Commitment to Inclusion at McGhee

Location
Pocatello School District # 25
3115 Pole Line Road
PO Box 1390
Pocatello, ID 83201

Contact
John Raukar, Pupil Personnel Director
Chris Williams, Public Information Officer
Phone: 208/235-3563
Fax: 208/235-3280

Description
Similar to some recent headline-snapping events that have captured the nation’s attention, last year a student at a Pocatello alternative school walked into the school with a gun and held several staff and students hostage for a number of hours. Though the incident did not result in any bloodshed, it deeply disturbed the district’s sense of security and peace. Like many school systems that experience such acts of aggression, the situation sent district officials searching for an appropriate way to restore peace to their schools.

Immediately following the incident, counseling was available to all staff and students who needed it. The next morning, district leaders met with parents and students to discuss what had happened and to allow them to express their feelings and concerns regarding the overall situation. District administrators provided parents and students with options concerning counseling and crisis intervention, especially for those students directly involved in the incident. Plans were discussed to have continued parental involvement in the development of a safer environment at the school. Parents also heard from law-enforcement representatives directly involved in the situation who discussed their view of the matter and the possible consequences for the perpetrator.

At the school where the incident occurred, the district worked to create a method for early identification of dangerous behaviors. To do this, disciplinary records were reviewed. Those students who had disciplinary files or who had demonstrated significant at-risk behavior in the past were identified as having the potential to create a high-risk situation. This information was shared with all staff since each of them had daily contact with all of the school’s 30 students. This activity served to heighten staff awareness and possibly prevent any other dangerous situations from arising.

Administrators also committed to pursue ongoing education of staff. The entire staff was fully briefed on the hostage situation and was given pointers regarding the roles that law enforcement and the district staff would play in future incidents.

In looking at the school where the incident occurred, district administration determined that a complete overhaul was necessary in the educational and physical environment. A team of central office administrators was appointed to direct these changes. Several meetings were conducted with the alternative school staff, which resulted in the development of a complete plan to change the overall educational delivery system at the school. It was felt that the previous delivery system may have been punitive in nature and could have played a part in contributing to the volatile situation.

Using another district alternative school that had recently gone through a similar transformation as a model, the school received an entirely new staff dedicated to the specific needs of at-risk youth, new curriculum geared toward different learning styles, and a new name. The district hopes that these changes will result in successes similar to those observed by the model school. Among many achievements, the model school boasts high attendance, quality student achievement, and positive student attitudes that are typically not found within high-risk student populations. It has also stimulated a dramatic reduction in the district dropout rate.

Observed Outcomes

• Staff, students, and parents have a greater sense of awareness of high-risk situations and how to deal with them
• Given the opportunity, at-risk students can be successful in a nurturing and understanding educational environment

Keys to Success

• Provide staff and students with as much counseling as needed following a violent incident
• Conduct open discussions about violence and solicit staff, student, and parent input regarding how to prevent volatile situations
• Don’t be afraid to make drastic changes in a school or school system if it will make it a safer, more peaceful place for staff and students
• Partner with the entire school community (business representatives, community agencies, juvenile justice personnel) to ensure the success of your efforts

Location
Twin Falls School District
201 Main Avenue West
Twin Falls, ID 83301

Contact
Keith Farnsworth or Dale Thornsberry
Phone: 208/733-6900
Fax: 208/733-6987

Description
Acknowledging that no school or district can foresee and prepare for all crises and acts of violence that may occur, the Twin Falls School District has implemented a number of simple measures—some proactive, some responsive—that work to ensure the safety and security of all students and staff.

To begin with, the district’s Safety Committee has encouraged all district school buildings to have a policy in place requiring anyone who is not a regular staff person or student to wear an identification badge. Badges are obtained at the front office when visitors first walk in. Students are instructed to report any stranger they see in the building not wearing a badge.

Another step the district took was to improve the communication systems between faculty and administration in all buildings. All classrooms had telephones installed, and each administrator was given a cell phone/walkie-talkie to carry at all times. This way, school staff are never incapacitated by their inability to talk and act during a crisis situation.

The third step the district took was to prepare a comprehensive crisis response manual, which is made available to all staff for review. The manual spells out exactly what is to be done in a variety of crisis situations. For example, the manual addresses what staff should do in the event of a hostage situation, school shooting, suicide, murder or death, gang activity, natural disaster, kidnapping, or bomb threat. The manual is updated regularly.

In addition, the district has set up a District Crisis Response Team charged with being ready and available to go to the site of any school experiencing crisis and provide assistance. The team, made up of nine district-office employees, has assigned roles for each of its members. These roles are: facilitator, security coordinator, internal communications, external communications, student-services liaison, staff-services liaison, parent liaison, recorder (stays with facilitator and takes notes), and crisis processor (monitors the proceedings of the event and reports back to facilitator on a regular basis).

Observed Outcomes

• Staff feel better equipped to handle difficult, potentially violent situations
• The community has expressed its appreciation of the district’s efforts to make schools safer
• School staff have found the crisis manual to be very useful in helping them think through possible scenarios and equipping them with procedures to follow should an incident occur
• The district’s work has resulted in community partnerships with other agencies working toward the same goals (e.g., the police department)

Keys to Success

• Be proactive in thinking about violence prevention, and be prepared to respond appropriately and immediately should a crisis occur
• Educate teachers so that they feel confident and prepared to handle a variety of crisis situations
• Partner with your local police department—establish a sound working relationship with them
• Equip all schools with effective communication systems that prevent anyone in the building from feeling isolated
• Raise student and staff "people awareness" skills; implement procedures in school buildings that help students know who belongs in the building and who does not
• Set up a safety committee with a balanced representation of the school community; let it guide the district’s safe schools work

This document's URL is: © 2001 Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory Date of Last Update: 09/19/2001 Email Webmaster Tel. 503.275.9500