displaying childrens artwork, posting academic work prominently throughout the building, respecting stu- dents diversityto establish a climate that demonstrates care and a sense of community. Create ways for students to share their concerns. It has been found that peers often are the most likely group to know in advance about potential school violence. Schools must create ways for students to safely report such troubling be- haviors that may lead to dan- gerous situations. And students who report potential school vio- lence must be protected. It is important for schools to sup- port and foster positive rela- tionships between students and adults so students will feel safe providing information about a potentially dangerous situation. Help children feel safe express- ing their feelings. It is very im- portant that children feel safe when expressing their needs, fears, and anxieties to school staff. When they do not have access to caring adults, feelings of isolation, rejection, and dis- appointment are more likely to occur, increasing the probabil- ity of acting-out behaviors. I just recently got out of the hospital. I was a victim of a shooting at my school. Ive been teaching for 20 years and I never thought it could happen at my school. Some of the kids knew about it before it hap- pened, but they didnt want to say anythingthey have a code of honor and they did not want to tattle tale. But someone has to stand up, someone has to take a stand because, if you dont, then somebody else is go- ing to get hurt. Gregory Carter, Teacher, Richmond, VA 5 Have in place a system for re- ferring children who are sus- pected of being abused or ne- glected. The referral system must be appropriate and reflect federal and state guidelines. Offer extended day programs for children. School-based be- fore- and after-school programs can be effective in reducing vio- lence. Effective programs are well supervised and provide children with support and a range of options, such as coun- seling, tutoring, mentoring, cul- tural arts, community service, clubs, access to computers, and help with homework. Promote good citizenship and character. In addition to their academic mission, schools must help students become good citizens. First, schools stand for the civic values set forth in our Constitution and Bill of Rights (patriotism; free- dom of religion, speech, and press; equal protection/nondis- crimination; and due process/ fairness). Schools also reinforce and promote the shared values of their local communities, such as honesty, kindness, re- sponsibility, and respect for others. Schools should ac- knowledge that parents are the primary moral educators of their children and work in part- nership with them. Identify problems and assess progress toward solutions. Schools must openly and objec- tively examine circumstances that are potentially dangerous for students and staff and situ- ations where members of the school community feel threat- ened or intimidated. Safe schools continually assess progress by identifying prob- lems and collecting information regarding progress toward solu- tions. Moreover, effective schools share this information with students, families, and the community at large. Support students in making the transition to adult life and the workplace. Youth need as- sistance in planning their future and in developing skills that will result in success. For ex- ample, schools can provide stu- dents with community service opportunities, work-study pro- grams, and apprenticeships that help connect them to car- ing adults in the community. These relationships, when es- tablished early, foster in youth a sense of hope and security for the future. Research has demonstrated re- peatedly that school communities can do a great deal to prevent vio- lence. Having in place a safe and responsive foundation helps all childrenand it enables school communities to provide more ef- ficient and effective services to students who need more support. The next step is to learn the early warning signs of a child who is troubled, so that effective inter- ventions can be provided. We must avoid fragmenta- tion in implementing pro- grams. The concepts in pre- venting and responding to violence must be integrated into effective school reform, including socially and aca- demically supportive in- struction and caring, a wel- coming atmosphere, and providing good options for recreation and enrich- ment. Howard Adelman, Professor of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles 6 Section 3: What To Look For Why didnt we see it coming? In the wake of violence, we ask this question not so much to place blame, but to understand better what we can do to prevent such an occurrence from ever happen- ing again. We review over and over in our minds the days leading up to the incidentdid the child say or do anything that would have cued us in to the impending cri- sis? Did we miss an opportunity to help? There are early warning signs in most cases of violence to self and otherscertain behavioral and emotional signs that, when viewed in context, can signal a troubled child. But early warning signs are just thatindicators that a student may need help. Such signs may or may not indi- cate a serious problemthey do not necessarily mean that a child is prone to violence toward self or others. Rather, early warning signs provide us with the impetus to check out our concerns and ad- dress the childs needs. Early warning signs allow us to act re- sponsibly by getting help for the child before problems escalate. Early warning signs can help frame concern for a child. How- ever, it is important to avoid in- appropriately labeling or stigma- tizing individual students because they appear to fit a specific pro- file or set of early warning indica- tors. Its okay to be worried about a child, but its not okay to over- react and jump to conclusions. Teachers and administrators and other school support staff are not professionally trained to analyze childrens feelings and motives. But they are on the front line when it comes to observing troublesome behavior and making referrals to appropriate profes- sionals, such as school psycholo- gists, social workers, counselors, and nurses. They also play a sig- nificant role in responding to di- agnostic information provided by specialists. Thus, it is no surprise that effective schools take special care in training the entire school community to understand and identify early warning signs. When staff members seek help for a troubled child, when friends re- port worries about a peer or friend, when parents raise con- cerns about their childs thoughts or habits, children can get the help they need. By actively sharing in- formation, a school community can provide quick, effective re- sponses. Principles for Identifying the Early Warning Signs of School Violence Educators and families can in- crease their ability to recognize early warning signs by establish- ing close, caring, and supportive Early Warning Signs Use the Signs Responsibly It is important to avoid in- appropriately labeling or stigmatizing individual stu- dents because they appear to fit a specific profile or set of early warning indicators. Its okay to be worried about a child, but its not okay to overreact and jump to conclusions. 7 relationships with children and youthgetting to know them well enough to be aware of their needs, feelings, attitudes, and behavior patterns. Educators and parents together can review school records for patterns of behavior or sudden changes in behavior. Unfortunately, there is a real dan- ger that early warning signs will be misinterpreted. Educators and parentsand in some cases, stu- dentscan ensure that the early warning signs are not misinter- preted by using several significant principles to better understand them. These principles include: Do no harm. There are certain risks associated with using early warning signs to identify children who are troubled. First and foremost, the intent should be to get help for a child early. The early warning signs should not to be used as rationale to exclude, isolate, or punish a child. Nor should they be used as a checklist for formally iden- tifying, mislabeling, or stereo- typing children. Formal disabil- ity identification under federal law requires individualized evaluation by qualified profes- sionals. In addition, all referrals to outside agencies based on the early warning signs must be kept confidential and must be done with parental consent (ex- cept referrals for suspected child abuse or neglect). Understand violence and ag- gression within a context. Vio- lence is contextual. Violent and aggressive behavior as an ex- pression of emotion may have many antecedent factorsfac- tors that exist within the school, the home, and the larger social environment. In fact, for those children who are at risk for aggression and violence, certain environments or situa- tions can set it off. Some chil- dren may act out if stress be- comes too great, if they lack positive coping skills, and if they have learned to react with aggression. Avoid stereotypes. Stereotypes can interfere withand even harmthe school communitys ability to identify and help chil- dren. It is important to be aware of false cuesincluding race, socio-economic status, cogni- tive or academic ability, or physical appearance. In fact, such stereotypes can unfairly harm children, especially when the school community acts upon them. View warning signs within a developmental context. Chil- dren and youth at different lev- els of development have vary- ing social and emotional capa- bilities. They may express their needs differently in