Communication is vital to any educational environment. For more than half a century, intercom systems have been powerful tools used to disseminate information. These systems have been greatly augmented with the advent of email. During classes, teachers are now able to receive discrete pop-up alerts informing them of safety concerns as diverse as malfunctioning toilets, regionally specific police notices or unsafe weather conditions. Additionally, by ensuring that all employees and volunteers undergo a criminal background check and are instructed to wear approved name tags, campus employees are able to easily spot intruders.
Each year, public schools are required to administer numerous safety drills to secure government funding. Examples of such are fire drills, tornado drills and even bus drills. In addition to allowing students and teachers to practice the safe responses that should be used in the event of an emergency, these drills teach children how to organize themselves cooperatively in campus-wide endeavors.
In the aftermath of high-profile school shootings and incidents of global terrorism, educators and teachers alike have acknowledged the importance of developing uncompromising emergency security measures. During an emergency lockdown situation, schools will lock all of the most essential doors on the campus. Teachers are instructed to turn off lights inside of a classroom and to organize all students into a corner of the room not visible from any window. Students are also instructed to wait patiently and quietly during a lockdown---in case a potential intruder may be within earshot of any noise coming from the classroom.
Even a leaky faucet in a bathroom can be a potential hazard. Should a young child slip and fall, she may suffer an unnecessary injury. Indeed, many schools are filled with an array of hazards. Old buildings have been known to contain poisonous materials such as asbestos or have suffered gas leaks. However, even new schools may expose children to risk. To keep energy costs down, many new schools are built with tighter ventilation systems that dramatically minimize the quotient of fresh air that students breathe (see Reference 2). Paired with indoor chemicals such as pesticides, room deodorizer or hairspray, the air may become harmful to the growing bodies of young students.
Children are especially vulnerable when school is dismissed. A school's staff can only protect students during dismissal by instructing children and parents about how they are expected to handle themselves during the process. For example, a well-defined pickup route may be established with the aid of traffic cones. Children should only be allowed to leave with authorized guardians, not simply visiting relatives. Furthermore, should a parent and child elect to use a school bus as a transportation option, this option should be formally chosen via a signed document and must be adhered to throughout the school year (see Resource 3).