New Jersey Safe Schools Conference Keynote: Transforming Our Schools

Headlines continue to express tragic stories of school, campus, workplace and domestic violence as well as character and academic deficiencies and demand a clarion call to reawaken the heart of the nation in our schools through leadership, vigilance and collaboration.

Rising to the occasion, the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) will hold a Health and Safety Conference at the Heldrich Hotel in New Brunswick on October 29-30, 2010. This conference is designed to insure that teachers, educational support professionals, administrators, students, law enforcement and families have the tools they need for schools to be free from violence and unnecessary risks.

As the keynote speaker for conference, I will present Transforming Our Schools: The Heart and Brick of School Security. The presentation will integrate elements of school security, character education, academic achievement and community collaboration so vital to our schools and to the future of our nation. Gang awareness, on-line social networking and technology, cyber bullying and under the influence concerns will also be covered. The metaphor of a head on collision with the culture of violence and crisis of character will be utilized to demonstrate the serious issues confronting society and critical New Jersey compliance issues addressed. These include the Commissioner of Education School Administrator Procedures of Responding to Critical Incidents and Model School Security Policies:

• Active Shooter Response Procedures
• Bomb Threat Response Procedures
• Evacuation Procedures
• School Lockdown Procedures
• Public Information Procedures

The School Security Drill Guide for the State of New Jersey will also be presented since beginning November 1, 2010 all New Jersey schools must comply with various security drills aside from fire drills.

Critical documents from the U.S. Department of Education, Secret Service and FBI on crisis planning, early warning signs, safeguarding our students, threat assessments, character education and violence prevention will also be addressed. Attendees will be encouraged to work collaboratively and to implement programs through professional development, security vulnerability assessments and initiatives that encompass all elements of the community. All attendees will receive commemorative edition copies of my newest book, Listen To Their Cries: Calling the Nation to Renewal from Columbine to Virginia Tech which covers:

• The crisis of leadership and character in our society
• Memorializes the incidents of school violence over the past decade
• Reviews lessons learned from the Virginia Tech tragedy
• Highlights the basics of safety and security
• Offers a vision for reawakening the heart of America through our nations schools

A concrete and practical action plan will also be presented to all attendees so they are empowered to return to their schools and districts with the tools they need to be catalysts of transformation.

READ MORE

NJEA Conference	Click here to visit site
Listen To Their Cries	Click here to visit site
New Jersey Department of Education School Security	Click here to visit site
A UNIFORM STATE MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT BETWEEN EDUCATION AND LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS	Click here to visit site
MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT FAQs	Click here to visit site
Early Warning, Timely Response: A Guide to Safe Schools – August 1998	Click here to visit site
Safeguarding Our Children: An Action Guide – April 2000	Click here to visit site
Threat Assessment in Schools: A Guide to Managing Threatening Situations and Creating Safe School Climates	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 – May 2002	Click here to visit site
PRACTICAL INFORMATION ON CRISIS PLANNING: A GUIDE FOR SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES – May 2003	Click here to visit site
Vincent Bove School Violence Blogs	Click here to visit site