WEB WONDERS: Creating Safer Schools -- compiled by Sally Lindfors

April marked the third anniversary of the Columbine High School shootings in Littleton, Colorado. Have we learned anything from that tragedy and the ensuing tragedies that have engulfed us? Do schools and educators know how to ensure safety in their schools and how to help students cope with traumatic events in the news and in their own lives? Here are some Internet sites that can assess and improve the psychological well-being of our students and the safety of our schools.

Essential Information

Columbine: The Third Anniversary
www.schoolsecurity.org/trends/columbine_anniversary.html

The Columbine tragedy alerted many of us to the issue of security in schools; but by the second anniversary, a false sense of security had developed, and schools have been overwhelmed by the national and international dimensions of violence since the events of September 11. The thoughtful report on this site reminds us that we need to focus on our immediate environments and ensure safety in our own schools. This site is sponsored by the National School Safety and Security Services, a private, nonprofit company based in Cleveland, Ohio.

School Security.Org
www.schoolsecurity.org

Do you know what to do in a crisis? Do you have to think about it when the time comes, or do you follow a rehearsed plan? The School Security.Org home page urges school personnel to work on several fronts to anticipate potential crises, assess their schools' susceptibility to violence, and respond to the psychological needs of students during traumatic public events. Follow the site's internal links for information about how to assess your school's safety precautions, deal safely with the school's mail, evaluate school security consultants, and maintain an ongoing evaluation process.

Safe and Responsive Schools Project
www.indiana.edu/~safeschl

Here, download helpful resources for school personnel. Among other publications and resources, its PDF file, Preventing School Violence: A Practical Guide to Comprehensive Planning, outlines how to create a positive school climate (including dealing with bullies), identify and intervene with students at risk for violence, and respond effectively to crises. This site is sponsored by the University of Indiana.

FBI for Educators
http://failover.fbi.gov/failover.htm

The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation shows educators how to assess potential threats to school security in a 52-page booklet, The School

Shooter: A Threat Assessment Perspective

Early Warning: U.S. Department of Education
www.ed.gov/offices/OSERS/OSEP/Products/earlywrn.html

Do you know what the early warning signs of trouble or crisis at school? The U.S. Department of Education has developed information that covers a wide range of security issues. Its 40-page booklet, Early Warning, Timely Response, which you can download in either HTML or PDF files, discusses issues like how to develop schoolwide policies that support responsible behavior and ways to help troubled students.

How Students Can Take the Lead

Students have a personal stake in ensuring safety in their schools; after all, most victims of school violence are students. They may also see signs of trouble earlier than anyone else in the school, but they may not recognize the significance of what they see. They can use the Internet to find out what role they can play in ensuring school safety.

APA Help Center
http://helping.apa.org/warningsigns/about.html

Do you know where to point kids with questions about violence? The American Psychological Association (APA) and Music Television (MTV) have joined forces to create Warning Signs, a guide that suggests effective ways to deal with anger and to recognize when classmates might be dangerous to themselves or others. Students will enjoy a trip through this informative resource.

Teens, Crime, and the Community
www.nationaltcc.org

Teens interested in taking action should consult this site, sponsored by a national youth program for creating safer communities. The lively, user-friendly site includes resources for both teens and adults. Resources for adults include practical suggestions for getting students to talk with one another about difficult topics and training for working with students who want to make their schools and neighborhoods safer.

Youth Crime Watch
www.ycwa.org

"We're watching because we care!" This is the motto of Youth Crime Watch of America (YCWA), a "youth-led movement to support a crime-free, drug-free environment in schools and neighborhoods." Young people can participate in an online chat room, find an abundance of links to resources, and locate YCWA clubs in the United States and throughout the world. Follow the links to Surrounded by Safety, an interesting 8-page brochure that offers guidelines for assessing the safety features of a school's physical environment.

Partners Against Hate
www.partnersagainsthate.org

"Life's too short-Stop the Hate!" Students, educators, and families will appreciate the rich resources available at this Web site, which can lead readers to many Internet links and lists of print and video resources for dealing with hate and violence motivated by prejudice.

A Play About Violence
www.edweek.org/tm/tm_printstory.cfm?slug=06impulse.h13

Drama provides a virtual world in which to explore difficult topics. This story from a recent issue of Education Week tells how playwright William Mastrosimone created Bang Bang You're Dead after a student at his son's school threatened to kill the entire class and the teacher. To read or consider staging this thoughtful play, you can download a copy (http://bangbangyouredead.com/downloads.html).

What About Zero Tolerance?

Is zero tolerance an effective approach to reducing school violence? Education Week explored this topic recently in "Interpretations of 'Zero Tolerance' Vary," available at www.edweek.org/ew/newstory.cfm?slug=30zero.h21. The article provides links to other discussions of this controversial approach to school safety.

ASCD Resources

ASCD Infobrief
www.ascd.org/safeschools/infobrief96aut.html

In a thoughtful Infobrief article, "Preventing School Violence: Policies for Safety, Caring, and Achievement," Joan Montgomery Halford discusses how to reduce violence by personalizing the school environment, using research-based conflict resolution strategies, encouraging character education, developing extracurricular activities, and collaborating with communities.

ASCD Education Update
www.ascd.org/readingroom/edupdate/2001/checkley.html

In Education Update's "Accept No Intolerance," Kathy Checkley discusses the importance of teaching tolerance, especially for those students who are most often victimized by violence and hate.

ASCD Classroom Leadership
www.ascd.org/readingroom/classlead/0003/1mar00.html

Probably the best way to prevent violence is to develop emotionally healthy students. In "Using Literature to Build Emotionally Healthy Adolescents," Brenda Dixey and Andrea D'Angelo introduce the advantages of "bibliotherapy" for helping students come to terms with difficult situations and feelings. The article includes suggestions of books that touch on such issues as gang violence and peer pressure.

Safe schools are caring schools. Look for Educational Leadership's March 2003 issue on the theme of "Creating Caring Schools." In addition, ASCD author Allen N. Mendler just published a practical little book, Connecting with Students (ASCD, 2001). Search for "Mendler" on the ASCD Web site (www.ascd.org).

Sally Lindfors (slindfor@ascd.org) is an associate editor of ASCD's award-winning journal Educational Leadership.