Greetings,

The North Carolina Center for Safer Schools is the state’s clearinghouse for resources and training whose main goal is to maintain our schools as centers of learning and growth - not fear. By building a collaborative and layered approach to school safety, we bring subject matter experts together ranging from mental health professionals to law enforcement/public safety professionals, blended with emerging technologies, such as the Say Something Anonymous Reporting System. These collaborative efforts are what will help encourage, empower, and sustain our youth and help them to realize they are key participants in the safety of our schools. 

Our outreach and scope are derived from the district level which allows us to provide support across the diverse school districts that make North Carolina great. Our hope is that you find this newsletter informative and helpful as you make use of these resources to foster and maintain a safe environment for our students to learn. 

Please reach out to us if you have any questions about how the CFSS can assist you.

Regards,

Karen W. Fairley

The tier-based performance system/engagement criteria was sent out January 13, 2021. These will typically be sent within the first 10 days of each month. The emails are sent to the District Lead that is listed in the SSARS Portal.  

This is a tier-based performance system that will break down a districts total overall performance when dealing with the Say Something Anonymous Reporting System (SSARS) and subsequent sustainability programs related to the Anonymous Reporting System (ARS). The tiers are:

1. Tier 1 (Strong)
2. Tier 2 (Moderate)
3. Tier 3 (Light)
4. Tier 4 (Inactive)

The Tier-Based Performance System will be based on the following Engagement Criteria:

1. Tip Submission Rate
2. Yearly Student Refresher Training Plans Submitted (required annually)
3. SAVE Promise Clubs (at least 1 required)
4. Open Tips (not dispositioned)

The most common issue keeping districts in tier 2 and not tier 1 is the disposition of tips. The CFSS runs a disposition report monthly and have noticed many tips showing OPEN, but all Team Comms and other info on the tip is showing it completed and should be closed. Dispositions are often overlooked but important to organizing the ARS and raising tiers. If you must leave tips open due to an on-going investigation, select ACTION BEING TAKEN to get it off the OPEN status. Then once it is finished, simply select CLOSED.

To learn more, please contact the SSARS Program Manager, Mike Anderson (mike.anderson@dpi.nc.gov; 984.236.2242).

The 2022 National SAVE Promise Club Youth Summit will be in-person in North Carolina on April 23, 2022! SAVE Promise Clubs are student-led organizations that encourage young people to take charge of keeping their friends, schools, and communities safe. SAVE Clubs are established in schools across the nation, but originated in Charlotte, NC in 1989. Currently there are over 580 SAVE Clubs in North Carolina, and more are in development. The clubs are an acknowledgement of the unique role that students can play in making their schools and communities safer. Students have information and insights that can be very helpful in addressing school safety issues.

The 2022 National SAVE Promise Club Youth Summit showcases best practices in preventing violence and helping students feel connected, making schools and communities safer with:

• Youth-led workshops
• Peer-to-peer presentations
• Group activities
• Special guest speakers

To learn more about SAVE Promise Clubs and register for the 2022 National SAVE Promise Club Youth Summit, click here. The early bird registration deadline is February 15, 2022!
  
To learn more, please contact the Student Engagement Coordinator, Carl Wilkins (Carl.Wilkins@dpi.nc.gov; 984.236.2053).

The recent events involving firearms in schools demonstrate the importance school resource officers have in violence prevention and the day-to-day safety of our students in schools. The primary policing responsibilities SROs have in our schools are school safety, critical incident preparedness, emergency response, and criminal investigations related to serious criminal offense being perpetrated at our schools. Violent acts by use of firearms at or near our schools are the most concerning and serious offenses. These acts should be thoroughly investigated by law enforcement and those in violation should be prosecuted. North Carolina G.S. 14-269.2 makes is a Class I felony to possess a firearm on school grounds.

North Carolina General Statute 115C-390.10 (a) requires local school boards to develop and implement written policies and procedures as required by the federal Gun-Free School Act requiring suspension for 365 calendar days of any student who is determined to have brought or been in possession of a firearm or destructive device on educational property. In addition, G.S. 115C-390.10(b) references G.S. 115C-288(g) that requires principals to notify law enforcement of certain criminal offenses being committed on school grounds, which include: assaults resulting in serious injury; assaults involving the use of a weapon; assaults on school officials, employees, and volunteers; making bomb threats or engaging in bomb hoaxes; willfully burning a school building; homicide; kidnapping; unlawful, underage sales, purchase, provision, possession, or consumption of alcoholic beverages; possession of controlled substance in violation of the law; possession of a firearm; possession of a weapon; rape; robbery with a dangerous weapon; sex offense; and taking indecent liberties with a minor.

If school staff locate a firearm on school grounds, law enforcement should be immediately notified. In the event the school does not have an SRO on school grounds, law enforcement should be notified by calling 911. The weapon should be secured with as little manipulation as possible by non-law enforcement personnel such as removing the weapon from the area and locking the room. Should the situation dictate a staff member securing the weapon, a priority should be to find a safe and secure location the weapon can be stored until police arrive. As a general rule, school staff should not handle the weapon, inspect it and/or attempt to unload it on school grounds. The responding police agency will have safe gun handling protocols in place, possess safety equipment to assist in the safe unloading of firearms away from school grounds, and seize the weapon in a manner to best retain evidence. The law enforcement agency will be required to complete all necessary seizure paperwork, complete the ATF gun tracing forms and make arrangements to have the gun tested in the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network to see if it has been used in any other criminal activity.

To learn more, please contact the Interim Assistant Director of Public Safety, Jay Jackson (jay.jackson@dpi.nc.gov; (984) 236-2068).