Washington, DC—The NASSP Principal Recovery Network (PRN), a national network of school leaders who have led schools through gun violence, met with members of Congress and the Trump Administration on June 9 and 10 to ask for policies to prevent and recover from school shootings. Attendees included the current and former principals of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and the former principal of Columbine High School. The National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) supports the PRN. 

“Every principal hopes they’ll never face what we experienced at Columbine, but the reality is that school leaders across the country need to be prepared,” said Frank DeAngelis, former principal who led Columbine High School through the 1999 tragedy and founding member of the PRN. “The policies we’re asking for will give school leaders concrete tools and sustained funding to help their communities prevent and recover from acts of violence.”  

The PRN’s advocacy comes as gun violence continues to plague school communities nationwide. So far this year, there have been seven school shootings that resulted in 14 injuries or deaths, according to an Education Week analysis. Moreover, guns are a leading cause of death among American children and teens. The PRN is calling for policies to improve mental wellness, school safety and learning supports, including funding for:  

  • Project SERV (School Emergency Response to Violence) grants 
  • Mental health service grants from the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act 
  • Title I grants to support schools with students from low-income families 
  • Title II, Part A grants to strengthen educator preparedness 
  • Title IV, Part A, Student Support and Academic Enrichment grants to support mental health 

“No principal should navigate a crisis without expert support and clear next steps,” said Ronn Nozoe, CEO of NASSP. “The Principal Recovery Network delivers both—experienced administrators who share actionable recovery strategies and policy advocacy that ensures school leaders nationwide have access to trauma-informed training, mental health resources and long-term community support systems.” 

The PRN met with representatives from the U.S. Departments of Education, Homeland Security, Health and Human Services, Justice and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, as well as 18 members of Congress and staff. 

Founded in April 2019, the PRN seeks to assist the next principal who endures a school shooting by reaching out directly to their colleagues to provide much-needed support, share the combined wisdom of their experience with the larger principal community through various outlets, assist schools during recovery and advocate for national school safety enhancements and violence prevention programs. In 2022, the PRN published its “Guide to Recovery,” a collection of best practices to assist school leaders in the aftermath of shooting tragedies.  

Photos and interviews available upon request. 

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