elementary, middle, and high school. The point is to know what is devel- opmentally typical behavior, so that behaviors are not misinter- preted. Understand that children typi- cally exhibit multiple warning signs. It is common for children who are troubled to exhibit multiple signs. Research con- firms that most children who are troubled and at risk for ag- gression exhibit more than one warning sign, repeatedly, and with increasing intensity over time. Thus, it is important not to overreact to single signs, words, or actions. When doing consultation with school staff and fami- lies, we advise them to think of the early warning signs within a context. We encourage them to look for combinations of warning signs that might tell us the students behavior is chang- ing and becoming more problematic. Deborah Crockett, School Psychologist, Atlanta, GA 8 Early Warning Signs It is not always possible to predict behavior that will lead to violence. However, educators and par- entsand sometimes students can recognize certain early warn- ing signs. In some situations and for some youth, different combi- nations of events, behaviors, and emotions may lead to aggressive rage or violent behavior toward self or others. A good rule of thumb is to assume that these warning signs, especially when they are presented in combina- tion, indicate a need for further analysis to determine an appropri- ate intervention. We know from research that most children who become violent to- ward self or others feel rejected and psychologically victimized. In most cases, children exhibit ag- gressive behavior early in life and, if not provided support, will con- tinue a progressive developmen- tal pattern toward severe aggres- sion or violence. However, re- search also shows that when chil- dren have a positive, meaningful connection to an adultwhether it be at home, in school, or in the communitythe potential for vio- lence is reduced significantly. None of these signs alone is suffi- cient for predicting aggression and violence. Moreover, it is inappro- priateand potentially harmful to use the early warning signs as a checklist against which to match individual children. Rather, the early warning signs are offered only as an aid in identifying and referring children who may need help. School communities must ensure that staff and students only use the early warning signs for identification and referral pur- posesonly trained professionals should make diagnoses in consul- tation with the childs parents or guardian. The following early warning signs are presented with the following qualifications: They are not equally significant and they are not presented in order of serious- ness. The early warning signs in- clude: Social withdrawal. In some situations, gradual and eventu- ally complete withdrawal from social contacts can be an im- portant indicator of a troubled child. The withdrawal often stems from feelings of depres- sion, rejection, persecution, unworthiness, and lack of con- fidence. Excessive feelings of isolation and being alone. Research has shown that the majority of chil- dren who are isolated and ap- pear to be friendless are not vio- lent. In fact, these feelings are sometimes characteristic of children and youth who may be troubled, withdrawn, or have internal issues that hinder de- velopment of social affiliations. However, research also has shown that in some cases feel- ings of isolation and not hav- ing friends are associated with children who behave aggres- sively and violently. Excessive feelings of rejection. In the process of growing up, and in the course of adolescent development, many young people experience emotionally painful rejection. Children who are troubled often are isolated from their mentally healthy peers. Their responses to rejec- tion will depend on many back- ground factors. Without sup- port, they may be at risk of ex- Use the Signs Responsibly None of these signs alone is sufficient for predicting aggression and violence. Moreover, it is inappropri- ateand potentially harm- fulto use the early warn- ing signs as a checklist against which to match in- dividual children. 9 pressing their emotional dis- tress in negative waysinclud- ing violence. Some aggressive children who are rejected by non-aggressive peers seek out aggressive friends who, in turn, reinforce their violent tenden- cies. Being a victim of violence. Chil- dren who are victims of vio- lenceincluding physical or sexual abusein the commu- nity, at school, or at home are sometimes at risk themselves of becoming violent toward them- selves or others. Feelings of being picked on and persecuted. The youth who feels constantly picked on, teased, bullied, singled out for ridicule, and humiliated at home or at school may initially withdraw socially. If not given adequate support in addressing these feelings, some children may vent them in inappropri- ate waysincluding possible aggression or violence. Low school interest and poor academic performance. Poor school achievement can be the result of many factors. It is im- portant to consider whether there is a drastic change in per- formance and/or poor perfor- mance becomes a chronic con- dition that limits the childs capacity to learn. In some situ- ationssuch as when the low achiever feels frustrated, un- worthy, chastised, and deni- gratedacting out and aggres- sive behaviors may occur. It is important to assess the emo- tional and cognitive reasons for the academic performance change to determine the true nature of the problem. Expression of violence in writ- ings and drawings. Children and youth often express their thoughts, feelings, desires, and intentions in their drawings and in stories, poetry, and other written expressive forms. Many children produce work about violent themes that for the most part is harmless when taken in context. However, an overrep- resentation of violence in writ- ings and drawings that is di- rected at specific individuals (family members, peers, other adults) consistently over time, may signal emotional problems and the potential for violence. Because there is a real danger in misdiagnosing such a sign, it is important to seek the guid- ance of a qualified profes- sionalsuch as a school psy- chologist, counselor, or other mental health specialistto determine its meaning. Uncontrolled anger. Everyone gets angry; anger is a natural emotion. However, anger that is expressed frequently and in- tensely in response to minor ir- ritants may signal potential vio- lent behavior toward self or oth- ers. Patterns of impulsive and chronic hitting, intimidating, and bullying behaviors. Chil- dren often engage in acts of shoving and mild aggression. However, some mildly aggres- sive behaviors such as constant hitting and bullying of others that occur early in childrens lives, if left unattended, might later escalate into more serious behaviors. History of discipline problems. Chronic behavior and disciplin- ary problems both in school and at home may suggest that underlying emotional needs are not being met. These unmet 10 needs may be manifested in act- ing out and aggressive behav- iors. These problems may set the stage for the child to vio- late norms and rules, defy au- thority, disengage from school, and engage in aggressive behav- iors with other children and adults. Past history of violent and ag- gressive behavior. Unless pro- vided with support and coun- seling, a youth who has a his- tory of aggressive or violent behavior is likely to repeat those behaviors. Aggressive and violent acts may be di- rected toward other individu- als, be expressed in cruelty to animals, or include fire setting. Youth who show an early pat- tern of antisocial behavior fre- quently and across multiple set- tings are particularly at risk for future aggressive and antisocial behavior. Similarly, youth who engage in overt behaviors such as bullying, generalized aggres- sion and defiance, and covert behaviors such as stealing, van- dalism, lying, cheating, and fire setting also are at risk for more serious aggressive behavior. Re- search suggests that age of on- set may be a key factor in inter- preting early warning signs. For example, children who engage in aggression and drug abuse at an early age (before age 12) are more likely to show violence later on than are children who begin such behavior at an older age. In the presence of such signs it is important to review the childs history with behav- ioral experts and seek parents observations and insights. Intolerance for differences and prejudicial attitudes. All chil- dren have likes and dislikes. However, an intense prejudice toward others based on racial, ethnic, religious, language, gen- der, sexual orientation, ability, and physical appearance when coupled with other fac- torsmay lead to violent as- saults against those who are perceived to be different. Mem- bership in hate groups or the willingness to victimize indi- viduals with disabilities or health problems also should be treated as early warning signs. Drug use and alcohol use. Apart from being unhealthy be- haviors, drug use and alcohol use reduces self-control and ex- poses children and youth to vio- lence, either as perpetrators, as victims, or both. Affiliation with gangs. Gangs that support anti-social values and behaviorsincluding ex- tortion, intimidation, and acts of violence toward other stu- dentscause fear and stress among other students. Youth who are influenced by these groupsthose who emulate and copy their behavior, as well as those who become affiliated with themmay adopt these values and act in violent or ag- gressive ways in certain situa- tions. Gang-related violence and turf battles are