Preparing for & Responding to Crises & Emergencies

1. Preparing for & Responding to Crises & Emergencies Sugai & Colvin, 1999

2. Example #1 • Student runs up to you & says two “big kids” are walking through back playground, & she thinks one of them has gun. 2nd & 3rd grade classes are having recess on playground. • What do you do?

3. Example #2 • You are teaching Heloise to write her address & telephone number. As you assist her, she begins to get frustrated & begins biting her hand. You’re attempts to soothe her fail, & she escalates to biting her fingers which begin to bleed & hitting the tabletop with her forehead. • What do you do?

4. Example #3 • Two students run into classroom & scream that strong smell is coming from the gym. They indicate that smell hurts their eyes & throat & it seems to be spreading through hallways. • What do you do?

5. Example #4 • The parents of one of your students is arguing with another parent. Their voices are loud, & students & students are gathering. One parent pushes other against wall, & that parent has picked up trash can is threatening to throw it. • What do you do?

6. Other Examples • Stranger in the building • Bomb threat/explosion • Student with gun/weapon on campus • Serious injury/death • Serious fight • Drug deal on campus • Weapon possession • Natural disasters • Kidnapping/hostage taking • Student/staff/other out-of-control and violent behavior • ________________________________

7. What would you do first,...next?(5 minutes) You are walking down hallway & you hear loud yelling. When you turn corner you see group of 15 kids around 2 girls who are fighting. One girl has other around throat; other girl has grabbed the other’s hair & is punching her in face. One girl’s nose is bleeding.

8. Generic Sequence • Assess • Request help/assistance • Monitor/defuse/control crowd & wait for help/experts….follow procedures • Let help/experts take over. • Follow-up

9. Lessons Learned: White House Conference on School Safety • Students, staff, & community must have means of communicating that is immediate, safe, & reliable • Positive, respectful, predictable, trusting student-teacher-family relationships are important • High rates of academic & social success are important • Positive, respectful, predictable, trusting school environment/climate is important for all students • Metal detectors, surveillance cameras, & security guards are insufficient deterents

10. Lessons Learned: White House Conference on School Safety Early Correlates/Indicators • Significant change in academic &/or social behavior patterns • Frequent, unresolved victimization • Extremely low rates of academic &/or social success • Negative/threatening written &/or verbal messages

11. Supporting Social Competence & Academic Achievement 4 PBS Elements OUTCOMES Supporting Decision Making Supporting Staff Behavior DATA SYSTEMS PRACTICES Supporting Student Behavior

12. Guiding Principles • Safety is number one consideration. • “Teachable Moments” are secondary • Escalations are likely to run their course, & are inversely related to self-control. • Planned responses & debriefing are required after crisis/emergency. • Prosocial responses must be relevant, effective, efficient, & taught. • Practice. Practice. Practice.

13. Necessary Prerequisites • Comprehensive, school-wide PBS system • Crisis response team • Home-school-community linkage • High rates of academic & social success • Clear written policy & procedures • Regular, supervised opportunities to practice

14. Other Provisions to Establish • “Safe” areas • Clear roles & responsibilities of key personnel • Clear “fool proof” communication systems • Predictable & reliable for students, staff, & community • Means of securing immediate external support • Procedures for securing or “locking down” a classroom or school

15. Instructions for unique situations • Establish procedures for accounting for whereabouts of all students & staff • Procedures for documenting dangerous & potentially dangerous situations

16. Process for Investigations • Assess event • Insure accountability • Inform others • Interview key players • Follow through • Follow up

17. “Physical Intervention” • Use as last resort to insure safety & protect from injury • Follow procedures & policy • Implement by trained personnel who practice regularly • Document description of episode • Debrief after each episode (review & plan)

18. Example #1 • Student runs up to you & says two “big kids” are walking through back playground, & she thinks one of them has gun. 2nd & 3rd grade classes are having recess on playground. • What do you do?

19. Example #2 • You are teaching Heloise to write her address & telephone number. As you assist her, she begins to get frustrated & begins biting her hand. You’re attempts to soothe her fail, & she escalates to biting her fingers which begin to bleed & hitting the tabletop with her forehead. • What do you do?

20. Example #3 • Two students run into classroom & scream that strong smell is coming from the gym. They indicate that smell hurts their eyes & throat & it seems to be spreading through hallways. • What do you do?

21. Example #4 • The parents of one of your students is arguing with another parent. Their voices are loud, & students & students are gathering. One parent pushes other against wall, & that parent has picked up trash can is threatening to throw it. • What do you do?

22. CONTACT INFO George.sugai@uconn.edu Robh@uoregon.edu www.pbis.org