Schools are increasingly reliant on technology for business operations, student and staff information systems, and remote teaching and learning.

As we begin to see signs of spring, we must keep in mind that the month of April marks the anniversaries of a number of historic acts of violence that have shaped the way our nation has come to view school security and safety.

chool leaders continue to face ever-evolving threats and hazards, from school violence to a Global Pandemic.  Safety and security strategies must evolve to provide the safest environment possible for students and staff. 

Over the past year, we have been thrust into an environment where personal protective equipment, hand sanitizer, and social distancing have overwhelmingly eclipsed traditional pre-COVID-19 security measures. Prior to the pandemic, schools were enhancing physical security on a trajectory that was driven by incidents of school violence and the need to not only make our schools safe, but more importantly make our children and parents feel safe when entering our buildings or sending kids off to school for the day.

Whether the subject of your emergency preparedness efforts focus on schools, businesses, houses of worship, health care facilities or any other organization, planning for emergencies is a continuous process. Many organizations establish Emergency Operations Plans (EOP’s) or implement written response protocols to fulfill regulatory requirements or comply with laws related to their industry. While this is a necessary and worthwhile endeavor, far too many organizations rarely, if ever, revisit these plans to ensure that they are kept current and evolve with the ever changing threat environment that we live in.