Preparing for & Responding to Crises & Emergencies

Sugai & Colvin, 1999

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?

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?

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?

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?

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

• ________________________________

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.

Generic Sequence

• Assess

• Request help/assistance

• Monitor/defuse/control crowd & wait for help/experts….follow procedures

• Let help/experts take over.

• Follow-up

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

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

SYST

EMS

PRACTICES

DATASupportingStaff Behavior

SupportingStudent Behavior

OUTCOMES

Supporting Social Competence &Academic Achievement

SupportingDecisionMaking

4 PBS Elements

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.

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

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

• Instructions for unique situations

• Establish procedures for accounting for whereabouts of all students & staff

• Procedures for documenting dangerous & potentially dangerous situations

Process for Investigations

• Assess event

• Insure accountability

• Inform others

• Interview key players

• Follow through

• Follow up

“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)

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?

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?

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?

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?

CONTACT INFO

George.sugai@uconn.edu

Robh@uoregon.edu

www.pbis.org

SETTING

All Settings

Hallways

Playgrounds

Cafeteria

Library/

Computer Lab

Assembly Bus

Respect Ourselves

Be on task.Give your best

effort.Be

prepared.

Walk.Have a plan.

Eat all your food.Select

healthy foods.

Study, read,

compute.

Sit in one spot.

Watch for your stop.

Respect Others

Be kind.Hands/feet to self.Help/share with

others.

Use normal voice

volume.Walk to right.

Play safe.Include others.Share

equipment.

Practice good table

manners

Whisper.

Return books.

Listen/watch.

Use appropriat

e applause.

Use a quiet voice.Stay in

your seat.

Respect Property

Recycle.

Clean up after

self.

Pick up litter.

Maintain physical space.

Use equipment properly.

Put litter in garbage

can.

Replace trays & utensils.Clean up eating area.

Push in chairs.Treat books

carefully.

Pick up.Treat chairs

appropriately.

Wipe your feet.Sit

appropriately.