Time to Rethink Active Shooter Training?

06/28/2021 Suzanne Sibole School Safety Strategies best practices in school safety, emergency preparedness, Mental health, school safety training, school violence, staff training, student training

Those of you who have followed me over the years know that I have always been a strong proponent of preventing school violence, rather than focusing solely on after-the-fact actions and active shooter training. I firmly believe that a great deal of violence can be prevented by knowing what to watch for and having a process in place for reporting and assessing concerning words and behaviors.

Of course, I also believe that we need to be prepared overall, for all possible crises and emergencies. This includes knowing how to respond to fires, intruders, chemical leaks and many other hazards.

So, yes, we should know how to respond to an active shooter. But, we may have to rethink some of our current practices.

Research is beginning to support something many of us have believed all along: simulations of active school attacks can be frightening and traumatic for children and staff members.

The latest guidance on armed assailant drills comes to us from NASP, the National Association of School Psychologists and NASRO, the National Association of School Resource Officers. According to their joint report, Best Practice Considerations for Armed Assailant Drills in Schools, “schools should not use simulation techniques with students, and exercises should be appropriate to the participants’ development level and physical abilities. If sensorial exercises are conducted with staff, they should consent and be informed of the tactics being used, mental health supports must be available on-site during the exercises and after the exercises, and adult participants must be informed of the use and purpose of props and simulation aids prior to the drill. Drills should never involve props that interject or simulate physical harm (e.g., paintballs or rubber bullets) or physical contact with participants.”

So, what does this mean for your school? Training exercises should follow a progression of steps, beginning with basic activities. Going forward, lockdown drills should still be a critical component of training. Frequent nonsenorial/nonsimulation planning and walking through potential crises should comprise a great deal of your preparedness efforts. Options-based drills can provide alternative strategies for both staff and students to implement during an emergency situation.

For more detailed guidance in planning and implementing your preparedness and drill protocols, click here for the report referenced above.

Just in Time for Back-to-School

08/10/2016 Suzanne Sibole School Safety Training online course, school safety, school safety training, staff training

A couple of weeks ago, I posed some questions of my readers that started with the words What if…

What if quality school safety training could be available to all of your staff members (bus drivers, food service staff, substitutes, paraprofessionals, teachers, custodians) without having to pull them away from their responsibilities, ask them to work extra hours, or pay overtime wages.

What if making your school safer were as simple as investing an hour at your convenience to access the very same training content provided to school districts across the country, at a fraction of the cost you’d pay for an on-site training?

We are very close to making this a reality, just in time for back-to-school. I will keep you posted over the next few days.

To get started now for free, enroll in my Increase Your School’s Safety in 5 Easy Steps online course.

Exciting Development in School Safety Training

07/11/201609/23/2016 Suzanne Sibole School Safety Training school districts, school safety, school safety training, staff training

Exciting News

Imagine that there is a way for you to receive top quality safety training for your staff that will save you time and money. If you could train all of your school staff members – teachers, custodians, bus drivers, food service staff, para-professionals, and substitutes – in a way that won’t eat into much of your budget or your school day, would you want to know more?

I would, and I’m betting that you would, too.

Having worked in schools for most of my career, I know that high quality services that won’t break the budget are a must, and I’ve figured out a way to provide this for you.

Don’t worry, I’ll be in touch with you over the coming weeks to provide additional details.

Until then, if you’re working on school safety this summer, you may find these resources to be useful in your work:

School Safety Glossary

Free Online School Safety Course

Resistance to School Intruder Drills

10/25/201302/15/2016 Suzanne Sibole School Safety Strategies, School Violence Prevention evacuation drills, lockdowns, school safety, school site vulnerabilities, signs of violence, staff training, student training, warning signs of violence

A few months ago, I was asked by a school staff member about the best way to deal with the fact that her school district is not conducting intruder drills. She reported that many in her district still don’t believe a school attack or intrusion could happen there, and that drills are a waste of valuable instructional time.

My first thought was that it is vital for administration to set a tone of realism and expectation about the possibility that anything can happen there. Administrators would be wise to state unequivocally that evacuation, lockdown and other types of intruder drills are a critical component of school safety preparedness.

Gavin de Becker has said that, “violence finds its way into every institution of our culture, and people not expecting it are also not prepared for it.” I recently provided staff training at a small rural school district and told the staff of my visits to schools in West Paducah, KY and Jonesboro, AR, the sites of two well-known school shooting attacks. The similarities between those districts and the one where I was presenting were striking. Fortunately, the administration in this district does not need convincing. The superintendent is on board with school safety and has made many efforts to create a safe district.

What does your district administration believe? Are you worried that your school is unprepared and vulnerable? If you would like to discuss ideas for motivating your district staff to address this critical issue, simply click here.