Surveys special needs of handicapped children during emergency situations at school. Identifies seven factors affecting disabled children's response to emergencies, including mobility, hearing, communication, and emotional problems, medication needs, physical vulnerability, and scheduling difficulties. Urges development of sound evacuation plans.…

Discusses (1) types of fires; (2) how to extinguish them; (3) how to use a hand-held fire extinguisher; and (4) what to do in case of fires in schools. (JN)

A Connecticut district's stringent asbestos removal and testing program is described, which applies a modified National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health-Occupational Safety and Health Administration (NIOSH-OSHA) test as a standard of acceptable removal. (MJL)

Available from Security World Magazine, P.O. Box 272, Culver City, California 90230, single copy $2.00.

This fact sheet provides a list of "lessons learned" to assist schools in better preparing for a crisis event. The list was compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of Education specifically to assist schools in preparing for a terrorist attack. The lessons can help schools better identify appropriate…

Since June 1999, the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Secret Service have been working as a team to try to better understand--and ultimately help prevent--school shootings in America. The authors believe the results of this effort have given schools and communities real cause for hope. Through the "Safe School Initiative," staff…

Since September 11, 2001, Americans have experienced a heightened sense of awareness and consciousness over the threat of terrorism against the United States. Terrorism experts agree that a terrorist attack on a school is a viable option for Al Qaeda and other terrorist organizations. In response to this threat, the National Association of School…

Safety and security are crucial parts of a functioning educational facility. Despite an apparent slowdown in security threats and particularly dramatic incidents of violence, thanks to heightened vigilance, student safety is still a fundamental concern, made more complex by our times, experts say. According to Kenneth S. Trump, president of the…

This paper describes strategies for establishing and maintaining safe schools. A "safe school" is one with physical features, layout, and policies that are designed to minimize the disruptions and intrusions that interfere with the school's mission. Above all, safe schools enjoy a climate that is free of fear. To establish safety,…

This educational kit focuses on the safe education of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students. It includes four sections that examine: (1) "Introduction" (e.g., why it is important to address homophobia in sport, educator responsibilities, and who this educational kit is for); (2) "The Core Program: Video and…

Conceived as a resource for counselors, teachers, administrators, parents and others, this is a hands-on book that provides useful information and guidance on strategies, techniques and plans that have worked well in addressing the trauma of a tragic event. This book is a collection of original material, news stories, handouts, and even…

Many federal agencies actively address the problem of violence in schools by acquiring and disseminating information about school violence and supporting strategies that work to reduce violence. This document provides an inventory of federal activities addressing violence in schools. It was designed to facilitate coordination of federal school…

New studies from the 1990s have strengthened an already notable consensus on school size: smaller is better. This policy brief outlines research findings on why size makes a difference, how small is small enough, effective approaches to downsizing, and key barriers. No agreement exists at present on optimal school size, but research suggests a…

The Minnesota Department of Health developed this guidance at the request of the Minnesota Department of Children, Families and Learning. The goal of the document is to assist school district staff of Minnesota public schools in responding to problems related to indoor mold. Its focus is on practical, cost-effective methods to identify indoor mold…

This study of the 1989 Massachusetts' School Anti-Drug law reviewed 443 drug dealing cases in three cities. After selecting cities and drug dealing cases, researchers reviewed District Attorney case files and extracted selected data items (primarily from police reports). They mapped incident locations, schools, and parks in the cities; computed…