What to Look For

Many of us are wondering what we can do as parents, educators,

and students to ensure school safety in the wake of the Columbine

High School shooting. The first step is to know what questions to

ask about safety at your school. Here is a school violence

prevention checklist from the Department of Education.

What To Look For — Key Characteristics of

Responsive & Safe Schools

Does my school have characteristics that:

___ Are responsive to all children?

What To Look For — Early Warning Signs of Violence

Has my school taken steps to ensure that all staff,

students, & families:

___ Understand the principles underlying the

identification of early warning signs?

___ Know how to identify & respond to imminent

warning signs?

___ Are able to identify early warning signs?

What To Do — Intervention: Getting Help for Troubled

Children

Does my school:

___ Understand the principles underlying intervention?

___ Make early intervention available for students at risk

of behavioral problems?

___ Provide individualized, intensive interventions for

students with severe behavioral problems?

___ Have schoolwide preventive strategies in place that

support early intervention?

What To Do — Crisis Response

Does my school:

___ Understand the principles underlying crisis response?

___ Have a procedure for intervening during a crisis to

ensure safety?

___ Know how to respond in the aftermath of tragedy?

– Author Unknown