The Illinois State Board of Education updated their COVID-19 resources page to include the Confronting COVID-19-Related Harassment in Schools resource from the US Dept. of Justice Civil Rights Division and the US Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights. The short, 2-page document addresses "harassment and other discrimination stemming from prejudice and unfounded fears about the coronavirus (COVID-19)" and discusses the responsibility both K-12 schools and institutions of higher education have in investigating and addressing discrimination. The document then gives examples of kinds of incidents and provides information on what to do should you believe discrimination has occurred.

This is the last chance to register for the "Digital Threat Assessment" training through Safer Schools Together on May 20, 2021, via Zoom. The goal of the Digital Threat Assessment class is to give attendees a stronger understanding of the current social media world, provide tools to be able to proactively identify student safety concerns, and provide strategies for dealing with online situations as they arise. For more information and to register, click here.

The Illinois School and Campus Safety Program is pleased to announce that a session of the "Advanced Digital Threat Assessment" training through Safer Schools Together will be held on June 8, 2021, via Zoom. Building upon the Digital Threat Assessment class, this class will leave participants with a concrete understanding of how to find and curate relevant digital information as is typically represented in a real-life digital threat assessment data gathering scenario. Major engagement and hands-on practice will take place. For more information and to register, click here.

The Illinois School Safety Conference is now scheduled for October 5, 2021, from 7:30 am to 4:00 pm in Niles, IL. This conference is free for school personnel, police, fire, emergency preparedness personnel, social workers, and public safety officers (you must bring your school or agency ID to enter the event). The conference includes speakers from various organizations, free continental breakfast and lunch, and onsite vendors. Additionally, paperwork will be provided on site for school personnel seeking Professional Development hours. For more information, click here.