Union City Schools: Striving for Excellence in School Safety

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The vision of the Union City School District is focused on achieving one crucial goal – to enable all of our students to acquire the skills, understandings and attitudes needed to be productive and successful members of our society.

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This one sentence from the Union City School District Mission statement very simply describes the aim of the educator: to enable their students to become good citizens. Creating and sustaining a learning environment where children feel safe is a critical component for accomplishing this goal.

On Wednesday, December 12, 2007, Union City Schools continued their commitment to keeping their schools safe. Under the leadership of Superintendent Stanley Sanger and Educational Director of Facilities and School Safety Frank Acinapura, I was privileged to present New Jersey School Safety Best Practices, School Administrator Procedures to a gathering of school administrators. This presentation was developed in response to a directive of the State of New Jersey Department of Education Commissioner's as stated in an October 22, 2007 memo:

"Each school district, in accordance with N.J.A.C. 6A:16-5.1, must develop and implement plans, procedures and mechanisms that provide for the safety and security of the district’s schools. The plans must be developed in consultation with law enforcement agencies and be consistent with the format and content established by the Commissioner of Education. Additionally, an annual review and update, as appropriate, are required. Therefore, within 45 days of this memorandum, each district is required to use these procedures as a model to revise, as needed, its existing procedures."

Representatives from all Union City Schools attended the program including:

• Early Childhood Education
  • Eugenio Maria de Hostos Center for Early Childhood Education
• Elementary Schools
  • Edison School
  • Gilmore School
  • Hudson School
  • Jefferson School
  • Robert Waters School
  • Roosevelt School
  • Veterans' Memorial School
  • Washington School
  • Woodrow Wilson School
• Middle Schools
  • José Martí Middle School
• High Schools
  • Emerson High School
  • Union Hill High School
  • Career Academy

The content was designed not only to cover the required model security procedures, but to inspire a renewed commitment to the transforming power of teacher.

AGENDA

• Why Are We Here?
  • Union City Schools Mission
  • Security: Essential to an
    Effective Learning Environment
  • Compliance vs. Commitment
• Contemporary Concerns
  • Crisis of Leadership
  • Culture of Violence
• Lessons Learned: Virginia Tech Tragedy
• Key Role of the Educator
• New Jersey School Safety Review
  • New Jersey Commissioner of Education Memo
    School Administrator Procedures: Responding to Critical Incidents
    October 2007
  • New Jersey Department of Education
    School Administrator Procedures: Responding to Critical Incidents – Model School Security Policies
    October 2007
  • New Jersey Department of Education
    School Safety and Security Manual: Best Practices Guidelines
    December 2006
  • New Jersey Administrative Code
• Union City School Crisis Response Handbook
• USDOE / FBI / Secret Service Document Review
  • Practical Information on Crisis Planning: A Guide for Schools and Communities
  • Early Warning, Timely Response: A Guide to Safe Schools
  • Safeguarding Our Children: An Action Guide
  • The School Shooter: A Threat Assessment Perspective
  • The Final Report and Findings of the Safe School Initiative
  • Threat Assessment in Schools
  • Helping Your Child Become a Responsible Citizen
• Renewing Your Passion and Purpose
• American Military Tribute
• Conclusion

The Union City Schools are to be commended for their comprehensive approach to school safety and security. They recently provided school violence prevention programs for school crossing guards and school security professionals.

The next phase of this initiative is to ensure that all staff members—teaching and non-teaching—are trained so that they fully understand their specific duties and responsibilities in any crisis situation.

Through its commitment and leadership, the Union City School District has the opportunity to be a model of preparedness not only for the State of New Jersey but, as the city in the U.S. with the largest population per square capita, for the entire nation.

READ MORE

NJDOE—Keeping Kids Safe, Safe Schools Policy and Guidance	Click here to visit site
PRACTICAL INFORMATION ON CRISIS PLANNING: A GUIDE FOR SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES	Click here to visit site
Early Warning, Timely Response: A Guide to Safe Schools	Click here to visit site
Safeguarding Our Children: An Action Guide	Click here to visit site
THE FINAL REPORT AND FINDINGS OF THE SAFE SCHOOL INITIATIVE: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PREVENTION OF SCHOOL ATTACKS IN THE UNITED STATES	Click here to visit site
USDOE—Character Education and Civic Engagement Technical Assistance Center	Click here to visit site
THREAT ASSESSMENT IN SCHOOLS: A GUIDE TO MANAGING THREATENING SITUATIONS AND TO CREATING SAFE SCHOOL CLIMATES	Click here to visit site