The North Carolina Center for Safer Schools serves to promote safe learning environments for North Carolina K-12 schools. Center staff are available to provide trainings, guidance, and technical assistance upon request for school faculty and staff, and those working with children and adolescents.

We know that schools and school systems across the state are actively engaged in keeping their schools safe. Let us know what you are doing. Share your stories with us and we will highlight them in this newsletter. Just email us a short description of your program, initiative or safety-related event -- include an image if possible -- and we will share the news with your colleagues and stakeholders across the state.

Email your stories to dave.prickett@dpi.nc.gov

THANK YOU for all you do to help keep our schools safer and secure!

On October 20th and 21st, Center for Safer Schools (CFSS) Executive Director Karen Fairley and State School Safety Coordinator Jay Jackson visited five school districts in Western NC:

• Catawba County Schools
• Hickory City Schools
• McDowell County Schools
• Newton-Conover City Schools
• Rutherford County Schools

They met with school leaders and public safety officials in each of the districts. The focus of the meetings was to discuss school safety issues, identify school safety needs, and provide an overview of the programs, trainings, resources and technical assistance that CFSS offers.

Left to right in group photo: Captain Chris Lovelace, District Investigator/Safety Officer, Rutherford County; Brad Teague, Chief Operating Officer, Rutherford County Schools; Karen Fairley, Executive Director, Center for Safer Schools; and Dr. David Sutton, School Superintendent, Rutherford County Schools

The Center for Safer Schools encourages users of the Say Something Anonymous Reporting System (SS-ARS) to make sure they do two essential things when accessing their dashboards after investigating a tip:

1. Make sure you are using the "Status" drop down menu at the top of your dashboard and selecting "Closed," "Action Being Taken," or "Disposition Needed."
2. Use the Disposition tab to record what was done on a given tip. For example, if the tip generated a law enforcement case number, reference that number in the narrative. Or, if a student was referred to an outside counselor, include that information as well.

By consistently using the Disposition tab, months or years from now users can can go back and review  tips that were submitted previously. Remember, everything in the dashboard is confidential.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Mike Anderson at mike.anderson@dpi.nc.gov or at 984-236-2242.

Although October was World and National Bullying Prevention Month, that does not mean we forget about it in November. CFSS believes it is important to continue to raise awareness of the detrimental effects bullying can have on students, and what can be done to help prevent it.

According to StopBullying.gov, a federal government website managed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school-aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated or has the potential to be repeated over time. The different types of bullying fall within three main categories:

• Verbal bullying is saying or writing mean things. Verbal bullying include:
  • Teasing
  • Name-calling
  • Inappropriate sexual comments
  • Taunting
  • Threatening to cause harm
• Social bullying, sometimes referred to as relational bullying, involves hurting someone’s reputation or relationships. Social bullying includes:
  • Leaving someone out on purpose
  • Telling other children not to be friends with someone
  • Spreading rumors about someone
  • Embarrassing someone in public
• Physical bullying involves hurting a person’s body or possessions. Physical bullying includes:
  • Hitting/kicking/pinching
  • Spitting
  • Tripping/pushing
  • Taking or breaking someone’s things
  • Making mean or rude hand gestures

Bullying is pervasive and can negatively influence the quality and character of school life, or “school climate.” The 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, which is managed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH), indicates that, nationwide, 19.5% of students in grades 9–12 report being bullied on school property in the 12 months preceding the survey. That means about one in five students struggle with bullying. Coupled with the challenges created by the pandemic, perhaps more than ever, the mental health and well-being of students is an issue that requires vigilance in our schools.

It is critical that school administrators, parents, teachers, community members, and other stakeholders pay attention and listen to students and monitor their behavior. Below are resources from StopBullying.gov that offer some guidance on how caring adults can prevent bullying.

• Help kids understand bullying. Talk about what bullying is and how to stand up to it safely. Tell kids bullying is unacceptable. Make sure kids know how to get help.
• Keep the lines of communication open. Check-in with kids often. Listen to them. Know their friends, ask about school, and understand their concerns.
• Encourage kids to do what they love. Special activities, interests, and hobbies can boost confidence, help kids make friends, and protect them from bullying behavior.
• Model how to treat others with kindness and respect.

Attention School Safety Directors: In coordination with the NC Department of Public Safety's Emergency Management Division, CFSS will be sending out email notifications to register for a 2-hour virtual training session on School Risk Management Plans (SRMP). This training will provide a overview of how to use Emergency Management's SRMP system and submit your comprehensive school safety plans. Training will include a tutorial on the system and a question and answer period.  

Training sessions will be held over eight consecutive weeks beginning in January 2022. A make-up training session will be offered at the conclusion of the eight weeks for anyone who was unable to attend on their scheduled training dates.

Each of the state’s eight regions will be assigned a week; during the assigned week, training will be available Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 3:00pm to 5:00pm. Although training is not mandatory, it is recommended.

Stay tuned for more information, including registration information, pre-training requirements, and opt out instructions.

If you have questions or need additional details, please contact Karen Everett at karen.everett@dpi.nc.gov.