Violence Prevention

Spring Requires Extra Vigilance

Suzanne Sibole School Safety, School Violence Prevention, Suicide Prevention, Violence Prevention, Warning Signs , , ,

Extra Vigilance in Spring Months

Spring requires extra vigilance when it comes to identifying warning signs of trouble in our students. There are many rites of passage that occur during the spring months – prom, graduation, senior skip days, and the ending of the school year. All of these events carry the potential for misuse of substances, compromised driving skills, and the sense of freedom that is often accompanied by risk-taking in teens.

But, what I’m talking about here is the increase in suicide numbers that tend to peak during the months of May and June. During an average month, 700 persons die by suicide. During the months of May and June, that number increases to 800 per month. This effect is also seen in the southern hemisphere, in opposite months.

The complexity of suicide makes it difficult to determine the exact reason for the increase, but researchers have a few theories. One is that an individual’s energy may increase as the weather warms, providing just enough of a surge to complete a long-considered suicide. Other theories deal with agitation caused by bipolar disorder, inflammatory diseases, low vitamin D levels, and even tree pollens.You can take a deeper dive into this topic here.

It’s also important to be aware that there are a number of anniversary dates of school violence in the spring. For students who may be considering violence, the following anniversary dates can be significant:

April 1, Prescott High School, Prescott, Arkansas

April 2, Oikos University, Oakland, California

April 2, Cardozo High School, Washington, D.C.

April 9, Gloversville Middle School, Gloversville, New York

April 10, North Park Elementary School, San Bernardo, California

April 11, East English Village Preparatory Academy, Detroit, Michigan

April 12, New River Community College, Christainsburg, Virginia

April 12, Raytown South Middle School, Raytown, Missouri

April 13, Wayne Community College, Goldsboro, North Carolina

April 13, Sheeler Charter High School, Apopka, Florida

April 14, John McDonough High School, New Orleans, Louisiana

April 15, Booker T. Washington High School, Tulsa, Oklahoma

April 16, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia

April 17, Flex High School, Flint, Michigan

April 19, Ross Elementary School, Houston, Texas

April 20, Columbine High School

April 20, Forest High School, Ocala Florida

April 23, Antigo High School Prom, Antigo Wisconsin

April 24, Red Lion Area Junior High School, Red Lion, Pennsylvania

April 25, Wynbrooke Elementary School, Stone Mountain, Georgia

April 30, University of North Carolina-Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina

May 4, Paine College, Augusta, Georgia

May 4, North Lake College, Irving Texas

May 4, East High School, Pueblo, Colorado

May 5, Paine College, Augusta Georgia

May 5, Highpoint High School, Belleville, Maryland

May 7, Randallstown High School, Randallstown, Maryland

May 7, STEM School Highlands Ranch, Highlands Ranch, Colorado

May 8, Second Chance High School, Chicago, Illinois

May 9, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio

May 10, San Jose State University, San Jose, California

May 11, Highland High School, Palmdale, California

May 14, Duvall County School Bus, Jacksonville, Florida

May 13, Southside High School, Greenville, South Carolina

May 13, Chimborazo Elementary School, Richmond, Virginia

May 15, Augusta High School, Augusta, Kansas

May 15, Moss Bluff Elementary School, Lake Charles, Louisiana

May 16, Dixon High School, Dixon, Illinois

May 17, Raines High School, Jacksonville, Florida

May 18, Harvard College Dormitory, Cambridge, Massachusetts

May 18, South Gate High School, South Gate, California

May 18, Larose Louisiana

May 18, Santa Fe High School, Texas

May 18, Mount Zion High School, Jonesboro, Georgia

May 21, Thompson K-12 International Academy, Southfield, Michigan

May 21, Clarke Street Elementary School, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

May 23, University of California-Santa Barbara

May 23, Highlands Intermediate School, Pearl City,k Hawaii

May 24, Robb Elementary School, Uvalde, Texas

May 24, Technical High School, St. Cloud, Minnesota

May 24, Redland Middle School, Homestead, Florida

May 25, Noblesville West Middle School, Noblesville, Indiana

May 26, McLain High School, Tulsa, Oklahoma

May 27, Horizon Elementary School, Everett, Washington

If you’re not sure what to look for in terms of warning signs, check out the suicide warning signs and violence warning signs freebies from Youth Risk Prevention Specialists. If you need more help, please contact me for training opportunities.

