Developing Emergency Operations Plans (EOPs) K-12 101 Train-the-Educator (TtE)

Learn important Federal guidance on school emergency management planning through a new 2.5 hour training on April 12. This Virtual Training by Request (VTBR) opportunity is being offered by the Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools (REMS) Technical Assistance (TA) Center, on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Safe and Supportive Schools (OSSS).

Each school day, our nation’s schools are entrusted to provide a safe and healthy learning environment for approximately 55 million elementary and secondary school students in public and nonpublic schools. In June 2013, the Obama Administration released the Guide for Developing High-Quality School Emergency Operations Plans (School Guide) which provides an overview of Federal guidance on school emergency management planning.

The School Guide, produced by the U.S. Departments of Education; Justice, led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Homeland Security, led by the Federal Emergency Management Agency; and Health and Human Services, incorporates lessons learned from events, like the school shooting in Newtown and the tornadoes in Oklahoma, as well as years of emergency planning work by the Federal government, to present a recommended process, important content elements, and key considerations for school emergency operations plan (EOP) development.

In collaboration with their local government and community partners, schools can take steps to plan for these potential emergencies through the creation of a high-quality school EOP. With this training, an expert team will provide an overview of the recommended six-step planning process to create a high-quality school EOP, which includes the following:

Step 1: Forming a Collaborative Planning Team
Step 2: Understanding the Situation
Step 3: Determining Goals and Objectives
Step 4: Plan Development
Step 5: Plan Preparation, Review, and Approval
Step 6: Plan Implementation and Maintenance

Pre- and -post training activities will provide guidance on how this training is relevant to emergency operations planning and assist with the implementation of what is learned.

The intended audiences for this training include, but are not limited to: those interested in creating, revising, or enhancing school EOPs; school staff who serve, or will serve, on their school or school district’s EOP planning team; and other interested community stakeholders, including first responders, emergency medical services personnel, law enforcement, and others.

When: Tuesday, April 12, 2022
Time: 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. ET
Cost: NO CHARGE
Register here (Registration for this event closes on Friday, April 8, 2022, at 5:00 p.m.)

For more information contact The REMS TA Center 1-855-781-REMS [7367] or info@remstacenter.org.

MEDIA RELEASE: Maine Department of Education, Maine Department of Health and Human Services and Avel eCare Partner to Bring Virtual School Nurse Services to Maine Schools

The Maine Department of Education, Maine Department of Health and Human Services, and Avel eCare have partnered to deliver telehealth nursing services to school districts throughout the state, enabling access to nursing services in communities that are struggling with staffing and workload pressures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the nationwide school nursing shortage.

To expand these school nursing services, the state of Maine used a portion of its COVID-19 federal relief funding to pilot a program with Avel eCare. The eCare School Health program, which has been an Avel service line since 2015, delivers school nurse services virtually via a secure, two-way video mobile unit. The service is being offered at no cost to schools.

“Our school nurses have been on the frontlines throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, caring for students and providing critical support to keep students, staff and schools safe. They are absolute heroes,” said Education Commissioner Pender Makin. “We also know they are exhausted and stretched so thin, and that many schools have not been able to find the experienced school nurse staff they need. This partnership with Avel eCare, made possible with federal funds, offers additional nursing support to help fill shortages in our schools and expand the care we provide to our students.”

“We’re pleased to partner on this important effort to provide telehealth school nursing services to Maine schools as part of strengthening Maine’s school-based health programs,” said Health and Human Services Commissioner Jeanne Lambrew. “This model bridges gaps in school nursing coverage, helps schools maintain safe and healthy environments, and reduces barriers to learning by providing effective preventive care. School nurses have been invaluable during the COVID-19 pandemic and are a trusted resource for their students, school staffs, and communities.”

According to a recent U.S. CDC report, school nurses help students improve their academic outcomes and can also make a significant impact on the broader community. For example, every dollar invested into school nursing program results in society saving $2.20 because of a reduction in emergency room visits and parents taking time off of work to care for their sick children.

