SCHOOL SAFETY MATTERS BLOG

Over the past decade, many districts have shifted at least some of their professional development activities online. However, many still rely on in-person PD days….

San Juan School District serves over 3,000 students in 12 schools in the geographically diverse San Juan County, Utah. The district has used the Vector…

News reports, research studies, and data released during the second half of 2020 have all confirmed that the pandemic is taking a serious toll on…

As the COVID-19 cases surge across the country, many schools are looking for new ways to protect their community and prevent outbreaks. LiveSafe, now part…

We know a safe and secure work environment plays an important role in any institution’s overall safety plan. While there are many factors that contribute…

School safety departments, like many other departments, are often overtasked and under-resourced, making it difficult to staff and implement a threat assessment team. These types…

While school budgets are stressed and COVID-19 keeps administrators in a near-constant state of transition, providing the training and resources educators, staff, and students need…

On-Demand Webinar In this session, Dr. Myron Anderson and Dr. Kathryn Young, authors of Fix Your Climate: A Practical Guide to Reducing Microaggressions, Microbullying, and Bullying…

Each year, the third week of October is recognized as National School Bus Safety Week, a public education program designed to address the importance of…

The COVID-19 pandemic, racial unrest, and economic decline have been taking a toll on the mental health of Americans, including kids, as highlighted in many…

Vector Solutions, a leader in eLearning and performance support solutions for the world’s most critical industries, in July announced a new partnership with DiversityEdu, a…

National Bullying Prevention Month 2020: Understanding Today’s Challenges Bullying prevention continues to be a major focal point for school districts, staff, and parents, and the…

On-Demand Webinar with Diane Cranley Nearly 10% of high school students surveyed said they were sexually abused at school at some point during their school…

The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) School Safety Group, out of the U.S. Department of Justice, recently released Ten Essential Actions to Improve…

Series Includes 22 Expert-Authored Microlearning Courses to Help School Staff Recognize and Prevent Child Sexual Abuse Tampa, FL – September 16, 2020 – Vector Solutions,…

September is National Suicide Prevention Month, a month devoted to suicide prevention awareness. At a time when the COVID-19 pandemic, the economic downturn, and racial…

Guest Blog Post by Diane Cranley, Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Expert As the coronavirus began to advance across the country early in the year, almost…

Prince George’s County Public Schools Located just minutes away from Washington, D.C., Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) is one of the nation’s 25 largest…

Cyberbullying has been a growing concern for educators and parents for quite some time. Due to the current pandemic, millions of kids are most likely…

TAMPA, FL, Aug. 04, 2020 — Vector Solutions, a leader in eLearning and performance support solutions for the world’s most critical industries, is launching a…

Ensuring the safety and health of your school community has never been more important or more complex. Many school officials are concerned about how to…

Social Emotional Learning is More Important than Ever Survey results published earlier this summer by America’s Promise Alliance indicate that teens are experiencing collective trauma…

On-Demand Webinar with Dr. Kellie Gray-Smith Self-care strategies have always been important tools in educators’ toolboxes as they manage and meet the expanding needs of…

The U.S. Department of Education announced a new Title IX enforcement initiative, led by the Department’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR) to fight the rise…

On-Demand Webinar with Megan C. Farrell The New Rules under Title IX were released by the Department of Education on May 6, 2020, with a…

In November 2019, Governor Roy Cooper signed North Carolina Senate Bill 199 – the SAFE Child Act – a bill to modernize sexual abuse laws…

We know that staff and student safety is one of your top priorities. We want to be sure you and your staff are well prepared…

Trauma is the psychological, emotional response to a life event or experience that’s deeply disturbing or distressing to an individual. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are…

A recent survey of 3,300 teenagers (ages 13-19) conducted by America’s Promise Alliance found that teens are more concerned than usual about their health and their…

According to CPO Magazine, there is a ransomware attack every 14 seconds in the U.S. But, did you know that cyber attacks on schools tripled…

As states and communities in the U.S. begin to reopen from COVID-19 restrictions, schools are planning for how they can best help protect students, teachers,…

