Responding to School Violence

While independent schools are generally safe places to be, there have been 2,069 school shootings in the United States between 1970 and June of 2022. Almost half of those school shootings have taken place since the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012. Schools should have crisis plans that reflect the possibility of an active shooter situation on campus as well as the resources to support students and staff who may be traumatized by such events on campus or highlighted in the news. 

Caring for Students

• Addressing Grief: Tips for Teachers and Administrators  National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)
• Anxiety Over School Shootings Child Mind Institute
• Coping with Current Events: How to Talk to Kids About Upsetting News Children’s Hospital of Colorado
• Crisis Debriefing Model for talking with students or staff after a crisis Dr. Scott Poland, International School Counselor Association
• Explaining the News to Our Kids Common Sense Media
• Helping Children and Teens Cope with Stressful Public Events Caring for Kids
• Helping Kids Cope With Anxiety Over Distressing News Seattle Children’s Hospital
• Helping Students Cope with Tragic Death Rob Evans
• Helping Students After a School Shooting American School Counselor Association
• How Children Cope With Ongoing Threat and Trauma: The BASIC Ph Model National Association of School Psychologists
• How to talk to children about shootings: An age-by-age guide Today
• Parent Guidelines for Helping Youth After a School Shooting National Child Traumatic Stress Network
• Promoting Compassion and Acceptance in Crisis National Association of School Psychologists
• Responding to School Violence: Tips for Administrators National Association of School Psychologists
• Talking to Children about the Shooting National Child Traumatic Stress Network
• Talking to Children About Tragedies & Other News Events American Academy of Pediatrics
• Tips for Talking With and Helping Children and Youth Cope After a Disaster or Traumatic Event Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
• War, Crisis, Tragedy: How to Talk With Kids When the News Is Scary MindShift KQED

Crisis Planning and Communication

• 10 Ways To Immediately Improve School Safety Joffe Emergency Services
• A Checklist for Crisis Planning & Preparation FINN Partners
• Active Shooter Response Training Defender School
• Best Practice Considerations for Armed Assailant Drills in Schools National Association of School Psychologists
• Crisis Communications Guidelines for Independent Schools NAIS
• Crisis Response Checklist  Crisis & Trauma Resource Institute
• Five Things Your Security Guards Should Do Every Day Joffe Emergency Services
• How Moulage Drills Make Schools Safer Joffe Emergency Services
• How to Respond to, Prepare for, and Prevent Active Shootings NAIS
• NAIS Safety and Security Risk Management NAIS
• Robb Elementary Response Template: Letter to Parents (English) Joffe Emergency Services
• Should Your School Do Active Shooter Drills? Joffe Emergency Services

Webinar Recording – Supporting Schools in Response to Nashville SAIS, TAIS, MISBO and Joffe Emergency Services

Sample Communications from SAIS Schools (Uvalde, TX)

Sample Communications from SAIS Schools (Nashville, TN)

Data and Research on School Violence

• 51 Years of Data: K-12 School Shooting Statistics Everyone Should Know Campus Safety
• Are Shootings More Likely to Occur in Public Schools? CATO Institute
• Arming Teachers Is Dangerous Everytown
• Crime and Violence in Private Secondary Schools Criminal Justice Research
• K-12 School Shooting Database Center for Homeland Defense and Security
• New Secret Service Research Examines for the First Time Five Years of Mass Violence Data U.S. Secret Service
• Safety & Security: Arm Our Schools’ Security Guards? NBOA
• School Shooters: What We Know and Why Prevention Is Possible United Educators
• School Shootings Over Time: Incidents, Injuries, and Deaths Education Week
• Seven Practices to Prevent and Prepare for Shootings United Educators