Advocating for Safe Schools Margaret A. Sedor, NCSP, ABSNP Peter - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Advocating for Safe Schools

Margaret A. Sedor, NCSP, ABSNP Peter Faustino, Psy.D. Faith Zabek M.Ed.

School Safety Webinar for SPAN Coordinators Sponsored by the Government and Professional Relations Committee

Five elements of Comprehensive School Safety

1. Develop safe and supportive schools 2. Increase access to mental and behavioral health services in schools 3. Implement school policies that consider psychological and physical safety 4. Multi Tiered Systems of Support 5. Review and revise current policies and legislation

Develop Safe and Supportive Schools

• Integrate learning supports,

instruction, and school leadership

• Implement MTSS
• Improve access to mental

health support

• Integrate school climate and

school safety efforts

• Balance physical and

psychological safety

• Employ effective discipline

practices

• Consider the unique context of

each school environment

4

http://www.nasponline.org/resources/crisis_safety/index.aspx

Improve Access to Mental Health Through Collaboration

NASP Congressional Briefing 2013: Rethinking School Safety: Schools and Communities Working Together

• Preventative measures
• Identify warning signs
• Access to mental health
• Overcome stigma
• Teach the new “R”

RESIL SILIENCE IENCE

Nelba Marquez-Greene

Balance Physical and Psychological Safety

Physical Safety Psychological Safety

Secure doors Trusting and Respectful Relationships Check in/out system Access to school employed mental health professionals Lighted hallways Continuum of support services Monitoring of School Grounds Mental Health First Aid Properly designed playgrounds and sports fields Positive Discipline Adult supervision in high traffic areas Anti-bullying initiatives School Resource Officer** Confidential Reporting System Threat Assessment Procedures Threat Assessment Procedures

Implement Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS)

RtI ACADEMIC SYSTEMS

Tier III: Comprehensive & Intensive Interventions Tier II: Strategic Interventions-Small Group and/or technology assisted instruction Tier I: Core Curriculum – All Students

RtI BEHAVIOR SYSTEMS

Tier III: Comprehensive & Intensive Interventions Tier II: Strategic Interventions - Target Group Interventions – Some At-Risk Students Tier I: Universal Interventions – All Students (PBS Tier I)

MTSS as a Response to Intervention

How to Advocate for Safe and Successful Schools

How can State Associations be an Effective Advocate

1. Educate your members about national, state & local priorities

• Promote NASP Practice Model
• Promote NASP advocacy and public policy updates in state

newsletters

• NASP display table at state convention
• Link state webpage to NASP webpage
• Social media

2. Strengthen your grassroots advocacy network

• Create/enhance GPR/Legislative committees
• Develop methods for rapid communication
• Participate in StateTrack teamwork
• Set a State Advocacy Plan and ADVOCATE!

How can I/my State Association be an Effective Advocate

• 3. Participate in Promotional Activities and Events
• National School Psychology Awareness Week
• School Psychology Resolutions
• Public Awareness Campaigns
• 4. Build Relationships
• Coalition partners (organizations)
• Local/State Education Agency Leaders
• Building Level Principals
• District/County Safety Teams
• Psychology Licensing Boards

How can I/my State Association be an Effective Advocate

• 5. Build your Advocacy Capacity
• Participate in the 2015 GWU/NASP PPI
• Hold a GPR state training
• Sponsor advocacy sessions and activities at your state

convention

• Encourage members attending NASP convention to

participate in advocacy sessions and activities

• Consult State President about NASP 2015 Convention for

state leaders Advocacy training Thursday.

• Visit the NASP Advocacy Booth at NASP Convention
• Develop a State Advocacy Plan.
• Nominate outstanding advocates (external stakeholders and

school psychologists) for GPR awards

State Association Advocacy Examples

California Advocacy Efforts

New York Advocacy Efforts

Keep the Conversation Going

• Establish School

Psychologists as the experts on the topic of school safety.

• Offer comments, even when

no one asks for them.

• Keep a focused message and

do not fall into ‘traps’ around school violence.

• 12/15/14 - WABC-TV New York, NY

NYASP President Andrew Livanis discusses the new report on the Sandy Hook shootings and what schools can do to help prevent future tragedies.

• The panel also heard from Peter Faustino of

the NY Association of School Psychologists. He called for increased access to mental health and support services for the 1 in 5 adolescents with mental health disorders.

Missouri Advocacy Efforts

Educate Others

• Coordinated communication effort with

districts, state associations, state agencies, and policy makers.

• Building PREPaRE capacity
• Partnership with Missouri Council of

Administrators of Special Education

GPR Panel Presenters: School Safety

• Dr. Kelly Vaillancourt, Director of Government Relations

kvaillanourt@naspweb.org

• Dr. Katie Eklund, GPR Chair

keklund@email.arizona.edu

• Dr. Peter Faustino

pcfaustino@verizon.net Margaret A. Sedor margaretsedor@gmail.com Faith Zabek fzabek@gmail.com

Questions & Comments