School Confidential
The Ultimate Back to School Safety Quiz
By Cheli Cerra, M.Ed.
Sep 1, 2006, 00:00

School Confidential

Advice from America’s Most Trusted Principal

A monthly resource of ideas, tips, and great advice for a successful school year.

Welcome to the Premiere Issue… September, 2006

The ultimate back to school safety quiz…

Is your school safe? If you can answer “yes” to these 8 questions, your child is in good hands.

School safety is everyone's business. When investigating your school of choice, can you answer YES to the following questions?

Investigating the answers to these questions will give you a better understanding of your child's school.

	Does the school appear to be clean and hazard-free?
	Does the school have a safety coordinator who is responsible for maintaining a safe and healthy environment?
	Does the school have a "safe" way for students to report a conflict, crime, or crisis (especially if another student might be involved)?
	Does the school have a crisis prevention plan in place?
	Does the school have procedures in place to respond quickly when a crisis situation does occur? Has the school informed parents, teachers, students, and the community as to what these procedures are?
	Does the school have a fair and consistent discipline procedure?
	Does the school have counselors and psychologists available to students in need?
	Does the school involve the community, teachers, students, staff, and parents in these safety efforts?

Should you discover through this check list that your child’s school is not safe than you should not hesitate to take action. First step is to contact the school principal. Set up a meeting and discuss concerns – you can also talk to the PTA and see how everyone can work together to make sure that safety is first and foremost.