common occurrences tied to the use of drugs that often result in injury and/or death. Inappropriate access to, pos- session of, and use of firearms. Children and youth who inap- propriately possess or have ac- cess to firearms can have an increased risk for violence. Re- search shows that such young- sters also have a higher prob- ability of becoming victims. Families can reduce inappropri- ate access and use by restrict- 11 ing, monitoring, and supervis- ing childrens access to firearms and other weapons. Children who have a history of aggres- sion, impulsiveness, or other emotional problems should not have access to firearms and other weapons. Serious threats of violence. Idle threats are a common response to frustration. Alternatively, one of the most reliable indica- tors that a youth is likely to commit a dangerous act toward self or others is a detailed and specific threat to use violence. Recent incidents across the country clearly indicate that threats to commit violence against oneself or others should be taken very seriously. Steps must be taken to understand the nature of these threats and to prevent them from being car- ried out. Identifying and Responding to Imminent Warning Signs Unlike early warning signs, immi- nent warning signs indicate that a student is very close to behav- ing in a way that is potentially dangerous to self and/or to oth- ers. Imminent warning signs re- quire an immediate response. No single warning sign can pre- dict that a dangerous act will oc- cur. Rather, imminent warning signs usually are presented as a se- quence of overt, serious, hostile behaviors or threats directed at peers, staff, or other individuals. Usually, imminent warning signs are evident to more than one staff memberas well as to the childs family. Imminent warning signs may in- clude: Serious physical fighting with peers or family members. Severe destruction of property. Severe rage for seemingly mi- nor reasons. Detailed threats of lethal vio- lence. Possession and/or use of fire- arms and other weapons. Other self-injurious behaviors or threats of suicide. When warning signs indicate that danger is imminent, safety must always be the first and foremost consideration. Action must be taken immediately. Immediate in- tervention by school authorities and possibly law enforcement of- ficers is needed when a child: Has presented a detailed plan (time, place, method) to harm or kill othersparticularly if the child has a history of aggres- sion or has attempted to carry out threats in the past. Is carrying a weapon, particu- larly a firearm, and has threat- ened to use it. In situations where students present other threatening behav- iors, parents should be informed of the concerns immediately. School communities also have the responsibility to seek assistance from appropriate agencies, such as child and family services and community mental health. These responses should reflect school board policies and be consistent with the violence prevention and response plan (for more informa- tion see Section 5). Know the Law The Gun Free Schools Act requires that each state re- ceiving federal funds under the Elementary and Sec- ondary Education Act (ESEA) must have put in effect, by October 1995, a state law requiring local educational agencies to ex- pel from school for a period of not less than one year a student who is determined to have brought a firearm to school. Each states law also must allow the chief administer- ing officer of the local edu- cational agency to modify the expulsion requirement on a case-by-case basis. All local educational agencies receiving ESEA funds must have a policy that requires the referral of any student who brings a firearm to school to the criminal jus- tice or juvenile justice sys- tem. 12 Using the Early Warning Signs To Shape Intervention Practices An early warning sign is not a pre- dictor that a child or youth will commit a violent act toward self or others. Effective schools recog- nize the potential in every child to overcome difficult experiences and to control negative emotions. Adults in these school communi- ties use their knowledge of early warning signs to address problems before they escalate into violence. Effective school communities sup- port staff, students, and families in understanding the early warn- ing signs. Support strategies in- clude having: School board policies in place that support training and ongo- ing consultation. The entire school community knows how to identify early warning signs, and understands the principles that support them. School leaders who encourage others to raise concerns about observed early warning signs and to report all observations of imminent warning signs im- mediately. This is in addition to school district policies that sanction and promote the iden- tification of early warning signs. Easy access to a team of spe- cialists trained in evaluating and addressing serious behav- ioral and academic concerns. Each school community should develop a procedure that students and staff can follow when report- ing their concerns about a child who exhibits early warning signs. For example, in many schools the principal is the first point of con- tact. In cases that do not pose imminent danger, the principal contacts a school psychologist or other qualified professional, who takes responsibility for addressing the concern immediately. If the concern is determined to be seri- ousbut not to pose a threat of imminent dangerthe childs family should be contacted. The family should be consulted before implementing any interventions with the child. In cases where school-based contextual factors are determined to be causing or exacerbating the childs troubling behavior, the school should act quickly to modify them. It is often difficult to acknowledge that a child is troubled. Every- oneincluding administrators, families, teachers, school staff, students, and community mem- bersmay find it too troubling sometimes to admit that a child close to them needs help. When faced with resistance or denial, school communities must persist to ensure that children get the help they need. Understanding early and immi- nent warning signs is an essential step in ensuring a safe school. The next step involves supporting the emotional and behavioral adjust- ment of children. Being proactive and hav- ing the ability to consult and meet with my school psychologist on an ongoing basis has helped create a positive school environ- ment in terms of resolving student issues prior to their reaching a crisis level. J. Randy Alton, Teacher, Bethesda, MD 13 Section 4: What To Do Prevention approaches have proved effective in enabling school communities to decrease the frequency and intensity of be- havior problems. However, pre- vention programs alone cannot eliminate the problems of all stu- dents. Some 5 to 10 percent of stu- dents will need more intensive interventions to decrease their high-risk behaviors, although the percentage can vary among schools and communities. What happens when we recognize early warning signs in a child? The message is clear: Its okay to be concerned when you notice warning signs in a childand its even more appropriate to do something about those concerns. School communities that encour- age staff, families, and students to raise concerns about observed warning signsand that have in place a process for getting help to troubled children once they are identifiedare more likely to have effective schools with reduced dis- ruption, bullying, fighting, and other forms of aggression. Principles Underlying Intervention Violence prevention and response plans should consider both pre- vention and intervention. Plans also should provide all staff with easy access to a team of special- Intervention: Getting Help for Troubled Children ists trained in evaluating serious behavioral and academic con- cerns. Eligible students should have access to special education services, and classroom teachers should be able to consult school psychologists, other mental health specialists, counselors, reading specialists, and special educators. Effective practices for improving the behavior of troubled children are well documented in the re- search literature. Research has shown that effective interventions are culturally appropriate, family- supported, individualized, coordi- nated, and monitored. Further, interventions are more effective when they are designed and implemented consistently over time with input from the child, the family, and appropriate profes- sionals. Schools also can draw upon the resources of their com- munity to strengthen and enhance intervention planning. When drafting a violence preven- tion and response plan, it is help- ful to consider certain principles that research or expert-based ex- perience show have a significant impact on success. The principles include: Share responsibility by estab- lishing a partnership with the child, school, home, and com- munity. Coordinated service systems should be available for children who are at risk for vio- lent behavior. Effective schools 14 reach out to include families and the entire community in the education of children. In addition, effective schools co- ordinate and collaborate with child and family service agen- cies, law enforcement and ju- venile justice systems, mental health agencies, businesses, faith and ethnic leaders, and other community agencies. Inform parents and listen to them when early warning signs are observed. Parents should be involved as soon as possible. Effective and safe schools make persistent efforts to involve par- ents by: informing them rou- tinely about school discipline policies, procedures, and