School tip lines, or anonymous tip reporting systems, are designed to help school leaders receive information about potential school safety threats, bullying, or concerns related…

On-Demand Webinar with Dr. Scott Poland It is essential that that school and community personnel know the incidence of school violence and be up to…

As educational institutions prepare for summer and the back-to-school season, a lot of uncertainties remain. What will schools look like when (or even if) they…

On-Demand Webinar with Dr. Scott Poland Suicide is now the second leading cause of death for teens in the U.S., and suicide rates have doubled…

Last year, we saw an uptick in news stories on educational institutions and cyber attacks. That aligns with a report from the K-12 Cybersecurity Resource…

There is a mental health crisis in America, and many of America’s high school students are struggling. Fortunately, the government is recognizing the importance of…

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and it’s vital school staff and administrators recognize potential mental health issues in students. The statistics surrounding mental health…

According to the American School Bus Council, an estimated 480,000 school buses carry 26 million children – more than half of America’s schoolchildren – each…

As the debate continues around when and how schools will reopen following the COVID-19 pandemic, education leaders are focusing their discussions on what it will…

In February, the U.S. Department of Education announced a new Title IX enforcement initiative, led by the Department’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR). The objective…

Increasing Efficiency & Accountability by Managing Compliance Training Online Catawba County Schools, in North Carolina, adopted the SafeSchools Online Training System in 2016. Catawba serves…

You may have heard students talk about dabbing, and thought they were referring to the popular dance. But, dabbing is a discreet way to ingest…

As the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak spreads throughout the United States and schools around the country are forced to close, district leaders are faced with a…

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there has been a 56% increase in the rate of suicide among those aged 10…

Every year the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) releases its top ten citations. Unfortunately, the list remains relatively the same year after year. Top…

At the beginning of the 2019-2020 school year, we launched the new SafeSchools Training Student Courses with customized course collections for students in grades 9-12…

The U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) analyzed 41 incidents of targeted K-12 school violence that occurred from 2008-2017. The biggest takeaway –…

As Reported in the Ledger-Enquirer on Dec. 02, 2019 Have safety concerns at your kid’s school? There are easy ways to report them. It’s now…

Can you believe that the school year is nearly halfway through? Now is a great time to do a mid-year training and compliance check to…

By now, most people are aware of the dangers of vape pens. But, did you know that a concerning number of teens are using vape…

Cherokee County School District (CCSD) is a high performing school system in Metro Atlanta, with 42 schools, 4,800 employees, and 42,200+ students. The district’s top…

As reported on FetchYourNews.com, January 12, 2020 Blue Ridge, Ga. – School safety continues to be a top priority for the Fannin County School System….

When it comes to school safety, most people think about the physical safety of students and staff on school campuses. Without question, preparing for and…

Preventing school violence is at the forefront of concerns for educators, administrators, parents, and students. Schools are faced with a range of threats of violence…

As Seen on WLWT: Students increasingly using school tip lines to report potential threats of self-harm, violence At Mason City Schools, signs are posted that…

At Vector Solutions, we rely on thought leaders, professional organizations, and advisory school districts that provide us with ongoing insight into school safety needs. In…

It’s hard to miss the headlines about the recent outbreak of lung illness associated with the use of e-cigarette, or vaping, products. E-cigarettes are battery-powered…

The news has unfortunately been flooded with reports of kids tragically taking their own lives. Some people may think that talking about bullying, suicide, and…

Over 1.5 million people worldwide become victims of cybercrime every day. Educational institutions are no exception, as these recent news headlines confirm:  School District Delays…

In recent years, the headlines regarding sexual misconduct by school staff members with students have become all too familiar. Approximately 4.5 million students are subject…

Cyberbullies’ actions can have a greater and longer lasting effect than traditional physical bullying. Cyberbullying has quickly become a serious problem among children from elementary…

In the education world, bullying prevention has become a major focal point over the last few years, and there’s no longer a question about the…

Aberdeen School District 06-1, in South Dakota, serves roughly 4,500 students and 600 employees in 9 schools. The district adopted the SafeSchools Online Training System in 2014 to shift their safety and compliance…

Providing students with a positive, safe learning environment is always top of mind for districts and school administrators. But, with so many threats towards overall…

Hartford Public Schools is the largest public school district in Connecticut, with over 20,000 students and 3,000 employees in 46 schools. Since 2017, staff members…

As the leading provider of online compliance training for school employees, we’re thrilled to announce the launch of our new SafeSchools Training safety courses for…

Every year the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) releases its top ten citations. Unfortunately, the list remains relatively the same year after year. The…

Royse City Independent School District in Texas is home to almost 5,500 students and 800 employees in 9 schools. With other curriculum demands, district administrators…

The Maine Department of Education has partnered with Vector Solutions to provide their SafeSchools Online Staff Training System and Bullying: Recognition & Response course to all schools…

Students often know what’s happening in your district before you do. The SafeSchools Alert Mobile App makes it easy to stay connected to your school…

  Cyberbullies’ actions can have a greater and longer lasting effect than traditional physical bullying. Cyberbullying has quickly become a serious problem among children from…

We recently hosted a SafeSchools Training webinar highlighting best practices within the SafeSchools Training System for back-to-school. Topics covered in the 30-minute webinar include: New and Updated Courses…

Helping districts improve school safety is one of our top priorities. But we’re also focused on providing busy school leaders with solutions that streamline cumbersome…

Bullies in the North Hills School District who rely on the silence of their victims to keep up their scare tactics will soon be a…

We recently hosted a SafeSchools Training webinar highlighting best practices and new courses and features within your system. Topics covered in the 30-minute webinar include:…

On May 18, 2018, our education community was again tragically affected. Ten lives were lost and a local community shattered after a 17-year-old gunman opened…

Corpus Christi ISD employees have until the end of March to complete an online course on active shooter training, Corpus Christi ISD chief of police…

RICHLAND, Wash. – Following tragic school shootings and acts of violence like we saw Wednesday in Florida, school safety is at the forefront in our…

  MASON, OH (FOX19) – Several Mason parents are on alert after receiving a school notice saying, “MHS students have shown signs of suicide, and have…

LEE’S SUMMIT, Mo. — A student brought an unloaded gun to Lee’s Summit North High School Thursday. According to the Lee’s Summit School District, the…

The Blaine School District has launched an anonymous tip line that district officials hope will make it easier for people to report safety concerns. The…

RICHLAND, WA – After yesterday’s terrible shooting in south Florida, we wanted to check in with our local schools to see if there’s anything new…

Elkhorn Public Schools is giving students and parents a new resource to ensure safety. In a letter to parents, Elkhorn Superintendent Bary Habrock points to…

According to a new study, 76% of high school principals surveyed say they do not have a procedure or policy in place to respond to…

With the recent school shootings in Arizona and Ohio, it’s important for your staff to know and understand the link between student behavior and mental…

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, more than six million children are reported as abused or neglected each year. April is…

We heard your valuable feedback: while all accidents are incidents, not all incidents are accidents, and so we’re thrilled to announce that our SafeSchools Accident…

Are you tired of trying to manage a large number of safety data sheets (SDSs) in binders all around your building? Does rummaging through all…

How is your school or district currently training employees and staff on special-education related topics? Many schools and districts are effectively using online training to…

On February 14th, 17 people tragically died when a gunman opened fire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. The gunman, 19, arrived…

Our Creative Services team recently updated the Back Injury & Lifting course in the SafeSchools Online Staff Training System. We’ve updated the content and added a…

School districts are warning parents about a widely discussed social-media app that purports to instruct preteens to carry out increasingly dangerous tasks and self-harm over…

Michael Dorn, the nation’s leading school safety expert and SafeSchools Training author, shares his firsthand experience about how he’s helped schools and districts successfully defend…

Did you know that you can add specialized online school bus driver training from the School Bus Safety Company (SBSC) to your SafeSchools Online Staff Training…

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is a landmark piece of legislation. It outlaws discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, and…

Across the U.S., thousands of students have been sexually assaulted, by other students, in high schools, junior highs and even elementary schools – a hidden…

For a big district like Baltimore County Public Schools in Maryland, it can be challenging to maintain a record of training compliance for a large…