A huge concern for parents and school employees alike is the safety of our children while they are at school. School systems ensure safety by providing safe and secure environments. Across the county, custodians work hard to maintain a safe physical environment. To maintain security all school buildings require security badges or permission to enter and most buildings have two sets of doors before visitors enter the main building. Another way to keep our students safe is through appropriately addressing threats that may be made against our buildings, students, or staff.
The WCPS School Psychology Department has worked as a team over the last year to develop a comprehensive procedure for ensuring that threats are appropriately addressed in the school system. This process involved research and professional development to ensure that the recommended process was consistent with research based best practices for addressing threats. The Virginia Model for Student Threat Assessment, which is supported by the US Department of Secret Service was the basis for the procedure our department developed.
Properly assessing threats allows a school system to determine the seriousness of a situation and respond appropriately. Some threats can be dismissed, as from time to time, we all make comments in anger or frustration that we don’t mean to follow through with. Other threats may require police involvement. After the threat is addressed, it is also important to create a plan so that the situation is less likely to occur. Student Support Teams can make recommendations for supports that may be of benefit to students who make threats or who have been threatened.
Threats can be made in a variety of formats. Threats can be spoken, written, texted or posted on Facebook. If you ever have a concern about a threatening statement that you have heard, seen or had a child report to you, please do not hesitate to contact the school’s principal so that the threat can be investigated.
And remember, situations that put the safety of students at risk are extremely serious, but despite how frequently these situations may appear to occur, schools are still the safest places for children to be.
The WCPS School Psychology Department has worked as a team over the last year to develop a comprehensive procedure for ensuring that threats are appropriately addressed in the school system. This process involved research and professional development to ensure that the recommended process was consistent with research based best practices for addressing threats. The Virginia Model for Student Threat Assessment, which is supported by the US Department of Secret Service was the basis for the procedure our department developed.
Properly assessing threats allows a school system to determine the seriousness of a situation and respond appropriately. Some threats can be dismissed, as from time to time, we all make comments in anger or frustration that we don’t mean to follow through with. Other threats may require police involvement. After the threat is addressed, it is also important to create a plan so that the situation is less likely to occur. Student Support Teams can make recommendations for supports that may be of benefit to students who make threats or who have been threatened.
Threats can be made in a variety of formats. Threats can be spoken, written, texted or posted on Facebook. If you ever have a concern about a threatening statement that you have heard, seen or had a child report to you, please do not hesitate to contact the school’s principal so that the threat can be investigated.
And remember, situations that put the safety of students at risk are extremely serious, but despite how frequently these situations may appear to occur, schools are still the safest places for children to be.