The document outlines 7 steps that schools can take to improve safety, including developing and enforcing a code of conduct, conducting emergency drills, personalizing the school environment with help boxes, analyzing incident reports, implementing effective programs, engaging parents and community, and training students and staff to recognize warning signs of violence. The school discussed has implemented several of these steps, such as an annually updated code of conduct, regular emergency drills, help boxes built by students, an after school program, and communicating with parents about incidents.

1. Implementing 7 Steps to
School Safety
By Melissa Winfield

2. 1. Develop and equitably enforce a Code of
Conduct for the district and building.
• Our school district has a Code of
Conduct that is updated annually.
Students and parents are all given
a copy of this booklet at the
beginning of the year.
Additionally, the assistant principal
also reviews the contents of the
code of conduct in an assembly
with students at the beginning of
the year. Students and parents
are required to sign and return a
form acknowledging their
understanding of its contents as
well. Teachers are also given
training during staff development
on the proper procedures for filling
out referral forms for breaches of
the code of conduct and for the
proper protocol for handling
classroom removals.

3. 2. Develop district safety plans and building
emergency response plans to deal with serious
situations and conduct drills, tabletops and functional
exercises to increase the level of preparedness.
• Our school regularly
holds practice drills to
ensure that students and
staff are familiar with the
proper procedures and
protocols for emergency
situations. Substitute
folders are also equip
with information and
protocols for handling
emergency situations for
whenever there is a
substitute teacher in the
building.

4. 3. Personalize the school environment.
• Our school personalized its
environment by having students in
the school Tech class build “Help
Boxes”. These colorful boxes
have been placed throughout the
school building. Students can fill
out an anonymous “help slip” if
they have a problem that they
need help with and drop it in the
locked box. If the student chooses
to include their name, one of the
school counselors will address the
issue with them discreetly.
Anonymous issues are usually
read aloud during the morning
announcements, and a suggestion
for handling the issue is offered by
the principal.

5. 4. Analyze Violent And Disruptive Incident Reports (VADIR) and
other student conduct data to provide information regarding
pockets of concern that require attention and program strengths
that could be replicated.
• As mandated reporters to this system,
our district has a SAVE team that
meats regularly to address these
reports. Data from these reports is
used to help revise and update our
district annual Code of Conduct.

6. 5. Implement programs and activities that have
a proven record of achieving positive results;
Evaluate programs periodically for their
effectiveness and potential improvement.
• Our district has annually provided
an after school program for
students. This program provides
homework help as well as elective
type courses where students can
engage in activities that are of
interest to them. Additionally, our
city also has two other community
based programs affiliated with the
district where students can go for
after school support. Finally, our
local library also has a homework
help program for elementary
students. For two hours
afterschool daily, these students
can simply drop by with their
homework and receive assistance
from certified teachers for free.

7. 6. Actively involve and engage parents and other
community members in addressing issues and
concerns.
• Our school maintains a policy of communicating with
parents whenever there is an incident of misconduct.
Teachers are required to inform parents via phone or
email communication whenever there is an incident of
concern in the classroom. Administrators also actively
contact parents whenever a referral is issued.
Additionally, the district also has attendance teachers
that specifically address attendance and truancy
issues.

8. 7. Make sure students, teachers, parents,
administrators, and other school staff are aware of
warning signs of violence and the need to
communicate to others.
Warning signs of youth violence that I have seen as an educator
include:
1. Anger and aggression toward other students and adults
2. Isolating oneself from friends and loved ones
3. Arguing with group members during paired group activities
4. Complaints from other students about behavior or language
5. Bullying behaviors
6. Attempting to justify violence as rough “horseplay”
7. Students bullying their parents or sibling in the home
environment
8. Signs of gang affiliation
9. Frequent bruises or disheveled appearance
10. Long sleeves, coats during hot weather could be signs of a
self mutilator (cutting on various parts of the body)

9. Sources
• http://www.p12.nysed.gov/sss/ssae/schoolsafe

10. Sources
• http://www.p12.nysed.gov/sss/ssae/schoolsafe