Safe Schools & NEA’s School Crisis Guide
NEA Guide Aims to Help Schools Respond, Recover from Crises.
Created by educators for educators. This step-by-step resource gives you the know-how to keep schools safe — before, during, and after a crisis.
It’s a grim reality, but school shootings have become so common that some students around the country have said it’s not a matter of if, but when, it will happen at their school.
They’ve been called the “mass-shooting generation,” and they now experience lockdown drills as routinely as fire drills.
“We just had one this spring,” says Rob Lundien, a counselor at Park Hill South High School in Riverside, Missouri. “It’s scary and nerve-wracking, but I’m glad we’re preparing and trying to be proactive.”
Lundien’s district has a Crisis Response Team and a Crisis Plan in place, which is regularly reevaluated and improved upon.
Now they have another resource on hand – NEA’s School Crisis Guide.
The guide includes advice for talking to students about violent tragedies, as well as tips for preventing school violence, but it also has resources for a wide range of crises schools can face, from natural disasters to fatal car crashes involving students or staff. It even includes information for school communities who experience ongoing trauma in violent neighborhoods or environmental stressors, such as the Flint water crisis.
Learn More and Download the Guide
More School Safety Resources
Missouri School Violence Hotline - report threats against students, teachers, and schools. The State of Missouri, through a grant from the Department of Public Safety, has established a statewide School Violence Hotline to help school districts and law enforcement agencies be aware of reports of school violence as early as possible and to ultimately make schools safer.
Protecting Child Welfare and Preventing Abuse - This guide is for social workers and educational professionals. It is a comprehensive resource developed by Maryville University that covers all types of abuse to watch for and your responsibilities as an educator.
NEA's Preventing Violence & Bullying - Every student deserves a safe, welcoming, affirming learning environment that is free from bullying. NEA takes a strong stance against any form of bullying. Learn bully prevention techniques by taking one or all of the seven micro-credential courses. Learn how to create safe learning environments for all students, including those who identify as LGTBQ.
Coronavirus: Links to the Experts
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- CDC: VaccineFinder.org
- CDC: K-12 Schools COVID-19 Mitigation Toolkit
- CDC: How do I set up my classroom
- CDC: In-Person Learning Checklist
- CDC: Virtual Learning Checklist
- CDC: Guides and Resources for Parents, Schools and Child Care Programs
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Disinfectants to use when protecting against the COVID-19
U.S. Dept. of Education - Strategies for safely re-opening schools
National Association of School Nurses
Missouri Dept. of Health & Senior Services
U.S. Dept. of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration