West New York School Administrators: Striving for Excellence in School Safety and Character Education

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The West New York School District continues to provide high quality, sustained, on-going professional development at the district level to all schools. The district model allows teachers the opportunities to continually sharpen their approaches and strategies to support the maximum potential of each student. The professional learning continuum is a confluence of the professional standards for teachers in New Jersey and the Core Curriculum Content Standards that enables all district educators to plan, design, enhance and support higher levels of academic achievement.
— 2008-2009 West New York Professional Development Plan

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On Wednesday, October 22, 2008, the West New York Schools continued their commitment to developing quality educators through an administrators' professional day presentation titled Transforming Our Schools: The Heart and Brick of School Safety. By invitation of Assistant Superintendent John Fauta, I was privileged to be the speaker for the presentation. This program was developed in response to a directive of the State of New Jersey Department of Education Commissioner 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 West New York Schools attended the program including:

• Memorial High School
• West New York Middle School
• Public School #1
• Public School #2
• Public School #3
• Public School #4
• Public School #5
• Harry L. Bain School
• Early Childhood School

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?
  • Creating an Effective Learning Environment
  • Compliance vs. Commitment
  • Transforming Power of a Teacher
• Culture of Gratification
  • Crisis of Leadership
  • Culture of Violence
  • Shattered Communities
  • Filling the Void
• New Jersey School Safety Review
  • 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
• Unity of Effort
• 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
• Reawakening the Heart of America
  • Progress and Priorities
  • Ingredients for Transformation
  • The Altruism Factor
  • Character: the Heart of the Matter
• Call to Action
• Tribute American Military
• Conclusion

I would like to commend the West New York Schools for their commitment to the ongoing professional development of the dedicated administrators to whom the education, safety and well-being of West New York students has been entrusted.

A very special thanks to Dr. Jorge Verea and his wife Lourdes for generously donating a copy of Listen To Their Cries for each administrator who attended this event and for their extraordinary work honoring their daughter's memory through the Rebeka Verea Foundation.

READ MORE

Rebeka Verea Foundation	Click here to visit site
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