NWREL: 1999 Annual Report: National Resource Center for Safe Schools

NATIONAL RESOURCE CENTER FOR SAFE SCHOOLS

The National Resource Center for Safe Schools provides training and technical assistance to schools and communities to create and maintain safe learning environments.

The National Resource Center for Safe Schools at NWREL assists schools and collaborating communities throughout the country to create and maintain safe learning environments free of crime and violence.

Center services support a comprehensive approach to school safety planning by schools and collaborating communities to build a solid foundation of programs that embrace diversity, build resiliency, and provide educational programming within the context of comprehensive school improvement plans. The development of a safe school environment should be a part of the overall school improvement plan.

Comprehensive school safety plans must target the specific conditions in a school through research-based practices that build upon effective prevention and intervention strategies, such as developing schoolwide crisis-response plans; early identification of potentially violent students; and implementation of anger management, peer mediation, conflict resolution, and law-related programs.

The center collaborates with state educational agencies, state juvenile justice agencies, state school safety centers, numerous professional organizations, and technical assistance providers.

Center Components

Safe School Plans
Assistance is provided to schools and communities in developing safe school plans for implementing and sustaining a targeted, comprehensive set of activities.

Training and Technical Assistance
In addition to the Safe School Planning Process Workshop, training and technical assistance is provided to: (1) assess the conditions of schools and communities, (2) strengthen school policies, (3) develop an early warning and response system, (4) develop curriculum, (5) increase parent and community involvement, (6) crisis manage and evaluate programs, and encourage anger management, mentoring, conflict resolution, and other effective practices.

Information Dissemination
Information is disseminated on school safety issues and concerns, highlighting effective programs, prevention strategies, best practices, training opportunities, and other resources.

National Network of Trainers
The center works to refine effective training materials, methods, research-based information, and protocols on school safety, working in close collaboration with a national advisory committee, state educational agencies, state school safety centers, state juvenile justice agencies, the Hamilton Fish Consortium on School and Community Violence, and other school safety training and technical assistance providers.

National Conference on School Safety
The center plans to conduct a national conference on school safety in 2000, bringing together educators, prevention practitioners, school safety experts, students, juvenile justice workers, law enforcement officials, community members, and parents to share cutting-edge information on school safety issues.

Major 1999 Accomplishments

The Safe Schools 101 Workshop was developed to help clients assess needs, create plans, implement programs, conduct valuable evaluations, and improve programs.

Expert consultants in crisis intervention were identified in coordination with the Office for Victims of Crime and other agencies and are available for response to requests for services in the fields of child psychiatry, counseling, and law enforcement.

Information and resources on safe schools were disseminated to more than 22,000 clients through a brochure, four newsletters, four fact sheets, and a draft tool kit.

The center Web site (http://www.safetyzone.org) was established to provide access to information and resources by educators and the community.

A database of training and technical assistance providers in the field of maintaining safe, secure learning environments conducive to teaching and learning was established.

A database of current training and technical assistance events scheduled across the country was developed, providing course descriptions, locations, dates, instructors, suggested audiences, and registration information online and in print.

Phone interviews were conducted with safe and drug-free schools coordinators in 29 states to assess existing services, evaluate school crisis-response plans, and determine training and technical assistance needs.

Training and onsite technical assistance included conference presentations, consultations, media contacts, focus group facilitation, and teleconferences.

Professional Staff

Carlos Sundermann
Center Director
M.A., Secondary Education
Central Michigan University

James Fiscus
Specialist
M.A., History
Portland State University

Margaret Greene
Specialist
M.A., Social Work
University of Texas—Arlington

Ned Howard
Specialist
M.A., Public History
Loyola University

Kathleen Kaditz
Associate
M.A., Political Science/Juvenile Corrections
University of Oregon/Reed College

Ira Pollack
Specialist
M.L.S., Library and Information Science
Florida State University

Jon Yeakey
Associate
M.A., Educational Administration
Portland State University

Advisory Committee

Ako Abdul-Samad
CEO/Founder
Creative Visions
Des Moines (IA)

Joanna Belcher
Student
Carlisle (PA)

Dr. Belinda Biscoe
Director, Region VII Comprehensive Center
Norman (OK)

Dick Bodine
National Center for Conflict Resolution
Urbana (IL)

Nisan Chavkin
Youth for Justice
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Chicago (IL)

Pamela Eakes
Founder and President
Mothers Against Violence in America
Seattle (WA)

Denise Fitch
Safe and Drug-Free Schools
Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction

Jose Gonzalez
Social Worker
Good Samaritan Center of San Antonio (TX)

Dr. D.J. Ida
Asian Pacific Development Center
Denver (CO)

David Kamleiter
School Resource Officer
Scottsdale Police Department (AZ)

Dr. Paul Kingery
Hamilton Fish National Institute
Rosslyn (VA)

Roger Lachapelle
Assistant Principal
Lewiston High School (ME)

Ken Litzau
Superintendent
Pine Point School
Ponsford (MN)

Cathy Paine
Springfield School District (OR)

Cornelius Rish
Teacher
Anoka High School (MN)

Walter Vigil
Chief Executive Officer
Non-Profit Community Corrections Program
Taos (NM)

Carol Voorhees
Associated Behavior Consultants
Salt Lake City (UT)

Suzann Wilson
Bono (AR)

Marleen Wong
Director, Mental Health Service
District Crisis Intervention Teams
Los Angeles Unified School District (CA)