Established in April 2019, the NASSP Principal Recovery Network (PRN) is a national network of current and former school leaders who have faced gun violence tragedies. Their mission is twofold: providing immediate and long-term support to school leaders post-crisis, and advocating for national school safety enhancements, violence prevention, and recovery assistance to schools that have […]
NASSP Principal Recovery Network Resources to Enhance School Safety
NASSP School Safety Resources
Without a doubt, the most pressing issue in schools today is safety. It seems like a week can’t go by without hearing about a school shooting or someone talking about school safety fears. We know that earning occurs best in an inviting, safe, and orderly school setting. School leaders accept that their first responsibility is […]
New Teachers and School Safety: February 2020
As 2019 marked the 20th anniversary of the Columbine High School shooting, it reminded teachers and administrators nationwide of the ever-present possibility of school violence entering their own school’s doors. While the “Indicators of School Crime and Safety” report from the National Center of Education Statistics shows school violence is down, including reduced student suicides […]
School Safety Part II: Stakeholders Weigh In
For our September issue, we convened a roundtable of principals and administrators who had dealt with active shooters on their campuses and in their communities. In this issue, we sought the input of additional stakeholders who are actively involved in school safety. Our roundtable, held in June, included Carl Fetcko, Canonsburg Police Department school resource […]
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School Safety: A Principal Concern
At Pottsgrove Middle School, which sits alone on a hill outside the small town of Pottstown, PA, about an hour northwest of Philadelphia, students had settled into their routine on a bitterly cold December morning six years ago. Then, suddenly, some students started to pass out. By the time Principal William Ziegler was debriefing with […]
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7 Strategies to Enhance School Safety
Guest post by Bill Ziegler Without a doubt, the most pressing issue in schools today is safety. It seems like a week can’t go by without hearing about a school shooting or someone talking about school safety fears. The Washington Post recently reported a startling statistic that indicated more students have died in school shootings […]
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School Safety Advocacy From a Student’s Perspective
Following the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL, which claimed the lives of 17 students and educators, advocates around the country organized a national movement demanding change to better protect our schools and communities from gun violence. Leading that movement are student survivors of the shooting joined by thousands of young […]
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Advocating For School Safety
Less than two weeks ago, we watched in horror as one of the worst school shootings in American history unfolded at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida—17 students and educators were killed and another 14 were wounded. Sadly, what should be a unique and isolated tragedy is just one more heartbreaking entry in […]
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Activity 6: Evaluating Your School Safety Plan
Activity Guide Note: Because of the comprehensive nature of this activity, it cannot be completed in one small block of time. You will be reviewing your school safety plan in several iterations, so prepare to spend a total of three to four hours to complete all of the reviews and simulations in this activity. If […]
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School Safety: The Role of the Secondary School Principal
In the aftermath of tragic school shootings-from Columbine to Sandy Hook-school safety remains a primary concern for all community leaders, including secondary school principals. For Principal Leadership‘s first roundtable discussion, we convened a distinguished group of thought leaders representing influential groups involved in school safety issues, including Mo Canady, executive director of the National Association […]