MISSOURI
SAFE
SCHOOLS
Newsletter
of the Missouri Center for Safe Schools
May
2002
FROM THE DIRECTOR . . .
The
past ten months have been active. Here
are some of our activities since July 2001:
·
Supervising
the Safe Schools Symposium
·
Presenting
Safety Coordinator Trainings and a wide variety of school safety workshops
·
Collaborating
with SEMA on Multi-hazard training for Showcase School Districts
·
Conducting
numerous safety reviews (16 districts, 4 charter schools, and 4 parochial
schools)
·
Participating
in many state and regional conferences (committee members, presenters and
participants)
·
Convening
two Advisory Board meetings
·
Attending a
myriad of committee meetings
All
of these activities emphasized the importance of school safety and
communication. Each of these events provided opportunities for MCSS staff and
school district officials to gain additional expertise in handling school safety
issues.
On another note, I would like to recognize the
members of the Advisory Board and thank them for their time, effort and
commitment to the issue of school safety. The
members are: Judge John Beaton,
Circuit Court of Dunklin County (Kennett); Rep. Bill Boucher, State House of
Representatives (Kansas City); Ms. Julie Cole-Agee, Missouri Juvenile Justice
Association (Jefferson City); Dr. Daniel Colgan (President), Superintendent of
St. Joseph School District; Dr. Jerry Cooper (Vice-President), Assistant Dean
UMKC School of Education; Mr. Fred Crawford, Chief of Safety and Security,
Parkway School District (St. Louis); Rep. D. J. Davis, State House of
Representatives (Lafayette County); Dr. James Dougherty, Director DeLaSalle
Education Center (Kansas City); Ms. Marge Gibson, Superintendent of Northeast
Randolph County R-IV (Cairo); Mr. Rodney Karns, Consultant; Mr. Dennis Lewis,
Director of School Public Safety, Springfield School District; Dr. John Martin,
Superintendent of Grandview C-4 School District (Vice President elect); Ms.
Munnie Pacino, Family Court of St. Louis County; Mr. Richard Phillips, Executive
Director of Alternative School Network Association; Ms. Rusty Rosenkoetter,
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (Ad hoc member); Dr. Allan
Schlinder, Executive Director of the Missouri Association of Alternative
Education; Mr. Gene Vinson, Director of CMSU Regional Prof. Dev. Center; Dr.
Chris Wright, Superintendent of Riverview Gardens School District; and Dr. Gary
Wright, University of Missouri-St. Louis. As
one can see the board is very diverse and talented.
Again, your efforts are appreciated!
As
the school year winds down, I wish each of you a safe and successful graduation
and closing of the school year. May
you have a relaxing summer.
Glenn Berry
______________________________
FROM DEE . . .
What's new in
Title IV? Title IV of No Child Left
Behind still emphasizes the need for prevention of drug and alcohol abuse and
violence. Districts are required to implement activities that have some data to
prove effectiveness and that address the results of a school/community needs
assessment. Allocations will work a little differently than they have in the
past. Under No Child Left Behind there are no funds reserved for districts that
have a high need based on community data. Therefore all funds will be allocated
to districts on a formula basis. If your district has received a large amount of
"additional funds" in the past, your Title IV allocation will probably
be smaller than last year. However, if your district has not received
"additional funds" in the past, your allocation will most likely be
somewhat larger than it was last year. We hope to have allocations available by
mid-May.
The Learning
First Alliance has published a document called Every Child Learning:
Safe and Supportive Schools. If you have not read it you can find it and
a summary on the Learning First Alliance web page, www.learningfirst.org
Dee Beck, Coordinator
Federal
Programs
DESE
______________________________
MISSOURI SCHOOL VIOLENCE HOTLINE
Toll Free 866-748-7047
The
Missouri School Violence Hotline began operation on October 1, 2001. As of March
29, 2002, the hotline had received 145 reports. The hotline receives reports on
a variety of school violence concerns, such as threats, fights, bullying, and
weapons being brought on to school property. Most of the School Violence Hotline
calls are coming from concerned parents. The hotline also receives calls from
school personnel and students, as well as anonymous callers. The hotline is
operated Monday through Friday from 7am to 6pm, excluding state holidays. There
is a recording for after hours.
We are
currently in the process of sending pencils, magnets, and awareness cards to
over 300 schools statewide. Our first shipments were mailed the week of April
8th and will continue throughout the month of April. Any school needing items to
promote the new hotline can call our hotline number, 1-866-748-7047, to make
their requests.
