Spotlight: Virginia Earthquake

In August 2011, a 5.8 magnitude earthquake originating in Virginia hit much of the east coast, including Baltimore County. While no significant damage was reported, the earthquake caused Baltimore County government buildings to be evacuated, and, according to a Baltimore news website, fire officials responded to several people stuck in elevators. In addition, Herndon school officials reportedly found cracks in the gymnasium of Kenwood High School in Essex and along the back wall of Pikesville High School. The cracks are thought to be a result of the earthquake.

When natural disasters occur in schools, it is important for all administrators to know the proper policies and procedures to ensure student and staff safety. With PublicSchoolWORKS Emergency Response course, staff will learn:

• What is required in a district’s emergency plan
• Employee responsibilities for activities in the plan
• The training requirements for emergency action plans
• The requirements for alarm systems
• The requirements for fire prevention plans and fire prevention measures
• The requirements for access to emergency exit routes


For more information about PublicSchoolWORKS’ Emergency Response and to ensure your staff is up-to-date on all natural disaster safety information, email sales@publicschoolworks.com.

SOURCE: Baltimore Sun

Spotlight: Joplin Schools Remember Tornados

More than a year ago, 10 schools in Joplin were either damaged or destroyed as a result of tornadoes that devastated the Missouri school district. As part of the city’s Walk for Unity held this past May 22, the district held groundbreakings for Joplin High School, Franklin Technology Center and two additional schools. According to a recent article on The Joplin Globe, as part of the Walk for Unity thousands traveled the reverse of the tornados’ path. Since the 2011 natural disaster, district officials state that the total cost for all of the district’s rebuilding projects is estimated at $185 million.

With PublicSchoolWORKS Tornado Safety course, staff will learn suggested actions to take before, during and after a tornado. This information, along with your school’s tornado safety plan, will help you effectively respond when threatening weather approaches.

Does your school currently offer tornado training for staff? No? Share your comments with us on Twitter @PSWORKS.

Source: Joplin Globe Online

July is Bioterrorism and Disaster Education and Awareness Month (Norristown, PA)

The Montgomery County Health Department in Norristown, PA has deemed July Bioterrorism and Disaster Education and Awareness Month. The health department states that Bioterrorism refers to "the deliberate or threatened use of bacteria, viruses or toxins to cause disease, death, disruption or fear," and states that preparing for such an incident is similar to preparing for a natural disaster. The department, along with the Department of Public Safety, urges residents to follow three steps in an effort to empower themselves – plan, prepare, and participate.

PublicSchoolWORKS offers training for districts on how to best respond to incidents associated with man-made or natural disasters. For more information on how you can prepare your staff for a natural disaster, please call 1-877-77WORKS.

SPOTLIGHT: Cyberbullying on the Rise

Across the Unites States, school districts will soon need to address new or revised cyberbullying laws. Delaware, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine and New York lawmakers are discussing addressing digital bullying in laws in an effort to protect against instances of bullied students committing suicide. Arizona, Delaware, Florida, Georgia and Illinois only consider cyberbullying punishable if committed on computers either owned or leased by the school. According to a recent article on USA Today’s website, Delaware lawmakers will meet to discuss how to handle cyberbullying off campus, while Indiana is looking to pass a bill that would give school districts more authority to deal with off-campus bullying.

Source: USA Today

To combat the growth in cyberbullying, PublicSchoolWORKS has created the Parent InfoCenter. This new tool helps districts meet state-specific requirements on safety awareness for parents, including bullying prevention and child abuse prevention training. With this tool, students and parents have the ability to report, anonymously if they choose, any incident affecting them or, that they may have seen or heard about from another person. Once reported, the appropriate administrator is auto notified and the issue is tracked to completion making a safer school environment for all students. To learn more about PublicSchoolWORKS’ Parent InfoCenter, contact sales@publicschoolworks.com.

Spotlight: Jason Flatt Act

According to an article on Metro News, on March 13, 2012, Governor Earl Ray Tomblin signed the Jason Flatt Act, a bill that will require the West Virginia Center for Professional Development to provide training resources on suicide prevention for state schools. According to the article, the goal of the bill is to train teachers on the warning signs of depression and suicide. The Jason Flatt act was created after the 1997 suicide of Jason Flatt. Following his son’s passing, Clark Flatt, Jason’s father, pushed state legislators to pass a law that would help prevent future suicides from occurring. At the time the article was published, West Virginia was the seventh state to pass the act, but has since been followed by both Utah and South Carolina.

Does your school currently offer suicide prevention training for staff? No? Share your comments with us on Twitter @PSWORKS.

Source: WV Metro News

Spotlight: Cyberbullying in Texas

With increased media attention surrounding cyberbullying, many states are creating laws and mandates to prevent future cases from arising. In June of last year, for example, three Texas girls were sued because they posted a threatening video about another girl on Facebook. The father of the girl who was threatened filed a defamation of character lawsuit against the three girls.

Texas House Bill 1942 encourages staff training in preventing, identifying, and responding to reported incidents of bullying. PublicSchoolWORKS offers a series of courses to address this Bill. This training is available for all school staff and officials to better assist them in handling and responding to incidents of bullying.

Source:KWTX NEWS

June is National Safety Month

According to the National Safety Council, June marks National Safety Month (NSM). The National Safety Council states that the goal of this annual observance is to educate and influence behaviors around the leading causes of preventable injuries and deaths. Throughout June, the council offers themes that organizations can take part in to promote awareness of critical safety issues. The themes for 2012 are:

Week 1: Employee Wellness and the Presidential Active Lifestyle (PALA) Challenge
Week 2: Ergonomics
Week 3: Preventing slips, trips and falls
Week 4: Driving safety

To view the full list of themes or to sign up for monthly updates, visit the National Safety Council website: http://www.nsc.org/nsc_events/Nat_Safe_Month/Pages/home.aspx?VanUrl=nsm