“Even before the pandemic, the lives of school nurses were busy. Now, their jobs have expanded to include public health, and that work is simply too big to do alone. We’re thankful to have the support of Avel eCare to help our nurse provide the daily health services that our children need,” said Tara McKechnie, Principal of Deer Isle-Stonington Elementary School, which was among the first schools to implement the virtual school nurse program.

The program is currently accepting applications and eligible schools are urged to apply today to take advantage of the available grant funding. K-12 schools, once they fill out an online application, will then receive direct support from the eCare School Health team, at no cost to the school, through June 2023.

WEBINAR: Improving School Climate in K-12 Schools (March 31)

The Federal School Safety Clearinghouse is hosting a webinar on March 31 at 3:00 PM on school climate featuring strategies, guidance, and resources for kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) schools.

The session will feature guest speakers from the U.S. Department of Education Office of Safe and Supportive Schools and the National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments.

Presenters will provide an overview of how communities can improve school climate, help prevent acts of violence, and strategies that lead to improved behavioral and academic outcomes.

School climate refers to the quality of school life and is a broad, multifaceted concept that involves many aspects of the student’s educational experience. Research suggests that a positive school climate can lead to a significant decrease in the likelihood of crime, aggression, and violent behavior. Therefore, schools and districts should implement social, emotional, and behavioral support systems to create a climate that supports and responds to student behavior.

The discussion will feature additional school safety-related resources available through SchoolSafety.gov, as well as a Q&A session.

When: March 31, 2022, 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM EDT
Where: Adobe Connect (access link to be provided one day in advance of the event)
For: K-12 School Superintendents and Principals, School and District Administrators, Teachers and School Staff, School Counselors and School Psychologists, Emergency Management, and Parents
Registration: https://schoolclimatewebinar.eventbrite.com

If you have any questions, please contact the School Safety team at SchoolSafety@hq.dhs.gov.

NEW Online Course: Cybersecurity Considerations for K-12 Schools and School Districts

The following opportunity comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools (REMS) Technical Assistance (TA) Center.

Does your emergency operations team know the types of threats facing their networks and systems? Is your team prepared to handle cyber threats before, during, and after one occurs? Is cybersecurity included in your emergency operations plan (EOP)? These important questions for your planning team to consider will be answered by taking this NEW online course, Cybersecurity Considerations for K-12 Schools and School Districts.

This 30 to 45 minute free online course aims to help K-12 school personnel, school district administrators and staff, and state/regional education agency personnel include cybersecurity in EOPs and obtain critical data needed to prepare for network breaches and insider threats. This online course uses an engaging visual format and interactive features such as learning activities and quizzes that help you:

Recognize the connection between school safety and cybersecurity;
Identify the evolving threats facing school and school district networks and systems;
Prepare for possible cyber threats before, during, and after; and
Integrate cybersecurity with EOP development and planning.

Take Another REMS TA Center Online Course
The REMS TA Center offers a diverse set of self-paced, online courses as asynchronous training and professional development opportunities on school safety, security, emergency management, and preparedness topics. If you are a first-time user, create a profile for easy access to all our online courses.

Fundamentals of EOP Development

Annexes and Related Topics

School EOPs In-Depth: Planning for Large Events

Nominations Open for Maine School Nurse of the Year

The Maine Association of School Nurses has opened nominations for the Maine School Nurse of the Year (SNOY) 2022-23.

This award recognizes an outstanding school nurse for their contributions to the school and community they serve. The award provides recognition to an individual who demonstrates leadership in six areas of practice: care provision, program management, health education, professional development, community involvement, and research.

The individual selected will receive a $500 cash award and be recognized at the July 2022 Maine School Nurse Summer Institute.

The application deadline is April 25, 2022. The completed nomination packet must include: Nomination Form, reference letters (3-5) with at least one from administration, curriculum vitae, and a written report addressing the six content areas. Submit the original and 3 copies by April 25, 2022 to SNOY Coordinator Erin Taylor at etaylor@capeelizabethschools.org.

