- From the Executive Director
- Summer Interns
- Ice Cream Social
- Scavenger Hunt Winners
- Mental Health Awareness Month
- State Advisory Council on Indian Education
- Safe Kids NC Conference
- Parent Tips
- School Risk Management Plan Training
- School Spotlight
- RISE Testimonials
- Training Center Donations
- Calendar of Events
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For many of you, June marks the end of the school year and the beginning of summer vacation. For the Center for Safer Schools, summer is when our work ramps up.
We posted a job listing for school safety specialists for four of our eight regions. The specialists will live in their respective regions and provide technical assistance for school districts and charter schools on matters of school safety. A listing for the remaining four regions will be posted soon.
We’re also preparing to launch our parent/community engagement initiative. We’ll post a job listing for a parent/community engagement administrator, along with an application for our Parent Committee. The administrator will handle parent concerns, while the 24-member committee – composed of three parents from each region – will help the CFSS keep parents engaged and informed of safety issues facing their students.
When the 2023-24 school year begins, the Center for Safer Schools will be larger to serve you better. My staff and I are both proud and excited to be part of it.
I hope you all have a fun and safe summer. Thank you for your cooperation, and I look forward to seeing you at the July 31-Aug. 2 RISE Back to School Safety Summit!
— Karen W. Fairley
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From left are Center for Safer Schools interns Nia Dockery of UNC-Chapel Hill, Alesha Garcia of the University of Pennsylvania and Dezja Ishmeal of UNC-Chapel Hill. (CFSS photo)
The Center for Safer Schools has three interns this summer. They will work on important school safety projects, as well as help with RISE. They are Nia Dockery of UNC-Chapel Hill, Alesha Garcia of the University of Pennsylvania and Dezja Ishmeal of UNC-Chapel Hill. Welcome to the CFSS and the N.C. Department of Public Instruction!
Center for Safer Schools staff members serve ice cream Friday, May 19 for members of the Don Steed Elementary School Beta Club in Raeford. (CFSS photos)
The Center for Safer Schools held an ice cream social Friday, May 19 for members of the Don Steed Elementary School Beta Club in Raeford. CFSS staff members served the group sweet treats in recognition of going above and beyond with its video entry in the Student Engagement Program Contest in March. CFSS Executive Director Karen W. Fairley praised the students for their leadership and encouraged them to help keep their school safer.
Center for Safer Schools Executive Director Karen W. Fairley speaks to students during the ice cream social.
Center for Safer Schools 10th Anniversary Scavenger Hunt winners Alexis Holbrook and Owen Jones display their award certificates Monday, May 22 with their teacher Holly Williams at Speight Middle School in Stantonsburg. (CFSS photo)
The Center for Safer Schools in April held a 10th Anniversary Scavenger Hunt for K-12 students in North Carolina school districts and charter schools. With eight out of 10 questions/tasks correct, Alexis Holbrook and Owen Jones, both eighth-graders at Speight Middle School in Stantonsburg, were named co-winners. They will be VIPs at the June 28 screening of the film “Choices” at the Education Building in Raleigh.
Center for Safer Schools staff members wear green at the Education Building in Raleigh on Tuesday, May 16 to spotlight mental health during Mental Health Awareness Month. (DPI photo)
The Center for Safer Schools lit three state government buildings green for Mental Health Awareness Month, which encourages everyone to make mental health a priority and end the stigma around treatment. The Education Building, located at 301 N. Wilmington St. in Raleigh, was lit green from dusk to dawn Friday, May 26 to Tuesday, May 30. The Archdale (512 N. Salisbury St., Raleigh) and Department of Revenue (501 N. Wilmington St., Raleigh) buildings also were illuminated.
Center for Safer Schools Executive Director Karen W. Fairley speaks during the State Advisory Council on Indian Education meeting Friday, May 12. (CFSS photo)
Center for Safer Schools Executive Director Karen W. Fairley made a presentation during the State Advisory Council on Indian Education’s quarterly meeting Friday, May 12. She shared discipline and dropout data from the 2021-22 Consolidated Data Report and addressed school safety topics.
Center for Safer Schools Executive Director Karen W. Fairley made a presentation during the Safe Kids NC Conference on Thursday, May 25 in Concord. She gave an overview of how the CFSS promotes school safety with a focus on prevention and mitigation. She also addressed school safety legislation, grant funding and behavioral threat assessment team training.
The Center for Safer Schools introduces a new feature to its newsletter: Parent Tips. Each month, we’ll compile tips on school safety topics to help keep parents informed and engaged.
The Center for Safer Schools will host School Risk Management Plan training this summer and fall at the Training Center in Moore County. The sessions are scheduled for Wednesday, June 14; Wednesday, Aug. 9; and Wednesday, Oct. 11.
After completing SRMP training, attendees will be able to:
- Input site-based school data to develop a comprehensive schematic diagram and plans into the SRMP portal.
- Both identify and discuss vulnerabilities and training gaps in their individual plans.
- At least once annually initiate a full schoolwide tabletop exercise on the procedures documented in the SRMP portal.
Attendees are encouraged to bring a laptop, as the sessions will review their individual school plans in the SRMP portal. They will receive technical guidance to ensure their plans meet the necessary state requirements.
All sessions will be held from 10 a.m. to noon at 3600 Samarcand Road in Jackson Springs. Please sign up for only one session, as they are all the same.
The Center for Safer Schools honors Dawn Craft, who will retire in June after years of service in public education. Craft is special advisor for administrative services for Duplin County Schools and also serves on the CFSS School Safety Advisory Council.
“Dawn has been a friend to the Center and our biggest fan for many years,” said CFSS Executive Director Karen W. Fairley. “She has been a regular at RISE and other Center events, including our 10th Anniversary Meeting in March.
“Dawn is a valuable resource on anything related to school safety. Above all else, she cares about the safety of everyone in schools. We will miss her expertise and positive outlook.”
The Center for Safer Schools thanks Dawn Craft for her years of support and dedication to help keep schools safer. Best wishes and enjoy your well-deserved retirement!
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The Center for Safer Schools is seeking testimonials about the RISE Back to School Safety Summit.
If you have attended RISE in the past, please provide a statement on your experiences at the summit. Include the year and location of the summit you attended.
If you have not attended RISE, please provide a statement on what you hope to learn.
With all responses, please include a headshot and/or photo of you at RISE along with your name, title and place of employment. If you are a public school employee, include how long you have been employed and your overall years of experience in education.
Email all responses to Charles.Kinnin@dpi.nc.gov. By submitting photos and testimonials, you are giving the Center for Safer Schools permission to use them on social media and in all promotional materials for the RISE Back to School Safety Summit.
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, fill out this form: Donations.
RISE: July 31-Aug. 2
(Registration is free)
Charter School SRMP Training
(Registration is free)
School Risk Management Plan Training
(Registration is free)
- Wednesday, June 14, 10 a.m.; Training Center, 3600 Samarcand Road, Jackson Springs: Register
"Choices" Screening
- Wednesday, June 28, 1 p.m.; Education Building, 301 N. Wilmington St., Raleigh
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.
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