This Week in School and Campus Safety

Good morning,

This Weekly Update by the Illinois School and Campus Safety Program links to the recent report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office, shares information on Holiday Safety during COVID-19, and promotes upcoming classes in 2022.

Please note, we are in the process of updating our contacts list. If you believe you have been added by mistake or wish to no longer receive our emails, just let me know and I will remove you from our directory.

Respectfully,

Laura Black
Program Coordinator
Illinois School and Campus Safety Program
U.S. GAO Releases Report on Students’ Experiences with Bullying, Hate Speech, Hate Crimes, and Victimization in Schools

The U.S. Government Accountability Office has released the report Students’ Experiences
with Bullying, Hate Speech, Hate Crimes, and Victimization in Schools. The report "examines (1) the prevalence and nature of hostile behaviors in K-12 public schools; (2) the presence of K-12 school programs and practices to address hostile behaviors; and (3) how Education has addressed complaints
related to these issues in school years 2010-11 through 2019-20."
Additionally, the report provides links to several resources addressing discrimination, including: Supporting and Protecting the Rights of Students at Risk of Self-Harm in the Era of COVID-19; Confronting Discrimination Based on National Origin and Immigration Status; Confronting Anti-Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Question, or Intersex+ (LGBTQI+) Harassment in Schools; Combatting Discrimination against Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) and Muslim, Arab, Sikh, and South Asian (MASSA) students; and several other resources.
CDC Updates Information on Making Holidays Safer During COVID-19

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated the information on safer ways to celebrate the holidays during COVID-19, including providing general and special considerations. To learn more about staying safe during the holidays, visit the CDC's COVID-19 Holiday Celebrations page.
Railroad Safety for First Responders, Educators, and School Bus Drivers on January 27th via Zoom

The Illinois School and Campus Safety Program is pleased to announce the class "Railroad Safety for First Responders, Educators, and School Bus Drivers" will be held via Zoom on January 27th from 9am-12pm. The Railroad Safety class covers the challenges that frontline responders and school staff are faced with when responding to an incident on or near railroad property. This 3-hour class will prepare all involved (bus drivers, school administrators, law enforcement, first responders, etc.) and will provide responding individuals the correct tools to safely navigate the unfamiliar environment of the railroad. For more information and to register, click here.
Understanding and Planning for School Bombing Incidents on February 16th
via Zoom

The Illinois School and Campus Safety Program is pleased to announce the class "Understanding and Planning for School Bombing Incidents" will be held on February 16th from 8:30 am-12:30 pm via Zoom. The Understanding and Planning for School Bombing Incidents course is specifically tailored for prevention and response to school bombing incidents. For more information and to register, click here.
Incident Response to Terrorist Bombings on March 4th via Zoom

The Illinois School and Campus Safety Program is pleased to announce the class "Incident Response to Terrorist Bombings" will be held on March 4th from 8:30 am-12:30 pm via Zoom. The Incident Response to Terrorist Bombings course focuses on response protocols to situations involving all types of explosives and/or threats pertaining to the criminal use of explosives. For more information and to register, click here.
Upcoming 2022 Classes
K-12 Classes

Railroad Safety for First Responders, Educators, and School Bus Drivers

Understanding and Planning for School
Bombing Incidents

Digital Threat Assessment
February 28, 2022 - via Zoom
March 11, 2022 - via Zoom
April 8, 2022 - via Zoom

Incident Response to Terrorist Bombings

Advanced Digital Threat Assessment
May 3, 2022 - via Zoom
Higher Ed Classes

Understanding and Planning for School
Bombing Incidents

Digital Threat Assessment
February 28, 2022 - via Zoom
March 11, 2022 - via Zoom
April 8, 2022 - via Zoom

Incident Response to Terrorist Bombings

Advanced Digital Threat Assessment
May 3, 2022 - via Zoom

For more information on these and other upcoming classes, contact Laura Black at [email protected] or at 309-298-2646, or click here to see the upcoming events page.
Illinois School and Campus Safety Program www.ilschoolsafety.org