After an emergency event has occurred on campus and the education agency has activated the emergency operations plan (EOP), it is likely that the planning team has feedback and lessons learned. Similarly, after conducting an emergency exercise -- whether it be an orientation, tabletop exercise, drill, functional exercise, or full-scale exercise --…

Integrating chemical management into a comprehensive emergency operations plan (EOP), including through the creation of a Toxic Materials Annex and a Hazardous Materials Annex, helps improve a school district's or individual school's preparedness for a chemical-related incident. To ensure the annexes remain relevant and useful, districts and…

The COVID-19 pandemic is forcing many institutions to consider remote, virtual instruction for the safety of employees and students. Based upon the authors' experiences in transforming preclerkship medical science courses to virtual platforms, this paper shares tips for faculty rapidly establishing remote medical science instruction. With planning…

Although the COVID-19 pandemic closed schools and directed attention to other matters, one issue which had raised concern prior to the pandemic -- the role of lockdown drills in schools -- remains to be addressed as education leaders prepare for the return of students and adults to gathering daily in large groups in schools. By one estimate, 95…

Schools are often the geographic and sociological center of a community. Given modern community emergencies and challenges, schools should make the most of this role and best allocate their resources to maximize the positive impact they have during difficult times. This article uses the vantage point of school psychologists and school nurses from…

The mental health implications of crisis exposure have emerged as a critical and challenging facet of school safety and crisis response, expanding our focus to encompass both psychological and physical safety, as well as prevention and recovery. Best practice reflects this evolution in our understanding and encompasses the continuum of crisis and…

In the aftermath of a trauma, the care and support of children is usually considered primary and there may be a push to return to normalcy. However, added support and encouragement to help adults cope will increase their capacity to address the educational and emotional needs of students. School staff members are best equipped to care for others…

Those who spent time in the classroom recognize the need to formulate well-designed lesson plans before they can provide a first-rate education. A lesson plan provides guidance on what they will be teaching, the tools they will need to teach a lesson, and their expectations for the outcomes of the lesson--what kids will learn. The same is true for…

Every day in America more than 50 million children go to neighborhood public schools. Parents send them off with every hope they will be safe while there. And yet, as has been the case in too many cities, violence shatters that hope. The Council of Educational Facilities Planners International (CEFPI) seeks to lead in the effort to bolster schools…

Automated external defibrillators (AEDs) were introduced for first responders in 1992 to manage adult cardiac arrest and are now common in many public places. Today AEDs are capable of shocking children under 8 years of age, or less than 55 pounds. This presents a challenge for school nurses, particularly as the prevalence of chronic medical…

The mental health dilemma that is facing higher education today does not appear to be abating. It is imperative that colleges have fully-staffed and adequately-trained counseling personnel to assist students with psychological issues. Institutions also must create a climate of awareness, so that issues may be recognized early. In addition,…

In 2013, compliance issues march, unceasingly, through every aspect of higher education. Yet the intricacies of privacy, information security, data governance, and IT policy as compliance and risk areas within the IT organization can reverberate and impact every other department within the higher education institution. The primary focus is always…

With proven advice and practical best practices for sound risk management, this robust publication written by the CEO of United Educators identifies how engaged board members should collaborate closely with institutional leaders on a variety of operational and strategic risks. All board members, whatever their role or committee assignment, will…

This guide offers best practices for disaster management at child welfare agencies. Its recommendations are firmly rooted in published disaster-related research and the advice of human service and preparedness experts. It is not a reinvention of disaster management--much quality work has been done in this field--but a synthesis of experts'…

Now more than ever, campus safety is of paramount importance. A reliable emergency mass notification system is one way to ensure the safety of constituents, and Brandeis University (MA) recently invested in a system that does the job. In this article, the author interviews John Turner, the school's director of networks and systems. Turner…