rules, and about their childrens be- havior (both good and bad); involving them in making deci- sions concerning schoolwide disciplinary policies and proce- dures; and encouraging them to participate in prevention pro- grams, intervention programs, and crisis planning. Parents need to know what school- based interventions are being used with their children and how they can support their suc- cess. Maintain confidentiality and parents rights to privacy. Pa- rental involvement and consent is required before personally identifiable information is shared with other agencies, ex- cept in the case of emergencies or suspicion of abuse. The Fam- ily Educational Rights and Pri- vacy Act (FERPA), a federal law that addresses the privacy of education records, must be observed in all referrals to or sharing of information with other community agencies. Fur- thermore, parent-approved in- teragency communication must be kept confidential. FERPA does not prevent disclosure of personally identifiable informa- tion to appropriate parties such as law enforcement offi- cials, trained medical person- nel, and other emergency per- sonnelwhen responsible per- sonnel determine there is an acute emergency (imminent danger). Develop the capacity of staff, students, and families to inter- vene. Many school staff mem- bers are afraid of saying or do- ing the wrong thing when faced with a potentially violent stu- dent. Effective schools provide the entire school community teachers, students, parents, support staffwith training and support in responding to imminent warning signs, pre- venting violence, and interven- ing safely and effectively. Inter- ventions must be monitored by professionals who are compe- tent in the approach. Accord- ing to researchers, programs do not succeed without the ongo- ing support of administrators, parents, and community lead- ers. Support students in being re- sponsible for their actions. Ef- fective school communities en- courage students to see them- selves as responsible for their actions, and actively engage them in planning, implement- ing, and evaluating violence prevention initiatives. Simplify staff requests for ur- gent assistance. Many school systems and community agen- cies have complex legalistic re- ferral systems with timelines and waiting lists. Children who are at risk of endangering them- Students should feel a sense of responsibility to inform someone if theyre made aware of an indi- vidual who may perform a violent act. They should not feel like they are tattle tell- ing, but more in the sense of saving someones life. Students should have a role on the schools violence prevention and response team because they know what points of student life and school to target. Elsa Quiroga, Graduate of Mount Eden High School and Student, University of California at Berkeley Partnerships with local community agencies have created a safer school and community. Sally Baas, Educator, Coon Rapids, MN 15 Tips for Parents Parents can help create safe schools. Here are some ideas that parents in other communities have tried: Discuss the schools discipline policy with your child. Show your support for the rules, and help your child understand the reasons for them. Involve your child in setting rules for appropriate behavior at home. Talk with your child about the violence he or she seeson television, in video games, and possibly in the neighborhood. Help your child understand the consequences of violence. Teach your child how to solve problems. Praise your child when he or she follows through. Help your child find ways to show anger that do not involve verbally or physically hurting others. When you get angry, use it as an opportunity to model these appropriate responses for your child and talk about it. Help your child understand the value of accepting individual differences. Note any disturbing behaviors in your child. For example, frequent angry outbursts, excessive fighting and bullying of other children, cruelty to animals, fire setting, frequent behavior problems at school and in the neighborhood, lack of friends, and alcohol or drug use can be signs of serious problems. Get help for your child. Talk with a trusted professional in your childs school or in the community. Keep lines of communication open with your childeven when it is tough. Encourage your child always to let you know where and with whom he or she will be. Get to know your childs friends. Listen to your child if he or she shares concerns about friends who may be exhibiting troubling behaviors. Share this information with a trusted professional, such as the school psychologist, principal, or teacher. Be involved in your childs school life by supporting and reviewing homework, talking with his or her teacher(s), and attending school functions such as parent conferences, class programs, open houses, and PTA meetings. Work with your childs school to make it more responsive to all students and to all families. Share your ideas about how the school can encourage family involvement, welcome all families, and include them in meaningful ways in their childrens education. Encourage your school to offer before- and after-school programs. Volunteer to work with school-based groups concerned with violence prevention. If none exist, offer to form one. Find out if there is a violence prevention group in your community. Offer to participate in the groups activities. Talk with the parents of your childs friends. Discuss how you can form a team to ensure your childrens safety. Find out if your employer offers provisions for parents to participate in school activities. 16 selves or others cannot be placed on waiting lists. Make interventions available as early as possible. Too fre- quently, interventions are not made available until the stu- dent becomes violent or is ad- judicated as a youthful of- fender. Interventions for chil- dren who have reached this stage are both costly, restrictive, and relatively inefficient. Effec- tive schools build mechanisms into their intervention pro- cesses to ensure that referrals are addressed promptly, and that feedback is provided to the referring individual. Use sustained, multiple, coor- dinated interventions. It is rare that children are violent or dis- ruptive only in school. Thus, interventions that are most suc- cessful are comprehensive, sus- tained, and properly imple- mented. They help families and staff work together to help the child. Coordinated efforts draw resources from community agencies that are respectful of and responsive to the needs of families. Isolated, inconsistent, short-term, and fragmented in- terventions will not be success- fuland may actually do harm. Analyze the contexts in which violent behavior occurs. School communities can enhance their effectiveness by conducting a functional analysis of the fac- tors that set off violence and problem behaviors. In deter- mining an appropriate course of action, consider the childs age, cultural background, and fam- ily experiences and values. De- cisions about interventions should be measured against a standard of reasonableness to ensure the likelihood that they will be implemented effectively. Build upon and coordinate in- ternal school resources. In de- veloping and implementing vio- lence prevention and response plans, effective schools draw upon the resources of various school-based programs and staffsuch as special educa- tion, safe and drug free school programs, pupil services, and Title I. Violent behavior is a problem for everyone. It is a normal response to become angry or even fright- ened in the presence of a violent child. But, it is essential that these emotional reactions be controlled. The goal must always be to ensure safety and seek help for the child. Intervening Early with Students Who Are at Risk for Behavioral Problems The incidence of violent acts against students or staff is low. However, pre-violent behaviors such as threats, bullying, and classroom disruptionsare com- mon. Thus, early responses to warning signs are most effective in preventing problems from es- calating. Intervention programs that re- duce behavior problems and re- lated school violence typically are multifaceted, long-term, and broad reaching. They also are rig- orously implemented. Effective early intervention efforts include working with small groups or in- dividual students to provide direct support, as well as linking chil- dren and their families to neces- sary community services and/or Our school system has cre- ated a student services teamincluding the princi- pal, a special educator, the school psychologist, other behavioral support person- nel, the child development specialist, and othersthat meets weekly to address safety and success for all students. Our teachers and families have easy access to this team. As part of our plan, we conduct a campus- by-campus risk assessment in coordination with city, county, and state law en- forcement agencies. We provide interventions for children who are troubled and connect them and their families to community agencies and mental health services. Lee Patterson Assistant Superintendent Roseberg, OR 17 Action Steps for Students There is much students can do to help create safe schools. Talk to your teachers, parents, and counselor to find out how you can get involved and do your part to make your school safe. Here are some ideas that students in other schools have tried: Listen to your friends if they share troubling feelings or thoughts. Encourage them to get help from a trusted adultsuch as a school psychologist, counselor, social worker, leader from the faith community, or other professional. If you are very concerned, seek