The ability to provide a safe learning environment for students and safe working environment for educators, administrators, and staff are the ultimate goals in any school setting. Creating a safe environment that promotes and facilitates learning can be challenging. School administrators, first responders, and emergency managers must work together to create healthy school climates. Effective intervention and crisis plans will prepare staff and students for emergencies. The South Dakota School Safety Center developed the South Dakota School Safety Guide for schools to use as a template to enhance current school safety programs. The purpose of the document is to give school districts and individual schools a planning resource to use when creating their school safety plan. This school safety guide can help guide local efforts to prevent, prepare, respond to, and recover from emergency situations or critical incidents.
Schools that adopt comprehensive school safety plans minimize the chance of serious violence and better recover from the effects of critical incidents. Careful planning, practice, and effective response saves lives, prevents injuries, and minimizes damage. Exercising, reviewing, and revising school emergency plans is critical to keeping plans current and aligned with best practices. The purpose of the South Dakota School Safety Guide is to assist schools in the planning process. The South Dakota School Safety Guide provides examples, tools, procedures, resources, and technical assistance that serves as a model for emergency planning. Each school district is encouraged to tailor the examples to meet their specific individual needs.
South Dakota School Safety Guide
For more information or details on how to receive a copy of the South Dakota School Safety Guide, contact the School Safety Center at 605-773-3450, or email School Safety Program Director Brett Garland at brett.garland@state.sd.us
Additional Resources:
I Love You Guys Standard Response Protocol. The Building Blocks of Crisis Response