If you know a school nurse who inspires you with their dedication to their school community, please consider nominating them for this prestigious award!

For more information, please visit the MASN website.

Maine is Ready for International SEL Day 2022

On Friday, March 11, 2022, educators, community partners, and families across the globe will take time to build a greater awareness for the importance of supporting children’s wellbeing and mental health through social emotional learning. Our Maine Department of Education SEL Specialist and the entire team at the Office of School and Student Supports invite all of Maine to our official webpage for International SEL Day 2022.

We have generated a number of resources and events for you to participate in on Friday, March 11, 2022 – the 3rd Annual International SEL Day. This is a day that is sponsored by the national non-profits SEL4US and the Urban Assembly and is fully supported by CASEL – the Collaborative for Academic and Social Emotional Learning. Whether you are a staff member, a parent, a superintendent, a board member, or a community member, there is literally something for everyone to access and to learn:

Access the free national events that SEL4US has garnered. A few of these events occur prior to March 11th, so you may want to register now.
The O3S is sponsoring an entire day of learning, connection, and ideas. We have learning for nurses, SROs, bus drivers, administrators….all school personnel! Some of our sessions will be live, but many are asynchronous so that you can participate when and wherever it works for you.
And last, but definitely not least, is for our classroom teachers and interested parents. We realized early in our planning that we could not pull teachers away from students to access conversations on SEL, so our SEL Specialist has collated both free and archived resources for teachers to use in their daily lesson plans – from suggested read alouds to integrated activities during content area time.

We hope we have provided you time to explore these offerings in anticipation of Friday, March 11th, and that our entire state will be immersed in all-things SEL. You deserve it! Our students deserve it! #SELDay2022

For more information visit: https://www.maine.gov/doe/schools/safeschools/selday.

Webinar: Food Insecurity, School Climate, and Planning Consideration

Date: March 15, 2022
Time: 10-11am
Facilitator: Rebekah Sousa

Webinar Details:

Rebekah Sousa, an AmeriCorps VISTA working at the Maine Department of Education to end student hunger in Maine as part of “Ending Hunger 2030”, will discuss food insecurity in Maine, how it impacts school climate, and strategies to combat student hunger in planned and unplanned school closings. She hopes this information will feed into the larger goals of EH2030: Changing the Narrative of Food Insecurity, Closing the Equity Gap, and Increase Collaboration Across Sectors & Experiences.

Outcomes:

You will be able to define food insecurity
You will identify symptoms of malnutrition and food insecurity in the student body
You will have models for strengthening food security within communities
You will be equipped with resources to combat poverty- the leading cause of food insecurity
You will understand how community partnerships contribute to effective planning for emergency & contingency operations

Audience: School staff, administration, and school stakeholders

Register here

For more information, contact Maine Department of Education EOP/COOP/Site Assessment Officer Melissa Condon at melissa.a.condon@maine.gov.

K-12 School Security Guide Suite Now Available to Schools

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) School Safety Task Force has released the K-12 School Security Guide Suite, a set of products designed to inform safety and physical security planning for kindergarten through grade 12 schools across the United States.

Developed in partnership with the RAND Corporation, the K-12 School Security Guide Suite is comprised of the CISA K-12 School Security Guide (3rd Edition) and accompanying School Security Assessment Tool (SSAT). The Guide and SSAT provide a comprehensive doctrine and methodology to assist schools in conducting more robust vulnerability assessments and implementing layered physical security elements across K–12 districts and campuses. Both products are available on CISA.gov and are designed to support school communities in strengthening their protection and mitigation capabilities against the range of targeted violence and crime-related threats they might face.