help for them. Share your concerns with your parents. Create, join, or support student organizations that combat violence, such as Students Against Destructive Decisions and Young Heroes Program. Work with local businesses and community groups to organize youth-oriented activities that help young people think of ways to prevent school and community violence. Share your ideas for how these community groups and businesses can support your efforts. Organize an assembly and invite your school psychologist, school social worker, and counselorin addition to student paneliststo share ideas about how to deal with violence, intimidation, and bullying. Get involved in planning, implementing, and evaluating your schools violence prevention and response plan. Participate in violence prevention programs such as peer mediation and conflict resolution. Employ your new skills in other settings, such as the home, neighborhood, and community. Work with your teachers and administrators to create a safe process for reporting threats, intimidation, weapon possession, drug selling, gang activity, graffiti, and vandalism. Use the process. Ask for permission to invite a law enforcement officer to your school to conduct a safety audit and share safety tips, such as traveling in groups and avoiding areas known to be unsafe. Share your ideas with the officer. Help to develop and participate in activities that promote student understanding of differences and that respect the rights of all. Volunteer to be a mentor for younger students and/or provide tutoring to your peers. Know your schools code of conduct and model responsible behavior. Avoid being part of a crowd when fights break out. Refrain from teasing, bullying, and intimidating peers. Be a role modeltake personal responsibility by reacting to anger without physically or verbally harming others. Seek help from your parents or a trusted adultsuch as a school psychologist, social worker, counselor, teacherif you are experiencing intense feelings of anger, fear, anxiety, or depression. 18 providing these services in the school. Examples of early intervention components that work include: Providing training and support to staff, students, and families in understanding factors that can set off and/or exacerbate aggressive outbursts. Teaching the child alternative, socially appropriate replace- ment responsessuch as prob- lem solving and anger control skills. Providing skill training, thera- peutic assistance, and other support to the family through community-based services. Encouraging the family to make sure that firearms are out of the childs immediate reach. Law enforcement officers can pro- vide families with information about safe firearm storage as well as guidelines for address- ing childrens access to and pos- session of firearms. In some cases, more comprehen- sive early interventions are called for to address the needs of troubled children. Focused, coor- dinated, proven interventions re- duce violent behavior. Following are several comprehensive ap- proaches that effective schools are using to provide early intervention to students who are at risk of be- coming violent toward themselves or others. Intervention Tactic: Teaching Positive Interaction Skills Although most schools do teach positive social interaction skills indirectly, some have adopted so- cial skills programs specifically designed to prevent or reduce an- tisocial behavior in troubled chil- dren. In fact, the direct teaching of social problem solving and so- cial decision making is now a standard feature of most effective drug and violence prevention pro- grams. Children who are at risk of becoming violent toward them- selves or others need additional support. They often need to learn interpersonal, problem solving, and conflict resolution skills at home and in school. They also may need more intensive assis- tance in learning how to stop and think before they react, and to lis- ten effectively. Intervention Tactic: Providing Comprehensive Services In some cases, the early interven- tion may involve getting services to families. The violence preven- tion and response team together with the child and family designs a comprehensive intervention plan that focuses on reducing ag- gressive behaviors and supporting responsible behaviors at school, in the home, and in the community. When multiple services are re- quired there also must be psycho- logical counseling and ongoing consultation with classroom teachers, school staff, and the family to ensure intended results occur. All servicesincluding community servicesmust be coordinated and progress must be monitored and evaluated care- fully. Intervention Tactic: Referring the Child for Special Education Evaluation If there is evidence of persistent problem behavior or poor aca- demic achievement, it may be ap- Since we developed the high school peer mediation program, we have seen a decline in physical fights. We are defusing potentially dangerous situations. Terry Davis, School Psychologist, Natick, MA 19 propriate to conduct a formal as- sessment to determine if the child is disabled and eligible for special education and related services under the Individuals with Dis- abilities Education Act (IDEA). If a multidisciplinary team deter- mines that the child is eligible for services under the IDEA, an indi- vidualized educational program (IEP) should be developed by a team that includes a parent, a regular educator, a special educa- tor, an evaluator, a representative of the local school district, the child (if appropriate), and others as appropriate. This team will identify the support necessary to enable the child to learninclud- ing the strategies and support sys- tems necessary to address any behavior that may impede the childs learning or the learning of his or her peers. Providing Intensive, Individualized Interventions for Students with Severe Behavioral Problems Children who show dangerous patterns and a potential for more serious violence usually require more intensive interventions that involve multiple agencies, com- munity-based service providers, and intense family support. By working with families and com- munity services, schools can com- prehensively and effectively inter- vene. Effective individualized interven- tions provide a range of services for students. Multiple, intensive, focused approaches used over time can reduce the chances for continued offenses and the poten- tial for violence. The child, his or her family, and appropriate school staff should be involved in devel- oping and monitoring the inter- ventions. Nontraditional schooling in an alternative school or therapeutic facility may be required in severe cases where the safety of students and staff remains a concern, or when the complexity of the inter- vention plan warrants it. Research has shown that effective alterna- tive programs can have long-term positive results by reducing expul- sions and court referrals. Effective alternative programs support stu- dents in meeting high academic and behavioral standards. They provide anger and impulse control training, psychological counsel- ing, effective academic and reme- dial instruction, and vocational training as appropriate. Such pro- grams also make provisions for active family involvement. More- over, they offer guidance and staff support when the child returns to his or her regular school. Providing a Foundation To Prevent and Reduce Violent Behavior Schoolwide strategies create a foundation that is more respon- sive to children in generalone that makes interventions for in- dividual children more effective and efficient. Effective and safe schools are places where there is strong lead- ership, caring faculty, parent and community involvementinclud- ing law enforcement officials and student participation in the design of programs and policies. Effective and safe schools also are places where prevention and in- tervention programs are based Everyone is trained to use consistent language. We re- mind students to stop and think. Students also know we will always follow through if they make poor behavioral choices. As a re- sult, we have been able to diffuse violent situations. Annette Lambeth Assistant Principal Chester County, PA Appropriate behavior and respect for others are em- phasized at all times. How- ever, despite our best ef- forts, unfortunate incidents do occur. When they do, it is our responsibility to pro- vide appropriate support to meet the needs of every child. Carol S. Parham, Superintendent of Schools Anne Arundel County, MD 20 upon careful assessment of stu- dent problems, where community members help set measurable goals and objectives, where re- search-based prevention and in- tervention approaches are used, and where evaluations are con- ducted regularly to ensure that the programs are meeting stated goals. Effective and safe schools are also places where teachers and staff have access to qualified con- sultants who can help them ad- dress behavioral and academic barriers to learning. Effective schools ensure that the physical environment of the school is safe, and that schoolwide policies are in place to support responsible behaviors. Characteristics of a Safe Physical Environment Prevention starts by making sure the school campus is a safe and caring place. Effective and safe schools communicate a strong sense of security. Experts suggest that school officials can enhance physical safety by: Supervising access to the build- ing and grounds. Reducing class size and school size. Adjusting scheduling to mini- mize time in the hallways or in potentially dangerous loca- tions. Traffic flow patterns can be modified to limit potential