- From the Executive Director
- Mini-RISE
- National School Social Work Week
- Say Something Week
- SHINE/SEED Kickoff
- Reunification Training
- SAVE Youth Leadership Training
- Threat Assessment Training
- Training Center Donations
- Calendar of Events
- Follow Us
- Tell Us About It
March marks the 10th anniversary of the Center for Safer Schools!
On March 19, 2013, then-Gov. Pat McCrory signed an executive order establishing the CFSS. The establishment of the CFSS was a result of the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy three months prior.
It’s important to remember the origin of the CFSS, but we also must look to the future. Join us on Friday, March 17 for our 10th anniversary meeting at the Education Building in Raleigh.
Speakers will include CFSS advocates and supporters State Superintendent Catherine Truitt, N.C. Rep. John Torbett, former N.C. Rep. Jamie Boles and myself.
The March 17 event will kick off 10 months of anniversary events. More details will be announced on our social media channels.
Finally, I have begun the process of scheduling tours of school districts and charter schools to see the wonderful things you’re doing regarding school safety. To schedule a tour before the school year ends, please send an email to Charles.Kinnin@dpi.nc.gov.
Thanks for your cooperation, and I look forward to celebrating our 10th anniversary with you!
— Karen W. Fairley
|
The Center for Safer Schools will host “mini-RISE” sessions this spring. The smaller versions of the CFSS’ signature event will be offered free and online from March to June. Each “mini-RISE” session will be 30 minutes long and will include a speaker and Q&A.
All sessions will take place on Thursdays from 12:15-12:45 p.m. The “mini-RISE” sessions will take place virtually through Webex.
For more information, send an email to cfss@dpi.nc.gov.
The School Social Work Association of America is celebrating National School Social Work Week, held this year from March 5-11. During that week, schools, communities and partners acknowledge and recognize school social workers for all they do to support students, families and communities.
This year’s theme is “We Rise.” School social workers rise to share hope; to listen and understand; to challenge inequities; and to support all students.
Thank you to all our school social workers for everything you do!
Each year, thousands of schools and youth organizations nationwide participate in Say Something Week, which celebrates the importance of trusted adults and upstanders in the community. This year’s Say Something Week will be held March 13-17.
Help us raise awareness of the importance to “Say Something” to a trusted adult when you recognize the warning signs of someone at risk of hurting themselves or others.
|
Center for Safer Schools Project Coordinator Kendra Underwood (left), Student Engagement Coordinator Michael Wheeler and Executive Director Karen W. Fairley participate in a discussion Friday, Feb. 24 during the kickoff event for the middle school SHINE and SEED programs in Roxboro. (CFSS photo)
The Center for Safer Schools on Friday, Feb. 24 officially launched the middle school SHINE and SEED programs in Person County. SHINE – Safe Healthy Interactive Nurturing Empowerment – and SEED – Support Educate Empower Develop – are designed to encourage positive activities and give students a foundation.
The SHINE Leadership Academy will consist of sixth- through eighth-grade students from pilot districts that are rural and/or low wealth.
CFSS Project Coordinators Kiricka Yarbough Smith and Kendra Underwood along with Student Engagement Coordinator Michael Wheeler presented information about the programs to Person County community leaders during the kickoff event in Roxboro.
CFSS Executive Director Karen W. Fairley touted the importance of student engagement to school safety. She said all stakeholders should be involved in student engagement initiatives.
“It has to happen in the community – with the help of the community – and then it transfers into the schools,” she said.
A Reunification Training and Technical Assistance Workshop will be held Thursday, March 16 from 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. at the Center for Safer Schools Training Center in Moore County.
The training will offer an overview of how to develop a Reunification Plan using best practice (FEMA/Homeland Security guidelines). Plan specifics will be presented and discussed.
If you have a plan or the beginning of a plan, please bring it with you as technical assistance will be provided in the afternoon.
Center for Safer Schools Project Coordinator Kendra Underwood on Thursday, Feb. 2 presents at SAVE Promise Club Youth Leadership Training in Raleigh. (CFSS photo)
CFSS Project Coordinator Kendra Underwood on Thursday, Feb. 2 presented at SAVE Promise Club Youth Leadership Training in Raleigh. She spoke about the importance of school safety and the upcoming youth programs being released by the CFSS. She also encouraged the importance of community engagement and how it ties in with school safety.
The Students Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE) Promise Club is the student leadership initiative of Sandy Hook Promise. Led by its Youth Advisory Board, the aim is to empower student leaders to take an active role in increasing school safety and preventing violence in schools and communities.
SAVE Promise Club Youth Leadership Training is a two-day initiative that practices preventing violence and training participants in effective ways to make their schools and communities safer.
The Center for Safer Schools is offering free, virtual School Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management Training during the remainder of March 2023. The sessions will be hosted by the CFSS in partnership with the BeTA Unit of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and will be conducted by SIGMA.
Behavioral threat assessment is a best practice for helping to identify potential threats in K-12 schools and school districts. An effective, functioning behavioral assessment team is a critical component of keeping schools safe and preventing violence. Behavioral threat assessment and management provides a proactive, evidence-based approach for identifying individuals who might pose a threat to themselves or others and for providing intervention before an incident occurs.
BTAM training provides fundamental information about school violence and how prevention is possible. The sessions cover how to build and operate a school threat assessment team at the school or district level.
BTAM training provides detailed instructions on specific procedures to use when addressing threatening behavior in school, including how to screen cases, gather information, analyze the information, make an assessment and implement an intervention plan when needed. The sessions include multiple group exercises in which participants can practice using these procedures.
For more information on School Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management Training, send an email to cfss@dpi.nc.gov.
The N.C. Department of Public Instruction’s Center for Safer Schools School Safety Training Center will be located in Biscoe in Montgomery County.
The Training Center – in partnership with the N.C. Department of Public Safety – will be a first-of-its-kind designated school safety training facility, which was formerly a high school. With the help of your donations, the Training Center will be able to provide “real-life” training in an environment that accurately represents a school setting.
If your school or district has any school items to donate to the Training Center, please fill out the donation form at the following link: https://forms.gle/PRj3PMgRuFWFE9tRA.
10th anniversary meeting: Friday, March 17; 301 N. Wilmington St., Raleigh
Threat Assessment Team Development Training
(Registration is free)
March 8: https://ontic-co.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN__oFYGApVRpWcgYk39Bbhng
March 15: https://ontic-co.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_iOPcyLMkQqamNu8DAZEUqQ
March 22: https://ontic-co.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_XQec2Uy3TH2r4ZuLEbkecA
March 29: https://ontic-co.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_gXX0Cil8SSW5yt5HMQUzjQ
Mini-RISE
(Registration is free)
- Behavioral Threat Assessment (March 9): Register
- Supporting Student Mental Health (March 23): Register
- Bullying Prevention (April 6): Register
- Trauma Informed School Safety (April 20): Register
- Restorative Justice (May 4): Register
- Emergency Preparedness (May 18): Register
- School Resource Officer Training (June 1): Register
Reunification Training
(Registration is free)
- Thursday, March 16; 3600 Samarcand Road, Jackson Springs: Register
The Center for Safer Schools welcomes newsletter submissions about school safety events from school districts and charter schools across North Carolina. Please email your information and photos to Charles.Kinnin@dpi.nc.gov.
|