Safe and supportive learning environments enable students to work to their fullest potential. Protect DC works with school communities to assess the risk of violence or serious harm and develop interventions for individuals of concern within their community.
Listed below are three ways communities can begin to maintain the health and security of their schools.
Promote a Culture of Safety
Schools can promote a culture of safety by encouraging their students and staff to notify the approriate officials about concerning behavior or communication. Encouraging students, teachers, and staff to share their concerns allows officials to intervene and provide necessary resources to reduce the likelihood of violent situations. Leave an anonymous referral here.
Participate in Training Opportunities
Community members are the first line of defense for identifying concerning behavior or communication. When the community understands what to look for and how to report, we can better support individuals and reduce violence. The Fundamentals of Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management course trains community partners and stakeholders on the indicators associated with targeted violence to enhance prevention efforts. For more information, contact Protect DC at [email protected].
Find Your Safe Passage Area
The Safe Passage program addresses student and school safety concerns as students arrive and depart from school. All Safe Passage areas consist of school leaders, police officers, and/or transportation specialists that work collaboratively to protect students while traveling to school. Find a nearby safe passage priority area.
Partner Resources:
- District of Columbia Public Schools
- Para español, use el botón de traducción en la parte superior del sitio web.
- District of Columbia Public Charter School Board
- Para español, use el menú de traducción en la parte superior del sitio web.
- SchoolSafety.gov
- SchoolSafety.gov: Mental Health Resources
- SchoolSafety.gov: Target Violence Prevention
- SchoolSafety.gov: Threat Assessments
- US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency: What to do – Bomb Threat
- US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency: K-12 School Security Guide