for conflicts or altercations. Conducting a building safety audit in consultation with school security personnel and/ or law enforcement experts. Effective schools adhere to fed- eral, state, and local nondis- crimination and public safety laws, and use guidelines set by the state department of educa- tion. Closing school campuses dur- ing lunch periods. Adopting a school policy on uniforms. Arranging supervision at criti- cal times (for example, in hall- ways between classes) and hav- ing a plan to deploy supervisory staff to areas where incidents are likely to occur. Prohibiting students from con- gregating in areas where they are likely to engage in rule- breaking or intimidating and aggressive behaviors. Having adults visibly present throughout the school building. This includes encouraging par- ents to visit the school. Staggering dismissal times and lunch periods. Monitoring the surrounding school groundsincluding landscaping, parking lots, and bus stops. Coordinating with local police to ensure that there are safe routes to and from school. In addition to targeting areas for increased safety measures, schools also should identify safe areas where staff and children should go in the event of a crisis. The physical condition of the school building also has an impact on student attitude, behavior, and motivation to achieve. Typically, there tend to be more incidents of fighting and violence in school buildings that are dirty, too cold or too hot, filled with graffiti, in need of repair, or unsanitary. The police are a schools greatest community asset when effectively preventing and responding to school violence. Building a rela- tionship with law enforce- ment strengthens the schools ability to ensure safety. Gil Kerlikowske former Police Commissioner Buffalo, NY 21 Characteristics of Schoolwide Policies that Support Responsible Behavior The opportunities for inappropri- ate behaviors that precipitate vio- lence are greater in a disorderly and undisciplined school climate. A growing number of schools are discovering that the most effective way to reduce suspensions, expul- sions, office referrals, and other similar actionsstrategies that do not result in making schools saferis to emphasize a proactive approach to discipline. Effective schools are implement- ing schoolwide campaigns that establish high expectations and provide support for socially appro- priate behavior. They reinforce positive behavior and highlight sanctions against aggressive be- havior. All staff, parents, students, and community members are in- formed about problem behavior, what they can do to counteract it, and how they can reinforce and reward positive behavior. In turn, the entire school community makes a commitment to behaving responsibly. Effective and safe schools develop and consistently enforce schoolwide rules that are clear, broad-based, and fair. Rules and disciplinary procedures are devel- oped collaboratively by represen- tatives of the total educational community. They are communi- cated clearly to all partiesbut most important, they are followed consistently by everyone. School communities that have undertaken schoolwide ap- proaches do the following things: Develop a schoolwide disciplin- ary policy that includes a code of conduct, specific rules and consequences that can accom- modate student differences on a case-by-case basis when nec- essary. (If one already exists, review and modify it if neces- sary.) Be sure to include a de- scription of school anti-harass- ment and anti-violence policies and due process rights. Ensure that the cultural values and educational goals of the community are reflected in the rules. These values should be expressed in a statement that precedes the schoolwide disci- plinary policy. Include school staff, students, and families in the develop- ment, discussion, and imple- mentation of fair rules. Provide schoolwide and classroom sup- port to implement these rules. Strategies that have been found to support students include class discussions, schoolwide assemblies, student govern- ment, and participation on dis- cipline teams. In addition, peer mediation and conflict resolu- tion have been implemented widely in schools to promote a climate of nonviolence. Be sure consequences are com- mensurate with the offense, and that rules are written and applied in a nondiscriminatory manner and accommodate cul- tural diversity. Make sure that if a negative consequence (such as with- drawing privileges) is used, it is combined with positive strat- egies for teaching socially ap- propriate behaviors and with strategies that address any ex- ternal factors that might have caused the behavior. Include a zero tolerance state- ment for illegal possession of Everyone follows the same discipline plan. Everyone including the lunch room workers and custodians works as a team. There are always times when children forget the rules. But there is immediate intervention by faculty and staff, and even other children. The re- sponsibility is on the stu- dents. Anna Allred, Parent Lakeland, FL It is necessary to provide training and support to staff. We have provided inservices on behavior man- agement systems that are effective in regular class- room settings. These in- services have been of great benefit. Numerous schools throughout our district presently use stop and think, conflict resolution, and peer mediation. Denise Conrad, Teacher Toledo, OH 22 weapons, alcohol, or drugs. Provide services and support for students who have been sus- pended and/or expelled. Recognizing the warning signs and responding with comprehen- sive interventions allows us to help children eliminate negative behaviors and replace them with positive ones. Active sharing of information and a quick, effective response by the school commu- nity will ensure that the school is safer and the child is less troubled and can learn. 23 Section 5: What To Do Effective schools create a violence prevention and response plan and form a team that can ensure it is implemented. They use ap- proaches and strategies based on research about what works. Creating the Violence Prevention and Response Plan A sound violence prevention and response plan reflects the com- mon and the unique needs of edu- cators, students, families, and the greater community. The plan out- lines how all individuals in the school communityadministra- tors, teachers, parents, students, bus drivers, support staffwill be prepared to spot the behavioral and emotional signs that indicate a child is troubled, and what they will need to do. The plan also de- tails how school and community resources can be used to create safe environments and to manage responses to acute threats and incidents of violence. An effective written plan includes: Descriptions of the early warn- ing signs of potentially violent behavior and procedures for identifying children who ex- hibit these signs. Descriptions of effective pre- vention practices the school community has undertaken to build a foundation that is re- sponsive to all children and enhances the effectiveness of interventions. Descriptions of intervention strategies the school commu- nity can use to help troubled children. These include early interventions for students who are at risk of behavioral prob- lems, and more intensive, indi- vidualized interventions and resources for students with se- vere behavioral problems or mental health needs. A crisis intervention plan that includes immediate responses for imminent warning signs and violent behavior, as well as a contingency plan to be used in the aftermath of a tragedy. The plan must be consistent with federal, state, and local laws. It also should have the support of families and the local school board. Recommendations in this guide will prove most meaningful when the entire school community is involved in developing and imple- menting the plan. In addition, ev- eryone should be provided with relevant training and support on a regular basis. Finally, there should be a clearly delineated mechanism for monitoring and assessing violence prevention ef- forts. Developing a Prevention and Response Plan 24 Forming the Prevention and Response Team It can be helpful to establish a school-based team to oversee the preparation and implementation of the prevention and response plan. This does not need to be a new team; however, a designated core group should be entrusted with this important responsibility. The core team should ensure that every member of the greater school community accepts and adopts the violence prevention and response plan. This buy-in is essential if all members of the school community are expected to feel comfortable sharing concerns about children who appear troubled. Too often, caring indi- viduals remain silent because they have no way to express their con- cerns. Typically, the core team includes the building administrator, gen- eral and special education teach- ers, parent(s), and a pupil support services representative (a school psychologist, social worker, or counselor), school resource of- ficer, and a safe and drug-free schools program coordinator. If no school psychologist or mental health professional is available to the staff, involve someone from an outside mental health agency. Other individuals may be added to the team depending on the task. For example, when undertaking schoolwide prevention planning, the team might be expanded to include students, representatives of community agencies and orga- nizations, the school nurse, school board members, and sup- port staff (secretaries, bus drivers, and custodians). Similarly, crisis response planning can be en- hanced with the presence of a