In recent decades, government officials, schools, parents, and students have been actively working to make places of learning safer and more welcoming. While schools have improved along some key markers, incidents of cyberbullying doubled from 2009 to 2019, indicating that many of these challenges aren’t going away but simply evolving.
One of the most concerning trends involves the rise in school shootings and gun-related deaths on campuses. These challenges have left everyone wondering how to keep schools safe in the modern environment.
Exploring how to keep schools safe doesn’t come with easy answers or quick fixes. Instead, we must focus on multifaceted approaches that include the following steps:
Mental Health Support
Recognizing the link between mental health and campus security represents a critical first step in learning how to keep schools safe. Mental well-being is foundational to a student’s ability to learn and thrive within an educational environment.
By implementing counseling services and support programs, your campus can offer pupils crucial resources. These can help them cope with stress, anxiety, and other mental health challenges, supporting school mental health overall.
You should also invest in staff training that prioritizes identifying signs of distress in pupils. Consider a combination of digital programs and in-person sessions to upskill your faculty. Often, these form a foundational element of learning how to keep schools safe.
If faculty members can identify concerning behavior and connect with students in need sooner, they may be able to provide them with valuable resources and support. Our youth face monumental challenges every day. When we can prevent them from going through those tough times alone, we have an opportunity to mitigate campus threats.
Building a Positive School Culture
Whereas mental health support seeks to address those who are already facing a psychological or social challenge, building a positive culture within your institution strives to prevent many incidents from occurring in the first place.
To this end, it’s best to promote inclusivity and respect as much as possible. These factors can help nurture a sense of belonging among students.
Addressing issues like bullying and offering amicable resolutions to conflict directly impact the overall vibe at your learning institution, making it feel welcoming and more secure. You should also foster strong relationships between teachers and their pupils to encourage open communication.
Emergency Preparedness
Despite educators’ best efforts, emergencies can occur. When conducting regular drills for different scenarios, ensure that your staff takes these drills seriously. If they don’t, the pupils won’t either.
Consider involving local law enforcement and emergency services (EMS). Collaborating with police, fire, and EMS will help you better understand the campus’s vulnerabilities during a critical incident.Notifying parents of drills ahead of time isn’t just helpful, in some states it’s mandated. It can help to avoid panic among parents and students.
Conduct drills at least once a month and debriefing thoroughly with your staff after each session is a must to get the maximum benefit from these mandated events.
You aren’t trying to punish people for making mistakes. You need to know what went well and what you can do better. When applicable, having experts involved can be valuable, as they can provide a different perspective on the problem than educators, offering you a more holistic view of the challenges you face.
Student and Staff Training
Providing training programs equips everyone with the knowledge to respond appropriately in different situations and prevent school violence. Ensure that you have clear protocols in place for various types of incidents to avoid confusion. For example, the response to a fire involves evacuating the facility, whereas an intruder on campus will require a lockdown.
Also, educate students on reporting suspicious activities. The “see something, say something” concept provides a simple way of stressing the value of early reporting. The sooner your staff knows about an incident, the more time they will have to address it.
Speaking of staff, faculty members should also be trained in de-escalation and crisis intervention techniques. Well-trained employees will have the confidence and knowledge to act fast during a real emergency.
Collaborative Efforts
While learning how to keep schools safe, it can feel like all the weight falls on your shoulders. However, campus security requires a collaborative approach that includes students, parents, staff, and local first responders.
Involve parents early and often, too, especially when you are implementing new safety programs or making major changes to existing strategies. This will foster a stronger and more engaged community while providing you with additional resources to address campus needs.
You can also connect with local and nationwide community entities to extend your network of support. Don’t forget to reach out to neighboring schools within and adjacent to your district. You never know what you can learn.
Continuous Improvement
The world is constantly changing, which means your campus safety strategy must evolve with it. Never settle or rest on your laurels, no matter how many successful drills you’ve completed. Also, never adopt the “It will never happen here” mindset, as doing so can expose your institution to serious consequences.
Instead, always strive to do better. Review your protocols and make changes where necessary. Gather feedback from staff, parents, and students so you can obtain varied perspectives on your program and its efficacy.
Most importantly, stay informed about emerging threats and solutions. This way, you can stay at the forefront of safety.
How to Keep Schools Safe: Applying These Practical Strategies
Now that you know how to keep schools safe, it’s time to act and make moves to secure your campus. While there are plenty of great resources out there, one of the most impactful is Rachel’s Challenge, an organization committed to transforming schools into places free from violence and self-harm.
Book a live event with Rachel’s Challenge today. We also encourage you to explore our other programs, including our digital courses, conferences, and informational resources. If you’d like to support Rachel’s Challenge and our mission to end school violence for good, we welcome your donations.
