Friday, October 26, 2018
In the third week of October each year, the National School Safety Center sponsors America’s Safe Schools Week, an initiative supported by local, state and national organizations and public officials to keep schools free of crime, violence, weapons and drugs. This initiative is also dedicated to highlighting opportunities for schools to promote student safety, including resources they can use to foster a safe learning environment.
In honor of this week, the National Education Association is providing a number of resources to help educators incorporate safety lessons in the classroom as well as opportunities for parents to work with their children on the topic at home.
Additionally, October is National Bullying Prevention Month, and StopBullying.gov is offering resources to prevent bullying in schools as well as how to recognize and diffuse cyberbullying.
As Hoosiers, it is our responsibility to protect Indiana students and teachers.
In addition to these resources, the Indiana State Department of Health recently received a $1 million grant from the federal government to help prevent school violence. This grant will be used to develop school threat assessment and crisis intervention teams as well as train school officials to best support those with mental health issues.
Finally, earlier this summer, the Indiana Secured School Safety Board approved more than $14 million in matching grants for schools that qualified for the Secured School Safety Grant Program. Gov. Holcomb also created a program that makes handheld metal detectors available at no cost to schools that request them.
To read more about ways the General Assembly is working to make our schools safer, click here.
To access Indiana’s school safety resources, visit in.gov/DHS.