Heather Clemens
Social Service Supervisor
Missouri School Violence Hotline
Department of Social Services
Division of Family Services
_____________________________________
BACKFLOW PREVENTION IN SCHOOLS
During the past few
years, local water suppliers have notified many Missouri school districts that
they are required to install backflow assemblies.
Backflow is the
unwanted reversal of flow in a water distribution system. The directional flow of water changes all the time in a
plumbing system. When water has
come in contact with chemicals, such as in a boiler system, we do not want the
contaminated water flowing back into the plumbing system where it might be
consumed. The locations where
contaminants can physically enter the water system are called cross connections.
Backflow is prevented by
installing plumbing devices that allow water to only flow through them in one
direction. These assemblies must be
testable to ensure they are functioning correctly. All backflow prevention assemblies must be tested at least
annually.
Many schools have water using
equipment or processes that may pose a threat to health such as boiler heating
systems, chill water systems for temperature control, chemistry and biology
laboratories, irrigation systems for athletic fields or landscaping, and other
areas involved in janitorial activities. All
of these recognized cross connections require backflow.
The state regulation which
requires backflow protection, 10 CSR 60-11, reads: “Backflow prevention
assemblies shall be installed on the customer water system as close a possible
to the point of service connection and prior to any other connection or branch
line.” This wording gives the
water purveyor some discretion as to where the customer is allowed to locate the
assembly. If there are
numerous cross connections within the building, a backflow preventer on the
service line would satisfy the state regulation which protects the public water
system from the customer. That
would not, however, protect the students, staff, and other occupants from
sources of contamination within the school.
Therefore, it is recommended that each cross connection within the school
be isolated with an additional protection device.
Only the backflow preventer on the service line is required, by the state
regulation, to be testable.
For additional information you
may review the state regulation 10 CSR 60-11.010 (http://www.sos.state.mo.us/adrules/csr/csr.asp)
or contact the Department of Natural Resources’ Public Drinking Water Program.
Mike Logston
Department of Natural Resources
(573) 751-4594
___________________________________
We
are in the process of scheduling Safety Coordinator Training through the
Regional Professional Development Centers for next year. So far we have
scheduled as follows:
Kirksville
RPDC (660-785-4220) Nov 7
Rolla RPDC
(800-667-0665) Nov 12
Southeast
RPDC (800-401-6680) Nov 13
Maryville
RPDC (800-663-3348) Nov 19
Warrensburg
RPDC (800-762-4146) Nov 21
Columbia RPDC
(800-214-2753) Dec 4
Kansas City
RPDC (800-555-9048) Jan 16
Basic Safety
Coordinated Training (3.5 hours) will be presented in the morning.
Advance Safety Coordinator Training (3 hours) will be presented in the
afternoon. Registration will be
through the Regional Professional Development Center.
The
purposes of the Safety Coordinator Training Program are:
The
Safety Coordinator Training Program consists of basic and advanced training.
All District Safety Coordinators are encouraged to complete the 3.5 hour
basic course at least one time. The
material is updated continuously and it may be beneficial to attend this course
every other year. The material
presented includes:
The
3 hour advanced course addresses different topics from year to year.
Some of the information addressed in the advanced course will be rolled
into the basic course for subsequent years.
Safety Coordinators should attend the advanced course each year.
During school year 2002-2003 the material presented as part of the
advanced course will include:
_____________________________________
PLAYGROUND
SAFETY INITIATIVE AT LEE’s SUMMIT
Utilizing the resources of National Program for Playground Safety, Boundless Playgrounds and other agencies, the Playground Safety Initiative team of Lee's Summit R-7 School District is working to provide "SAFE" playgrounds for all students. The acronym "SAFE" stands for the following:
·
"S":
Supervision and Surfacing. Age-appropriate,
fall surfacing and equipment maintenance (National Program for Playground
Safety)
·
"A":
Access. Fully-integrated
& universally accessible playgrounds (Boundless Playground, ADA)
·
"F":
Fun. Playgrounds that meet the physical, emotional needs of
children of all abilities.
·
"E":
Educational. Playgrounds
that meet the intellectual needs of children of all abilities.
Objectives:
1.
Develop
guidelines for acquiring new as well as replacing older playground equipment in
the District.
2.
Evaluate
and map existing playgrounds and equipment to identify hazards and to determine
a time line
for developing corrective actions.
3.
