Action steps for school and students

Action Steps for School

Some of the ways in which schools can ensure safety and discipline are:
1. Establish a team of educators, students, parents, law enforcement and juvenile justice officials, and community and business leaders to develop a plan for creating a safe, disciplined and drug-free school.
2. Develop a Safe School Plan based upon an examination of problems and resources and a review of strategies that work.
3. Ensure that students are engaged in school work that is challenging, informative, and rewarding. When students are fully engaged and absorbed, they are less prone to violence and less likely to be disruptive.
4. Establish, publish, publicize, and enforce policies that clearly define acceptable and unacceptable behavior. These policies should include zero tolerance for weapons, violence, gangs, and use or sale of alcohol and drugs.
5. Work with law enforcement and juvenile justice agencies for support in reporting violations of weapons policies as well as other delinquent or criminal behavior.
6. Take immediate action on all reports of drug use or sales, threats, bullying, gang activity, or victimization. Anyone caught bringing a gun to school should be reported immediately to the appropriate law enforcement agency.
7. Create an environment that encourages parents and other adults to visit the school and participate in the school’s activities. Develop a sense of community within the school. Encourage staff to treat each other and students with respect and to act as good role models.
8. Encourage community members to support schools in their community and to participate in school programs and services that promote the safety of students and all school staff.
9. Work with community groups and law enforcement officials to keep schools open after normal operating hours so that students and their families have places where they can engage in productive, well-supervised, and safe activities. Help create safe corridors to and from school.
10. Involve youth in program and policy development.
11. Offer programs that teach peaceful, nonviolent methods for managing conflict to students
and their families, as well as to staff.
12. Work with the media to make the public aware of the crime and safety issues that confront the schools. Provide accurate assessments of school crime and violence to the public.
13. Learn about effective practices based on research and proven programs used in other
districts. Share the knowledge.
14. Monitor implementation and progress of the Safe School Plan, making improve-ments based on what is learned as well as on new developments in the field.

Action steps for students

1. Participate in, or help develop, student government organizations and guidelines that promote a drug- and, safe, and orderly environment for learning.

2. Volunteer to serve on decisionmaking or advisory committees such as the group developing the overall Safe School Plan.

3. Become advocates for programs such as peer mediation, conflict resolution, peer assistance leadership, teen courts, or anger management.

4. Reduce conflict situations rather than making them worse. Practice good citizenship, and treat peers and teachers with respect.

5. Report weapon possession, drug use or sale, bullying threats or intimidation, victimization, gang activity, or vandalism to school authorities and parents.

Learn the consequences of gang involvement and alcohol, drug, and gun use and the

methods for resisting alcohol, drugs, and tobacco. Use this understanding to help other

students avoid alcohol or drug use or seek help if they are already involved in alcohol or

drugs.

Follow the school code of conduct, understand that rules are made for everyone, and

recognize the consequences of violating the rules.

Whenever possible, travel with others to and from school and to special school events.

Students must always be aware of their surroundings.

Work with teachers, principals, and other students in developing a community service

program, where students give back to the community in a positive manner.

Encourage their parents to come to the school and be involved in activities that support the

school.

Serve as a big brother/big sister, tutor, or mentor for a younger student.