In This Edition
Welcome – Back to School Safety Resources – Suicide Prevention – Educational Equity, Safety and Restorative Justice – Looking Ahead – Ways to Engage
Welcome
With the start of the 2025-2026 school year, one of the most important questions we can ask is: do students feel safe, supported, and valued when they walk through the school doors every day? To help ensure the answer is “yes” for every student, Oregon Department of Education’s (ODE) Safe and Inclusive Schools Team has put together resources and guidance focused on school safety and prevention, mental health, and well-being. These tools are designed to support a positive and safe learning environment for students, as well as the educators, staff, and communities across Oregon.
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School Safety and Prevention System
Districts and schools can find school safety guidance and support through the School Safety and Prevention System. The system includes three areas of work: suicide prevention, behavior safety [threat] assessment, and prevention of bullying, harassment, intimidation, cyberbullying, and sexual violence.
School Safety and Prevention Specialists, located in regional Education Service Districts, provide training, technical support, coaching, and resources for the areas of work to districts, schools, and youth-serving community partners. They also partner with the SafeOregon Tip Line, our statewide confidential reporting tool.
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Back to School Safety Resources
SafeOregon Tip Line
The start of the school year is when schools should review and update their designated Point of Contact for the SafeOregon Tip Line. Having the correct staff member listed ensures timely communication and an effective response to student safety concerns. Updating your school’s point of contact can be done by sending an email to email support@safeoregon.com.
New to the SafeOregon website is the School Resources page where you will find a tutorial and registration link for upcoming training sessions. Below are a few highlighted resource from that page:
Newly available from SafeOregon:
These resources are free, helping to support safety in all Oregon schools and districts. The Report, Don’t Repost Toolkit contains materials to support this campaign that addresses online threats, cyberbullying, and other harmful material on social media.
Aligned to standards, middle and high schools can utilize the SafeOregon curriculum and supporting Teacher’s Guide to teach students about online safety, risk factors of dangerous actions and behaviors, identifying trusted adults, where to go for help, and how to advocate for safe schools and communities.
School Safety Starts with Prevention
SchoolSafety.gov has launched their Back-to-School Campaign which focuses on prevention in order to create safer learning environments. They provide many resources for schools and districts including sample social media posts, communication tool kits, and tip sheets for parents and educators. Here are links to resources we found helpful. You can find others at www.schoolsafety.gov.
Back to School Campaign Resources:
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Suicide Prevention
Adi’s Act – Back to School Reminders
As we head into a new school year, it is essential that every school district has a clear, current, and comprehensive suicide prevention plan in place. Adi’s Act requires that all public school districts adopt a suicide prevention policy requiring the development of a suicide prevention plan; district’s plans must include all of the legislatively mandated components and be posted to their district website.
A strong suicide prevention plan is more than a policy requirement; it reflects a district’s commitment to student and staff wellness. School and district leaders play a key role in ensuring that staff are appropriately trained for their role, that their district plan is communicated to and actionable at the school building level, and that students’ belonging and well-being are prioritized. The beginning of the school year is the perfect time to review your plan and make sure all staff understand their role in building belonging, supporting student safety, and school/district specific suicide prevention and intervention procedures.
For assistance with implementing this vital work, connect with your regional School Safety and Prevention Specialist and/or ODE’s Safe and Inclusive Schools team; technical assistance and resources can be provided to guide and support your district’s student well-being and suicide prevention planning and implementation.
Registration Live: 3rd Annual Behavioral Health Training Summit, Sept. 15-19, Ashland
Association of Oregon Community Mental Health Programs is hosting their 3rd Annual Behavioral Health Training Summit. They’ll be featuring the Mobile Crisis Foundational Training, Oregon Counseling on Access to Lethal Means (OCALM), Oregon Community CALM Conversations Preview, ASIST, MHFA and other suicide prevention, intervention and postvention related trainings. To register and view the complete schedule, click here.
Suicide Research & Data Updates
OHA’s 2024 Student Health Survey State and County Reports are available through the Oregon Student Health Survey Data Portal.
Educational Equity, Safety, and Restorative Justice
The fall is a perfect time to introduce community-building circles, utilize affective language, and emphasize the use of restorative questions to set a strong foundation of relational capacity in your classroom, school, region, and community. The start of the school year is also a great time to come together in circle as a staff and continue to build relational capacity among educators. It's a valuable time to engage families and caregivers in a positive, asset-based, and supportive approach to school connectedness through listening circles and other restorative conversations.
Fall Online Introduction Session offerings:
Check out this Resource Guide for information on Restorative Approaches in Education. The guide includes resources, toolkits, networks, organizations, training, and events.
Looking Ahead
September is Suicide Prevention Month
- The Suicide Prevention Resource Center has released a two-page annual resource that offers tips to help anyone, anywhere to get involved in Suicide Prevention Month! Learn about effective suicide prevention, spread the word about the 988 Lifeline, and be there for those who are struggling.
- SAMHSA has released a 2025 Suicide Prevention Awareness Month Toolkit.
- A joint suicide prevention in schools Call to Action communication from ODE, OHA, Lines for Life, and U of O will be sent in mid/late-September. It will include a checklist of action items and resources based on staff roles and will have an emphasis on specific suicide prevention supports for undocumented students and students from mixed-status families. Links to past Calls to Action communications can be found in the “announcements” section of ODE’s Adi’s Act webpage.
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Ways to Engage with Statewide Partners
School Safety and Prevention Resources
Questions? Connections?
Please reach out to us at ode.sis@ode.oregon.gov.
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