Develop
a protocol for designing new outside play environments and for making
modifications or additions to existing playgrounds that will meet the physical,
emotional, social and intellectual needs of all students.
This protocol will be administered in accordance with the age levels
using the facilities.
4.
Consider
adopting the National Program for Playground Safety training program
("SAFE") for administrators, staff and students.
The program would cover all twelve months of the year and include summer
school and Kid's Country.
5.
Refine
the incident reporting and emergency response procedures for playground related
student injuries including those occurring during summer school or at Kids
Country.
6.
Review
maintenance and upkeep procedures.
7.
Develop
playground alternative funding strategies for the District, building, PTA and
community organizations.
Mark White
Environmental / Risk Manager
Lee's Summit R-7
(913) 986-2447
___________________________________
One common
thread running through almost all the school shootings was that the attacker
made some threat of violence before the day of the attack. As a result, all threats of violence must be taken seriously
by school districts, thoroughly investigated, and appropriate action taken.
School administrators should be aware, however, of First Amendment issues
related to student threats.
The First
Amendment to the U.S. Constitution states that Congress shall make no law
abridging the freedom of speech. The
U.S. Supreme Court has held that certain types of speech are not entitled to
protection: fighting words, obscenity, defamation, and true threats.
The Supreme Court has not established a test for distinguishing a true
threat from constitutionally protected speech.
Consequently, a student who is disciplined for making a threat at school
may challenge that the disciplinary action is a violation of his First Amendment
rights.
In Lovell
v. Poway Unified School District, 90 F. 3d 367 (9th Cir. 1996), a
student who was suspended for threatening a school counselor challenged the
suspension as violating her right to freedom of speech.
The 9th Circuit ruled in favor of the school district, stating
that the student’s statement constituted a true threat because a reasonable
person would foresee that the statement would be interpreted by those to whom
the maker communicates the statement as a serious expression of intent to harm
or assault.
In Doe ex
rel. Doe v. Pulaski County Special School Dist., 263 F.3d 833 (8th
Cir. 2001), the 8th Circuit, which includes Missouri, adopted the 9th
Circuit test for determining whether a threat made by a student constituted a
true threat. In that case, the 8th
grade Arkansas student challenged his expulsion from school based on certain
writings made at home during summer vacation that allegedly threatened a
classmate. The 8th
Circuit ruled that the composition was protected speech since, under the
totality of the circumstances, a reasonable person would not have foreseen that
the composition would have been interpreted by the classmate to communicate a
serious expression of intent to harm her. However,
in November 2001, the 8th Circuit granted a rehearing of this case en
banc and vacated the judgment. This
means that the original ruling, made only by a panel of 8th Circuit
judges, has been voided and the entire membership of the 8th Circuit
will hear the case.
Even in cases
where the courts have ruled that the school district violated a student’s
First Amendment rights by disciplining the student for making a perceived
threat, the courts have noted the duty of a school district to investigate
student threats and take appropriate action.
Further information on dealing with student threats can be found in the
FBI report The School Shooter: A Threat Assessment Perspective available
at www.fbi.gov/publications.htm.
Disciplinary action alone, unaccompanied by any effort to evaluate the
threat or the student’s intent, may actually exacerbate the danger.
Susan Anderson, Esq.
______________________________________
CHARGES
FOR CENTER SERVICES IN SCHOOL YEAR 2002-2003
The
Missouri Center for Safe Schools continues to provide school districts with a
wide array of services to help improve safety.
Some of our services will have a small charge to offset expenses.
Following are the services and associated charges:
·
Student training (ie. peer mediation,
etc.) $30 per hour
·
Staff inservices $50 per hour
·
District safety reviews:
3 or fewer school buildings
$100
4 to 8 school buildings
$200
9 to 15 school buildings
$300
16 buildings and more
$400
_____________________________________
Dr.
Russ Thompson, Associate Director of the Missouri Center for Safe Schools, is
the newsletter editor. If you would
like to submit an article for a future Missouri Safe Schools Newsletter,
please send him your submission by e-mail to thompsonrs@umkc.edu
or mail it to:
Dr. Russ Thompson, Assoc. Dir.
Missouri Center for Safe Schools
UMKC School of Education, Suite 024
5100 Rockhill Road
Kansas City, MO 64110-2499
Check
out the web page for the Missouri Center for Safe Schools at http://www.umkc.edu/safe-school
and call us at our offices in the School of Education, University of
Missouri-Kansas City, (816) 235-5656.