cen- tral office administrator, security officer, and youth officer or com- munity police team member. The core team also should coor- dinate with any school advisory boards already in place. For ex- ample, most effective schools have developed an advisory board of parents and community leaders that meets regularly with school administrators. While these advi- sory groups generally offer advice and support, that role can be ex- panded to bringing resources re- lated to violence prevention and intervention into the school. Consider involving a variety of community leaders and parents when building the violence pre- vention and response team: Parent group leaders, such as PTA officers. Law enforcement personnel. Attorneys, judges, and proba- tion officers. Clergy and other representa- tives of the faith community. Media representatives. Violence prevention group rep- resentatives. Mental health and child welfare personnel. Physicians and nurses. Family agency and family re- source center staff. Business leaders. Recreation, cultural, and arts organizations staff. Youth workers and volunteers. Local officials, including school board members and represen- tatives from special commis- sions. Our district initiated a safety task force involving parents, students, teachers, support staff, administra- tors, and community mem- bers to enhance our plan for safety and crisis manage- ment. It works. Richard E. Berry, Superintendent, Houston, TX We need to give attention to the segment of the popu- lation that includes bus drivers, secretaries, and caf- eteria workers. They are a very important yet often overlooked group of people who can provide support to children. Betty Stockton School Psychologist Jonesboro, AR 25 Action Planning Checklist Prevention-Intervention-Crisis Response What To Look ForKey Characteristics of Responsive and Safe Schools Does my school have characteristics that: __ Are responsive to all children? What To Look ForEarly Warning Signs of Violence Has my school taken steps to ensure that all staff, students, and families: __ Understand the principles underlying the identification of early warning signs? __ Know how to identify and respond to imminent warning signs? __ Are able to identify early warning signs? What To DoIntervention: Getting Help for Troubled Children Does my school: __ Understand the principles underlying intervention? __ Make early intervention available for students at risk of behavioral problems? __ Provide individualized, intensive interventions for students with severe behavioral problems? __ Have schoolwide preventive strategies in place that support early intervention? What To DoCrisis Response Does my school: __ Understand the principles underlying crisis response? __ Have a procedure for intervening during a crisis to ensure safety? __ Know how to respond in the aftermath of tragedy? 26 Interest group representatives and grass roots community or- ganization members. College or university faculty. Members of local advisory boards. Other influential community members. The school board should autho- rize and support the formation of and the tasks undertaken by the violence prevention and response team. While we cannot prevent all vio- lence from occurring, we can do much to reduce the likelihood of its occurrence. Through thought- ful planning and the establish- ment of a school violence preven- tion and response team, we can avert many crises and be prepared when they do happen. 27 Section 6: What To Do Violence can happen at any time, anywhere. Effective and safe schools are well prepared for any potential crisis or violent act. Crisis response is an important component of a violence preven- tion and response plan. Two com- ponents that should be addressed in that plan are: Intervening during a crisis to ensure safety. Responding in the aftermath of tragedy. In addition to establishing a con- tingency plan, effective schools provide adequate preparation for their core violence prevention and response team. The team not only plans what to do when violence strikes, but it also ensures that staff and students know how to behave. Students and staff feel secure because there is a well-con- ceived plan and everyone under- stands what to do or whom to ask for instructions. Principles Underlying Crisis Response As with other interventions, cri- sis intervention planning is built on a foundation that is safe and responsive to children. Crisis planning should include: Training for teachers and staff in a range of skillsfrom deal- ing with escalating classroom situations to responding to a serious crisis. Reference to district or state procedures. Many states now have recommended crisis inter- vention manuals available to their local education agencies and schools. Involvement of community agencies, including police, fire, and rescue, as well as hospital, health, social welfare, and men- tal health services. The faith community, juvenile justice, and related family support sys- tems also have been success- fully included in such team plans. Provision for the core team to meet regularly to identify po- tentially troubled or violent stu- dents and situations that may be dangerous. Effective school communities also have made a point to find out about federal, state, and local re- sources that are available to help during and after a crisis, and to secure their support and involve- ment before a crisis occurs. Intervening During a Crisis To Ensure Safety Weapons used in or around schools, bomb threats or explo- sions, and fights, as well as natu- ral disasters, accidents, and sui- cides call for immediate, planned Responding to Crisis 28 action, and long-term, post-crisis intervention. Planning for such contingencies reduces chaos and trauma. Thus, the crisis response part of the plan also must include contingency provisions. Such pro- visions may include: Evacuation procedures and other procedures to protect stu- dents and staff from harm. It is critical that schools identify safe areas where students and staff should go in a crisis. It also is important that schools prac- tice having staff and students evacuate the premises in an or- derly manner. An effective, fool-proof com- munication system. Individuals must have designated roles and responsibilities to prevent con- fusion. A process for securing immedi- ate external support from law enforcement officials and other relevant community agencies. All provisions and procedures should be monitored and re- viewed regularly by the core team. Just as staff should understand and practice fire drill procedures routinely, they should practice re- sponding to the presence of fire- arms and other weapons, severe threats of violence, hostage situa- tions, and other acts of terror. School communities can provide staff and students with such prac- tice in the following ways: Provide inservice training for all faculty and staff to explain the plan and exactly what to do in a crisis. Where appropriate, include community police, youth workers, and other com- munity members. Produce a written manual or small pamphlet or flip chart to remind teachers and staff of their duties. Practice responding to the im- minent warning signs of vio- lence. Make sure all adults in the building have an under- standing of what they might do to prevent violence (e.g., being observant, knowing when to get help, and modeling good problem solving, anger manage- ment, and/or conflict resolution skills) and how they can safely support each other. Responding in the Aftermath of Crisis Members of the crisis team should understand natural stress reac- tions. They also should be famil- iar with how different individuals might respond to death and loss, including developmental consid- erations, religious beliefs, and cul- tural values. Effective schools ensure a coordi- nated community response. Pro- fessionals both within the school district and within the greater community should be involved to assist individuals who are at risk for severe stress reactions. Schools that have experienced tragedy have included the follow- ing provisions in their response plans: Help parents understand childrens reactions to vio- lence. In the aftermath of trag- edy, children may experience unrealistic fears of the future, have difficulty sleeping, become physically ill, and be easily dis- tractedto name a few of the common symptoms. Help teachers and other staff deal with their reactions to the crisis. Debriefing and grief Early intervention and quick response from our school district team re- sulted in no one getting hurt. Pamela Cain Superintendent Wirt County, WV 29 Crisis Procedure Checklist A crisis plan must address many complex contingencies. There should be a step-by- step procedure to use when a crisis occurs. An example follows: __ Assess life/safety issues immediately. __ Provide immediate emergency medical care. __ Call 911 and notify police/rescue first. Call the superintendent second. __ Convene the crisis team to assess the situation and implement the crisis response procedures. __ Evaluate available and needed resources. __ Alert school staff to the situation. __ Activate the crisis communication procedure and system of verification. __ Secure all areas. __ Implement evacuation and other procedures to protect students and staff from harm. Avoid dismissing students to unknown care. __ Adjust the bell schedule to ensure safety during the crisis. __ Alert persons in charge of various information systems to prevent confusion and misinformation. Notify parents. __ Contact appropriate community agencies and the school districts public information office, if appropriate. __ Implement post-crisis procedures. 