February 2023
Latest News
CISA Releases Report for K-12 Schools to Help Address Evolving Cybersecurity Threats
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) recently released a report and toolkit for K-12 institutions to help them better protect against cybersecurity threats. The report, “Protecting Our Future: Partnering to Safeguard K-12 Organizations from Cybersecurity Threats,” provides recommendations and resources to help K-12 schools and school districts address systemic cybersecurity risk. It also provides insight into the current threat landscape specific to the K-12 community and offers simple steps school leaders can take to strengthen their cybersecurity efforts. To read the full report and access the toolkit, visit the CISA website.
SchoolSafety.gov Celebrates Third Anniversary
February marks the third anniversary of SchoolSafety.gov. Launched in 2020, the site was created to connect K-12 schools and school districts with actionable school safety information and resources. Over the past three years, SchoolSafety.gov has expanded to new features and topics and now includes more than 500 resources, serving as a one-stop-shop for school leaders, educators, safety personnel, and parents to find resources, guidance, and evidence-based practices to create safe and supportive learning environments. Learn more about SchoolSafety.gov’s topics and tools in this one-pager.
2023 School Safety Funding Opportunities Available
Several school safety-related grant programs for K-12 schools and districts have recently become available or are expected to open application periods in the coming weeks. Open and available funding opportunities include the National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative – Category III: Community Treatment and Service Centers, the Human Trafficking Youth Prevention Education Demonstration Program, and the Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation. Upcoming opportunities include the Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention Grant Program and the Nonprofit Security Grant Program. Find more information on these grants and stay up-to-date on other school safety-related funding opportunities through SchoolSafety.gov’s Grants Finder Tool.
SchoolSafety.gov Launches Child Exploitation Topic Page
SchoolSafety.gov recently launched a new Child Exploitation topic page. The new page includes child exploitation information, resources, and guidance from government agencies and non-profit organizations and outlines ways K-12 school communities can help identify, prevent, and respond to the victimization of students. It is the ninth topic page on SchoolSafety.gov and was developed to better support schools and districts in creating safe, supportive learning environments. Explore the page and download SchoolSafety.gov’s child exploitation resource infographic to learn more.
Upcoming Events and Opportunities
Grants and Funding Opportunities
Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation (Application Deadline: March 21)
National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative – Category III: Community Treatment and Service Centers (Application Deadline: March 27)
Human Trafficking Youth Prevention Education Demonstration Program (Application Deadline: April 27)
School Emergency Response to Violence (Project SERV) (Application Deadline: Ongoing)
Visit the SchoolSafety.gov Grants Finder Tool for additional school safety-related funding opportunities.
Events, Webinars, and Conferences
Developing Relevant Metrics for Measuring Progress in School-Based Trauma-Informed Practices (February 20) – The last event in the Mountain Plains Mental Health Technology Transfer Center’s Becoming a Trauma-Informed School Webinar Series will provide tools and perspectives on the complexities of becoming a trauma-informed school environment and will explore the logistical components of implementing best-practices on a systems-level for trauma-informed supports and protocols.
Fiscal Year 2023 Nonprofit Security Grant Program Technical Assistance Webinar Series (March 3, 8, 30; April 4, 25; May 4) – The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Grant Programs Directorate and CISA will host several upcoming webinars for nonprofit organizations regarding the Fiscal Year 2023 Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP). The NSGP provides funding support through a competitive process for facility hardening and other security enhancements to nonprofit organizations at high risk of a terrorist or other extremist attack and promotes emergency preparedness coordination and collaboration between public and private community representatives, as well as state, local, tribal, and territorial governments. Details and registration links for each webinar can be found on the SchoolSafety.gov Events page.
School Mental Health Virtual Learning Series (March 14, April 11, & May 9) – The Central East Mental Health Technology Transfer Center, in collaboration with the National Center for School Mental Health, will host a school mental health webinar series with a focus on advancing high quality, sustainable school mental health from a multitiered system of support, trauma sensitive, and culturally responsive and equitable lens. Events in the series include:
Visit the SchoolSafety.gov Events Page for additional school safety-related webinars, conferences, and more.
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New School Safety Resources
Emergency Planning Resources
Creating, Practicing, and Implementing Plans for Family Reunification Before, During, and After an Emergency
This webpage provides resources to help schools create a Family Reunification Annex as a part of a school emergency operations plan in order to detail actions to take before, during, and after an emergency to ensure students are reunited with their families.
Developing Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) for Enhancing Emergency Preparedness in the School Setting
This online course helps K-12 schools and school districts understand MOUs and how they can help strengthen school emergency operations plans.
Recovery Planning for Schools and Institutions of Higher Education in the Immediate Aftermath of a Significant or Federally Declared Natural Disaster
This fact sheet outlines information and resources to support schools and institutions of higher education in their recovery planning efforts in the immediate aftermath of a community-wide disaster.
The Standard Reunification Method (Volume 2)
This guidance provides school and district safety teams with proven methods for planning, practicing, and achieving a successful reunification in the event of a school crisis or emergency.
Mental Health Resources
Creating Trauma-Informed Schools
This webpage features tools and materials to help educators, school staff, and administrators understand and respond to the specific needs of traumatized children in a school setting.
School-based Suicide Prevention: Promising Approaches and Opportunities for Research
This webinar shares new and innovative practices in school-based suicide prevention, focusing on risk identification, follow-up, and referral for additional services for high-risk youth.
Visit SchoolSafety.gov for additional resources to support school safety and security efforts.
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If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for future newsletters, please contact us at SchoolSafety@hq.dhs.gov. Follow @SchoolSafetyGov on Twitter for additional school safety updates.
SchoolSafety.gov Disclaimer
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Department of Education (ED), U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) do not endorse any individual, enterprise, product, or service. DHS, ED, DOJ, and HHS do not mandate or prescribe practices, models, or other activities described in this communication. DHS, ED, DOJ, and HHS do not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of any information outside of those respective Departments, and the opinions expressed in any of these materials do not necessarily reflect the positions or policies of DHS, ED, DOJ, and HHS.
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