Specifically, the K-12 School Security Guide Suite includes:

CISA K-12 School Security Guide, 3^rd Ed. – The 3^rd Edition of the K-12 School Security Guide is designed to help education agencies across the United States adopt a systems-based approach to the planning and implementation of layered physical security in schools. Additionally, the Guide demonstrates how taking a systems-based approach to layered physical security can help schools create safe and secure learning environments without asking staff members to become security experts.
CISA School Security Assessment Tool (SSAT) – The K-12 School Security Assessment Tool (SSAT) was developed to help schools create safe and secure learning environments. The SSAT incorporates school context and applies the systems-based approach described in the 3rd edition of CISA’s K-12 School Security Guide, to improve a school’s physical security. The SSAT and 3^rd Edition of the Guide build on the prior second editions of both documents.
CISA School Security Assessment Tool (SSAT) User Guide – The User Guide is intended to help users of the K-12 School Security Assessment Tool (SSAT) understand the purpose of the tool, how to use the tool, and how to interpret assessment results. It serves as a 101-introduction to the SSAT.
CISA School Security Assessment Tool (SSAT) Technical Appendix – The Technical Appendix is intended to provide users of the K-12 School Security Assessment Tool (SSAT) with a detailed understanding of the creation, operation, and functionality of the SSAT.

The release of the K-12 School Security Guide Suite marks an important milestone in CISA’s continued efforts to advance safe, secure, and resilient schools, and to keep our Nation’s students safe. We hope you find these products to be useful, actionable, and valuable in supporting your school safety efforts, while at the same time preserving the broader educational mission of your institutions.

To access the Guide and SSAT, please visit https://www.cisa.gov/k-12-school-security-guide.

Webinar: Understanding the Role of Families and Parents in Supporting School Safety Before, During, and After an Emergency

The U.S. Department of Education’s Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools (REMS) Technical Assistance (TA) Center will host a webinar on Monday, February 28, 2022, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. EST. This webinar will highlight the role of parents and families in supporting school safety efforts at the local and state levels.

The 60 minute webinar will:

Highlight the role of parents and families in supporting school safety efforts at the local and state levels.
Demonstrate the importance of developing a collaborative planning team to support emergency operations plan development, as outlined in Step 1 of the six-step planning process detailed in the Guide for Developing High-Quality School Emergency Operations Plans.
Discuss the role that parents, parent engagement specialists, and parent advocacy groups play in supporting the National Preparedness System mission areas — prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery — as well as their role in the before, during, and after phases of a potential emergency.
Share resources to assist parents, families, parent engagement specialists, and parent advocacy groups in collaborating and supporting school safety efforts at the local and state levels.

Presenters:

U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education

Beth Yeh, Education Program Specialist

REMS TA Center

Janelle Hughes, Project Director

Questions About the Event?

Contact the REMS TA Center Help Desk at 1-855-781-REMS [7367] or info@remstacenter.org from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday.

Can’t make the live event? This Webinar will be archived on the REMS TA Center’s website within 7 business days.

Webinar: Online Safety Guidance and Resources for K-12 Schools (February 24)

Please join the Federal School Safety Clearinghouse on February 24 at 3:00 PM EST for an informational webinar on online safety featuring guidance and resources for kindergarten through grade 12 schools.

The session will feature guest speakers from the Homeland Security Investigations Cyber Crimes Center (C3) and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC). Presenters will provide an overview of how to make the internet a safer place for students and protect children from crimes of victimization.

Schools, educators, and parents can help build resilience against online violence, as well as foster digital ecosystems that are safe and secure for students. Through promoting online safety practices and improving digital literacy and critical thinking skills, the K-12 community can help reduce certain risk factors among youth.

The discussion will feature additional school safety-related resources available through SchoolSafety.gov, as well as a Q&A session.

When: February 24, 2022, 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM EST
Where: Adobe Connect (access link to be provided one day in advance of the event)
For: K-12 School Superintendents and Principals; School and District Administrators; Teachers and School Staff; School Counselors and School Psychologists; Emergency Management; School Resource Officers; Parents
Registration: https://schoolonlinesafetywebinar.eventbrite.com

If you have any questions, please contact the School Safety team at SchoolSafety@hq.dhs.gov.