Tag: intervention

  • Ohio School Safety Center announces keynote speakers for the 2023 Ohio School Safety Summit

    Ohio School Safety Center announces keynote speakers for the 2023 Ohio School Safety Summit

    Registration coming soon!

    Tuesday, July 25, 9 a.m. 

    Dr. Dewey Cornell, Professor at the University of Virginia and developer of the Comprehensive School Threat Assessment Guidelines, (CSTAG), will present on School Threat Assessment as a Safe Fair, and Effective Practice in Ohio Schools, which will describe how to implement best practices and resolve student threats, while maintaining a fair and equitable manner.

     

    Tuesday, July 25, 2 p.m.

    Dr. Amanda Nickerson, Professor and Director of the Alberti Center for Bullying Abuse Prevention at the University at Buffalo, the State University of New York, will speak about Bullying Prevention and Intervention, including solutions, strategies, and resources to promote a safe school climate.

     

    Wednesday, July 26, 9 a.m.

    Sgt. William Chapman, a member of the Newtown, Conn. police department, uses his experiences as a Sandy Hook first responder and School Resource Officer to help school districts and law enforcement to develop best practices and will present on Navigating the Unthinkable: A First Responder’s Perspective.

     

    Wednesday, July 26, 2:45 p.m.

    Dr. Scott Poland, Professor and Director of the Suicide and Violence Prevention Office at Nova Southeastern University, will discuss School Crisis and Liability, including issues involving obtaining parental consent, failure to notify parents, and legal consequences of inadequate threat assessments in schools.

     

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    CONTACT

    The MISSION of the Ohio School Safety Center (OSSC) is to support all Ohio schools and first responders in preventing, preparing for, and responding to threats and acts of violence, including self-harm, through a holistic, solutions-based approach to improving school safety. Using a cross-disciplinary approach, the OSSC will provide resources to schools to enhance their strategies for safety, security, and emergency plan development.

    Our goal is total commitment in supporting all schools in ensuring the safety of students, employees, and visitors through effective policies and procedures, training, and community and interagency involvement.

    There are four main components to our goal:

    • Prevention/Mitigation: Schools can take action to increase the safety and wellbeing of their staff and students. To create a safe and supportive learning environment, schools may institute policies, positive behavior intervention supports, and prevention programs to improve the culture and climate of their building.
    • Preparedness: School leaders should be equipped with all the vital resources, information, and expectations to create a comprehensive safety plan and response protocols for any emergency situation, including natural disasters, violent incidents, and terrorist acts – before, during, and after the event.
    • Response: Assisting schools with the development of their all-hazards response plan is a key element of our goal. Safety and well-being in an emergency depends on how prepared students and staff are and on how everyone responds to a crisis. By being able to act responsibly and safely, school administrators will be able to protect students, staff and facilities. Our office will strive towards ensuring updates on school safety regulations, directives, policy, and deadlines will be communicated on a regular basis so schools can revise and implement the most current criterion and respond accordingly.
    • Recovery: The primary objective of recovery is to provide a caring and supportive school environment so that staff and students can return to teaching and learning as quickly as possible. Creating a system of supports with community social service agencies and local first responders can reinforce the cycle of safety planning and restore the social, emotional and environmental needs of students and staff.
  • #TigerCare: Summer support for students

    #TigerCare: Summer support for students

    There are many students who require summer support.

    By Eric Dool,

    How will my student’s mental-health needs be met when school is not is session?

    As summer vacation has arrived, thoughts for most naturally turn to rest, time with friends and family, travel, summer projects, professional development and so forth. For some, however, an extended break from school can lead to significant anxiety. Will my son or daughter retain the knowledge and skills needed to be successful at the start of next year? What can I do to better prepare my child for the increasing rigor faced as they progress from grade to grade?  How will my student’s mental-health needs be met when school is not is session? As has become quite clear through research and practical application, there are many students who require summer supports in order to continue to access, participate and progress at school, year to year. That being said, Tiger Care is not something that can end in May and begin in September – it MUST be on-going.

    Tiger Care is not something that can end in May and begin in September – it MUST be on-going.

    For Loveland City Schools, targeted Care supports are an essential part of how we do business. It is an extension of our practices throughout the school year. As such, in addition to the multitude of athletic, art, and enrichment opportunities we make available to students, Loveland offers more-intensive intervention supports for smaller groups of students, frequently in collaboration with well-known community providers. Three examples include: mental-health services through The Children’s Home of Cincinnati (CHOC); an ADHD Summer Treatment Program through the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC); and Extended School Year (ESY) services for identified students with educational disabilities.

    Loveland offers more-intensive intervention supports for smaller groups of students.

    In March, I noted the on-going relationship Loveland has had with The Children’s Home of Cincinnati in providing mental-health services to students, inclusive of individual and family therapy, case management, and medication management services. For students involved, CHOC services will continue on-site throughout the summer – with little to no disruption in service. Arrangements for services are being handled through CHOC.

    In exchange for hosting the program in Loveland, a handful of Loveland students will be able to attend for free, or at a reduced cost for families.

    Loveland additionally will for the first time be partnering with the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center to host their annual ADHD Summer Treatment Program. This intensive, seven-week-long program has proven to be highly effective in meeting the needs of some students with ADHD, and has been offered through CCHMC for several years at Xavier University through parent payment and minimal scholarship assistance. In exchange for hosting the program in Loveland, a handful of Loveland students will be able to attend for free, or at a reduced cost for families. School teams have worked to identify possible candidates for this program.

    And finally, approximately 120 students with educational disabilities will receive varied Extended School Year (ESY) summer services to prevent excessive loss of knowledge and skills during the summer months, loss typically taking excessively long periods of time to recoup in the fall. These services have been offered through Loveland for several years in a summer-school-like fashion, focused on intensive reading, mathematics, functional living, communication and sensory needs. For a few students, more individualized supports are provided.

    Eric Dool (dooler@lovelandschools.org) is Director of Student Services for the Loveland City School District

    In summary, Loveland recognizes its role in continuing to provide Care during extended absences from school. To that end, we recognize that it is our responsibility to work with families and community resources to ensure that all Tigers return to school in August ready to learn.