30 counseling is just as important for adults as it is for students. Help students and faculty ad- just after the crisis. Provide both short-term and long-term mental health counseling fol- lowing a crisis. Help victims and family mem- bers of victims re-enter the school environment. Often, school friends need guidance in how to act. The school commu- nity should work with students and parents to design a plan that makes it easier for victims and their classmates to adjust. Help students and teachers address the return of a previ- ously removed student to the school community. Whether the student is returning from a juvenile detention facility or a mental health facility, schools need to coordinate with staff from that facility to explore how to make the transition as un- eventful as possible. 31 Section 7 Crises involving sudden violence in schools are traumatic in large measure because they are rare and unexpected. Everyone is touched in some way. In the wake of such a crisis, members of the school community are askedand ask themselveswhat could have been done to prevent it. We know from the research that schools can meet the challenge of reducing violence. The school community can be supported through: School board policies that ad- dress both prevention and in- tervention for troubled children and youth. Schoolwide violence preven- tion and response plans that include the entire school com- munity in their development and implementation. Training in recognizing the early warning signs of potential violent behavior. Procedures that encourage staff, parents, and students to share their concerns about chil- dren who exhibit early warning signs. Procedures for responding quickly to concerns about troubled children. Adequate support in getting help for troubled children. Everyone who cares about chil- dren cares about ending violence. It is time to break the silence that too often characterizes even the most well-meaning school com- munities. Research and expert- based information is available for school communities to use in de- veloping and strengthening pro- grams that can prevent crises. School safety is everyones job. Teachers, administrators, parents, community members, and stu- dents all must commit to meeting the challenge of getting help for children who show signs of being troubled. Conclusion Coordinated school efforts can help. But the solution does not just rest in the schools. Together we must develop solutions that are community-wide and coor- dinated, that include schools, families, courts, law enforcement, commu- nity agencies, representa- tives of the faith commu- nity, business, and the broader community. Wilmer Cody, Kentucky Commissioner of Education 32 Section 8 This guide synthesizes an exten- sive knowledge base on violence and violence prevention. It in- cludes research from a variety of disciplines, as well as the experi- ence and effective practices of teachers, school psychologists, counselors, social workers, fam- ily members, youth workers, and youth. Much of the research found in this guide was funded by federal of- fices whose senior staff were in- volved in supporting and review- ing this document. They include: Office of Special Education Programs, Office of Special Education and Re- habilitative Services, U.S. Department of Education. Safe and Drug-Free Schools Program, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, U.S. Department of Edu- cation. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delin- quency Prevention and National Insti- tute for Justice, U.S. Department of Justice. National Institute of Mental Health and Center for Mental Health Ser- vices, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The guide was produced by the Center for Effective Collaboration and Practice of the American In- stitutes for Research in collabora- tion with the National Associa- tion of School Psychologists. The project was led by: Kevin P. Dwyer, Principal Investigator, National Association of School Psychologists Methodology, Contributors, and Research Support David Osher, Project Director, American Institutes for Research The guide was developed in col- laboration with Cynthia Warger of Warger, Eavy and Associates. Each assertion in the guide is backed by empirical data and/or expert consensus. Research refer- ences can be found on the projects Web site at http:// www.air-dc.org/cecp/guide. The guide was conceptualized by an interdisciplinary expert panel. The writing team, led by Kevin P. Dwyer, included members of the expert panelGeorge Bear, Norris Haynes, Paul Kingery, Howard Knoff, Peter Sheras, Russell Skiba, Leslie Skinner, and Betty Stocktonin addition to David Osher and Cynthia Warger. The writing team drew upon the other expert panelists for guid- ance and for resources. The first draft was reviewed for accuracy by the entire expert panel as well as staff from the fed- eral agencies. The federal review- ers are listed on the projects Web site at http://www.air-dc.org/cecp/ guide. The second draft was reviewed by family members, teachers, princi- pals, and youth, in addition to leaders of major national associa- tions. The expert panel reviewed the document again at this stage. These reviewers are also listed on the projects Web site at http:// www.air-dc.org/cecp/guide. Also On The Web An annotated version of the guide with refer- ences to support each assertion as well as ref- erences to practical ma- terials that can be em- ployed to implement the recommendations it contains. Additional resources that can be employed to implement the recom- mendations contained in the guide. Links to other Web sites that provide useful and usable information. English and Spanish ver- sions of the guide that can be downloaded for dissemination. J. Randy Alton, Teacher Montgomery County, MD George Bear, Professor University of Delaware Renee Brimfield, Principal Montgomery County, MD Michael Bullis, Professor University of Oregon Andrea Canter, Lead School Psychologist Minneapolis, MN Gregory Carter, Teacher Richmond, VA Deborah Crockett, School Psychologist Atlanta, GA Scott Decker, Professor University of Missouri-St. Louis Maurice Elias, Professor Rutgers University, NJ Michael J. Furlong, Associate Professor University of CA-Santa Barbara Susan Gorin, Executive Director National Association of School Psychologists Bethesda, MD Denise Gottfredson, Director National Center for Justice University of Maryland Beatrix Hamburg, Professor Cornell Medical Center, NY Norris Haynes, Director Yale University Child Study Center DJ Ida, Director Asian Pacific Development Center Denver, CO Yvonne Johnson, Parent Washington, D.C. Gil Kerlikowske, Former Police Commissioner Buffalo, NY Paul Kingery, Director Hamilton Fish National Institute on School and Community Violence Arlington, VA Howard Knoff, Professor University of South Florida Judith Lee Ladd, President American School Counselors Association Arlington, VA Brenda Muhammad, Founder Mothers of Murdered Sons & Daughters Atlanta, GA Ron Nelson, Associate Professor Arizona State University Dennis Nowicki, Police Chief Charlotte, NC Scott Poland Director, Psychological Services Cyprus-Fairbanks ISD Houston, TX Gale Porter, Director East Baltimore (MD) Mental Health Partnership Elsa Quiroga, Student University of California-Berkeley Michael Rosenberg, Professor John Hopkins University Mary Schwab-Stone, Associate Professor Yale University Child Study Center Peter Sheras, Associate Director Virginia Youth Violence Project University of Virginia Russell Skiba, Professor University of Indiana Leslie Skinner, Assistant Professor Temple University Jeff Sprague, Co-Director Institute on Violence and Destructive Behavior, University of Oregon Betty Stockton, School Psychologist Jonesboro, AR Richard Verdugo, Senior Policy Analyst National Education Association Washington, DC Hill Walker, Co-Director Institute on Violence and Destructive Behavior, University of Oregon Renee Bradley U.S. Department of Education Betty Chemers U.S. Department of Justice Lou Danielson U.S. Department of Education Kellie Dressler U.S. Department of Justice David Frank U.S. Department of Education Cathy Girouard U.S. Department of Education Tom V. Hanley U.S. Department of Education Expert Panel Members The expert panel included national experts from a variety of disciplines, as well as principals, teachers, pupil personnel staff, families, and youth: The following represented federal agencies on the panel: Tom Hehir U.S. Department of Education Kelly Henderson U.S. Department of Education Judith Heumann U.S. Department of Education Peter Jensen National Institute of Mental Health Tim Johnson U.S. Department of Justice William Modzeleski U.S. Department of Education Juan Ramos National Institute of Mental Health Donna Ray U.S. Department of Justice Diane Sondheimer Center for Mental Health Services Sara Strizzi U.S. Department of Education Kevin Sullivan U.S. Department of Education Gerald Tirozzi U.S. Department of Education Joanne Wiggins U.S. Department of Education Clarissa Wittenberg National Institute of Mental Health U.S. Department of Education http://www.ed.gov/ Center for Effective Collaboration and Practice American Institutes for Research 1000 Thomas Jefferson St., NW Suite 400 Washington, D.C. http://www.air-dc.org/cecp/ U.S. Department of Justice http://www.usdoj.gov/ National Association of School Psychologists 4340 East West Highway Suite 402 Bethesda, MD 20814 http://www.naspweb.org/center.html Resources National Institute of Mental Health http://www.nimh.nih.gov/ Center for Mental Health Services Knowledge Exchange Network http://www.mentalhealth.org/index.htm
