Fall OSSC K-12 Newsletter

Ohio Homeland Security sent this bulletin at 12/02/2021 07:30 AM EST

Update OEDS Contact Information

Remember to log into OH|ID and the Ohio Education Directory System (OEDS) to make sure your personnel and contact information are up-to-date. The OSSC uses the contact information in OEDS to disseminate time-sensitive information. As a reminder, only personnel who hold Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent, Principal, or Coordinator-Safety Plans roles in OEDS can access the School Safety Plans Portal.

It is also important to update your emergency contact sheet within your school safety plan to ensure first responders and OSSC staff can quickly contact you about threats related to your school or district.

Annual Emergency Management Test Due December 2021

Complete your 2021 Emergency Management Test (EMT) prior to Dec. 31, 2021. Visit the OSSC’s EMT webpage for additional EMT resources or log into OH|ID and the School Safety Plans Portal to enter your EMT data.

If your school was unable to complete an EMT in 2020 due to COVID-19, schools should:

Complete two EMTs by Dec. 31, 2021.
Enter both EMTs into the School Safety Plans Portal with their actual 2021 completion dates. Although the system will show two 2021 EMT entries, one entry will count as a 2020 “makeup EMT” and the other as the school’s regularly scheduled 2021 EMT.
Decide ahead of time which EMT is the “makeup EMT” and which is the regularly scheduled EMT. When entering the “makeup EMT”, include a note in the scenario box (found in part 2) that your 2020 EMT was deferred due to COVID-19.

There’s still time: If you completed an EMT in 2020 but forget to log the data, the School Safety Plans Portal will still allow you to create an entry. Be sure to enter your 2020 EMT data as soon as possible.

HB 123 Updates

Threat Assessment

The OSSC has approved the first set of evidence-based threat assessment training providers and listed them on the website. Check them out by visiting this webpage.

Don’t see your training provider on the list? Send them this bulletin and ask them to apply for consideration. Applications will be reviewed bi-weekly.

Suicide Awareness, Violence Prevention, & Social Inclusion

The Ohio Department of Education is now seeking applications for evidence-based suicide awareness and prevention, safety training and violence prevention and social inclusion programs. To find out more, please visit their webpage.

Did You Miss It?

Look back on our “Safety Considerations for Outdoor Classrooms” article first published in our Spring 2021 newsletter. Regardless of the season, answering the included safety questions can help improve your safety plan while giving students space to enjoy the fresh air.

Conducting District-Wide Exercises

Many schools assemble their staff for planning meetings prior to the start of each new school year. Take advantage of this pre-scheduled time to hold a district-wide table top exercise (TTX).

Earlier this year, Shawn Riley of the Hamilton County Education Service Center facilitated a Pandemic TTX for a local school district. Click here to learn the advantages and steps required to complete a district-wide TTX.

New School Administrator Webpage Now Available

Confused about what the safety plan requirements are or when they’re due? Check out the OSSC’s new webpage: Important Information for New Administrators. This webpage includes a plain-language explanation of the requirements, when they’re due, how to submit the information, and common FAQs.

Increase Your Knowledge!

Exercises are an important part of preparedness and a requirement under Ohio law. Exercising your emergency operations plan allows participants to practice their skills in a lower-stress environment, exposes capability gaps, and highlights areas for improvement.

Consider inviting local first responder agencies to participate in your school’s exercises. Working together during a simulated emergency builds stronger community relationships and fosters a realistic understanding of emergency response procedures.

Free Exercise Toolkits

The Ohio Emergency Management Agency (Ohio EMA) developed three tabletop (TTX) toolkits for K-12 schools.

View the available toolkits on Ohio EMA’s website. Choose from Severe Weather, Active Aggressor, or Hazardous Materials. Download the material, adapt it to your location, and schedule the exercise with the appropriate personnel.

School Safety Update

2021 School Safety Summit Content is available on-demand until Dec. 31!

There were over 60 multi-disciplinary presentations available, including emergency management.

You can still register, or use existing registration to access this on-demand content. To find out more, visit the OSSC Summit webpage.

Useful HSEEP tools

Looking for a blueprint to Improve your tabletop, functional and full-scale exercises? Check out the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program's (HSEEP) Exercise Plan template. This document helps to identify goals, participants, logistics, and more.

HSEEP is a comprehensive approach to exercise design and development, conduct, evaluation, and improvement.

Calendar of Events

Dec. 7 - Question, Persuade, Refer Suicide Prevention Training
Dec. 16 - Safe School and Community Environment for Youth, Part 1: Strategies and Solutions
Dec. 20 - Deadline to Apply for OFCC School Safety Grant
Dec. 31 - Due Date for Annual EMT Requirements and Deadline to Access On-Demand School Safety Summit Content

On Demand Webinars & Training

Don't forget that the below resources are available at no cost to your school and community. Click on the below images to find out more.

Do you have questions for the OSSC? Are you looking for particular resources? Submit your feedback and questions here.