NAPSA POSITION STATEMENT
ON SCHOOL SAFETY
MAY, 1999
INTRODUCTION
A safe and secure school environment is the foundation required for effective instruction and learning. Involving local community members in meeting the comprehensive needs of each student is essential to the development and sustaining of a caring, safe and secure school environment.
Mentoring programs, safety plans, crisis intervention plans, early intervention measures, clear and consistent policies/procedures, and cooperative linkages between schools and community resources are critical to the creation of a safe, secure and caring school environment. The central component of these plans and programs is the emphasize which is placed on establishing connections between adults and adolescents in the school community. It is these shared connections and the shared sense of responsibility that will allow future generations to reach adulthood with a sense of interdependence, commitment, purpose and hope.
NAPSA believes a safe, secure and caring school environment can be accomplished through a three pronged approach: 1) preventive measures, 2) intervention programs, and 3) well understood and timely responses to any threat of violence, especially those involving weapons.
I. EFFECTIVE PREVENTION PROGRAMS
- Community forums to develop a consistent "youth charter."
A 'youth charter" is a widely understood set of expectations and
standards which allow adult and adolescent citizens to develop and sustain
a safe, secure and caring community.
- School based mentoring programs that use both peers and adults.
- A Safe Schools plan that has been practiced.
- A widely disseminated, comprehensive, school discipline policy.
- Consistent, fair and clearly articulated codes of conduct for both
staff and students.
- Support, nurture and educate appropriately each student in the community.
- Clear communication to and between all members and groups within the
school community.
- Adopt democratic decision making within the school whereby students
and staff feel empowered to affect their environment.
- Well designed and clearly articulated plans to foster human connections
and promote non-violent means of resolving conflict.
- Integration of law enforcement and social agencies within the context
of the school curriculum.
- Appropriate security measures which include safe physical facilities,
an effective dress code, and random locker checks.
- Easy and immediately available access to mental health services within the school and community for students, staff and community members.
II. INTERVENTION PROGRAMS/MEASURERS
- Early intervention programs for children and their parents.
- School/community agency collaborative programs for dysfunctional families.
- Training for adults and students in conflict resolution, decision
making and social skills.
- Alternative educational settings that provide the necessary supports
for each student to succeed in his/her community.
- Immediate reporting of suspected illegal acts to law enforcement and
social services agencies.
- School curricula, instruction and linkages to career internships and
community programs that emphasize successful connections between adults
and adolescents.
- Programs that facilitate and open lines of communication between adults and students.
III. RESPONSE
- There must be a written community response plan that is clearly articulated
and practiced.
- There must be a quick response to any threat of violence, especially
when weapons are involved.
- There must be immediate and accurate information provided to students
and parents regarding safety related incidents.
- There must be effective and ongoing communication with the community
at large, parents, students, staff, media and other interest groups.
- There must be an immediate response to any threat to the de-escalation process. Further escalation must be presented.