Do Restorative Justice Practices Increase School Safety?

Suzanne Sibole Restorative Justice, School Climate, School Safety, School Safety Strategies, Violence Prevention , ,

Restorative justice practices were put into place in many of our nation’s schools a number of years ago. These programs focus on alternatives to exclusionary discipline practices such as suspension and expulsion. They include conflict resolution, relationship-building, and fostering empathy, forgiveness, and self-reflection.

But, do they help create safer schools and a more positive school climate?

Chicago Public Schools adopted the program during the 2013-14 school year. Researchers at the University of Chicago Education Lab gathered and analyzed data from before the practices were implemented (2008-09) and after they were in place for 5 years (2018-19). They found that the practices resulted in a 35% decrease in student arrests in-school and a 15% decrease in student arrests outside-of-school. Out-of-school suspensions were reduced by 18%. Students perceived improved classroom behavior among their peers and a greater sense of safety and inclusion at school.

Philadelphia High School reported that in the year of restorative justice implementation, “violent acts and serious incidents” dropped by 52%. The following year, they dropped by 40%.

Denver Public Schools reported that over 7 schools, the number of expulsions dropped from 23 to 6, and in-school suspensions improved by 13% after 3 years of restorative justice practices implementation.

While there are many anecdotal accounts of success from these practices, there is little scientific research, and we could benefit from additional studies. To be fair, a Google search will reveal that some studies fail to demonstrate the effectiveness of restorative justice practices in schools. However, the potential benefits of restorative justice practices range from a decrease in discipline referrals and racial disparities to improved academic scores and an increased sense of safety among students and staff.

Is it worth trying in your school?

Studies suggests that the program may need to be consistently in place for 3-5 years before we begin to see the impact If you have been implementing these practices over a number of years and have noted changes, I’d love to hear from you, so I can share your successes (or challenges) with others.

Source material:

The University of Chicago Education Lab, https://educationlab.uchicago.edu/projects/restorative-practices/

Goodwin, B. ASCD, October 2021, Vol.79, No. 2 https://www.ascd.org/el/articles/research-matters-does-restorative-justice-work 

Davison, M. NWEA, December 2022 https://www.nwea.org/blog/2022/what-the-research-tells-us-about-restorative-justice-in-k-12/

Real Strategies to Stem Violence

Suzanne Sibole Violence Prevention , , , ,

Real Strategies to Stem Violence

In the wake of the terrible mass shooting in Orlando, the national conversation about gun control has begun anew. Fear is a great motivator. So, we’re talking again (or still) about what can be done to break this seemingly never-ending tide of violence.

There are some great strategies for reducing violence, but they are not those we hear about most often in the news. If you are working this summer to make your school safer, here is what you can do.

Real Strategies to Stem Violence

Worried about mass shootings? […]  investing in threat assessment and intervention programs is probably more valuable than trying to fortify your local elementary school or hiring armed guards.

This quote comes from a recent article in The Guardian, by Lois Beckett. Lois has done the research and points out that there are a number of promising and effective solutions to violence that have nothing to do with gun control. There’s more:

“Mark Follman, a Mother Jones reporter who has led a project on mass shootings, has examined a different approach: threat assessment. Analysis shows there are often several missed chances to intervene before a mass shooting and researchers found the “weeks, months, or even years when a would-be killer is escalating toward violence are a window of opportunity in which he can be detected and thwarted”.

While this is not the only strategy suggested by Lois Beckett (a focus on various aspects of domestic violence, gangs, gun restrictions for certain populations, and suicide prevention are others), I am elated and hopeful whenever I see the practice of threat assessment and intervention mentioned.

It is a solid practice for preventing violence, and it is vastly underutilized.

If you’re still not sure what violence threat assessment is all about (and many people aren’t), read this now.

If you’d like to learn more about Mark Follman’s research on preventing mass shooting, you can see my interview with him here.

I have upcoming violence threat assessment team trainings and coaching sessions scheduled in multiple states this fall. To learn more about bringing this important training to your area, simply contact me here.