This Week in School and Campus Safety

Good morning,

This Weekly Update by the Illinois School and Campus Safety Program shares resources for winter weather preparedness, links to an article from Campus Safety Magazine on child sexual abuse, and promotes the upcoming threat assessment special issues and applications class and the wellness, trauma recovery, and resilience class.

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
le-black@wiu.edu
Program Coordinator
Illinois School and Campus Safety Program
Winter Weather Preparedness Part II: K-12 Preparedness

Last week we discussed preparing buildings for winter weather. This week we look at K-12 winter weather considerations. K-12 schools have many concerns when it comes to winter weather, including dismissing early and school closings, transportation, and even the possibility of sheltering in place should weather prove too dangerous while school is already in session. Additional concerns include:

  • What if a student or students are injured but emergency services cannot respond immediately?

  • If sheltering in place, does the school nurse have several days worth of medicine for students who have prescriptions?

  • What will the protocol be if students are away at a school event or function when severe weather strikes?

  • Do bus drivers have training on how to respond should they become stranded in a storm with students?

Schools must consider these and other potential issues when planning for winter weather emergencies.

The Illinois School and Campus Safety Resource Center website features a Severe Weather resource page, which includes winter weather resources.
Campus Safety Magazine Shares Article on Child Sexual Abuse

Campus Safety Magazine recently shared the article "4 Ways to Address Child Sexual Abuse in Your Campus Community." According to the article, 1 in 10 children will be sexually abused before they turn 18. Additionally the article states, "between 2011 and 2015, approximately 17,000 official reports of sexual assaults upon students were reported to police," and "the actual number of sexual abuse incidents is likely higher, since only about 60% of victims disclose their abuse."

The Illinois School and Campus Safety Resource Center website features both K-12 and Higher Ed resource pages on interpersonal violence, including human trafficking, sexual violence, domestic violence, stalking, and sextortion.
Upcoming Threat Assessment and Management in a Campus Setting: Special Issues and Applications Class on November 11th in Chicago

The Illinois School and Campus Safety Program is pleased to announce a session of the class "Threat Assessment and Management in a Campus Setting: Special Issues and Applications" will be held on November 11 at the University of Illinois in Chicago. This training on higher ed threat assessment features Gene Deisinger, Ph.D. and will help participants to better understand the dynamics of targeted violence and to develop and enhance strategies for early identification, assessment, and intervention. This training is intended for persons who have completed courses in the foundations of threat assessment and management. For more information and to register, click here.
Upcoming Preparing for the Unimaginable: An In-Depth Look at Wellness, Trauma Recovery, and Resilience Class on December 14th via Zoom

The Illinois School and Campus Safety Program is pleased to announce a session of the class Preparing for the Unimaginable: An In-Depth Look at Wellness, Trauma Recovery, and Resilience on December 14th from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm via Zoom. This class is for both K-12 schools and Institutions of Higher Education, as well as law enforcement and other school and campus safety stakeholders. For more information and to register, click here.
Illinois School and Campus Safety Program www.ilschoolsafety.org
schoolsafety@iletsbei.com