In today's world, there are increased concerns about the safety of our children in all environments. These issues are a consideration even in schools, which have traditionally been perceived as consistently safe havens. Most of the time, schools are safe places, but for those times when problems arise, you need to be aware of school and District policies concerning safety in your classroom. Some of the issues that you might encounter include: Weapons Fights between students Illegal substances Bullying and verbal abuse Natural disasters (fire, tornado, etc.) Other emergencies (bomb scare, predator in the vicinity, etc.) In 2000, the U.S. Department of Education and the Department of Justice released a publication titled Early Warning, Timely Response: A Guide to Safe Schools. This document states that there is a three-step program for helping to create safe schools. According to their document this involves: Building a School-wide Foundation Providing Early Intervention Where Needed Providing Intensive Interventions Where Needed Research has also shown that schools which have comprehensive plans in place to deal with safety and violence show improvements academically, reductions in disciplinary actions, a climate more conducive to learning, and better morale among staff and students. Find out today about your school and District policies and action plans for handling safety and violence. You can learn more about this topic at the following websites: http://www.k20safetypartnership.org/ Florida's K20- Education Safety Partnership http://www.firn.edu/doe/besss/safehome.htm Florida D.O.E. Office of Safe and Healthy Schools http://www.firn.edu/doe/besss/safe_passage/safe_passage.htm Safe Passage Act: District Safety and Security Self-Assessments http://www.ncjrs.org/school_safety/summary.html National Criminal Justice Reference Service