In this month's issue explore ways to keep your school safe and choosing joy this school year!
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Friend,
We firmly believe in the power of partnerships to drive meaningful progress in school safety. I challenge you to uncover the partnerships in your community that will drive the most progress for your safety strategies- police/EMS, local community center, neighboring head of school, and others.
Recently, we had the privilege of partnering with the Virginia Association of Independent Schools (VAIS)and the Association of Independent Schools of Greater Washington (AISGW) on an essential initiative: Behavior Threat Assessment Team (BTAT) trainings. Behavior Threat Assessment relies on a systematic process to identify concerns, gather information, assess the situation, and manage risk. During the three-day training session, two of our Joffe experts, Emma Johnson and Cat Cecere, guided participants through the intricate process of recognizing potential threats, implementing preventative measures, and navigating thoughtful strategic responses to the information gathered.
It's our hope and expectation that these sessions equipped administrators with the knowledge and skills necessary to establish and maintain effective BTAT within their respective schools. A well-trained team serves as a powerful, proactive step toward cultivating a positive and supportive school climate, where potential concerns are addressed with care and diligence.
As you reflect on your school's BTAT, are you confident in your understanding of what a BTAT needs to look, sound, and feel like? Does your confidence go beyond the theoretical and into the practical? Might you even be able to table top a BTAT meeting for practice? If so, you're on the right track! If not, please keep reading for more resources!
In our latest trainings, one of the top questions from our clients has been, "What’s an example of a red flag to look for in a Behavior Threat Assessment?"
To answer this, we’ve turned to Dr. Nancy Zarse, a Joffe advisory board member and forensic psychologist.
Nancy shared that warning signs are pivotal indicators suggesting that an individual of concern is contemplating an act of violence or marking a progression towards potential violence. Research shows that these individuals often divulge their intentions to someone—be it a confidant, peer, or via a social media post—articulating their intent to carry out such violent acts. Termed "leakage", this communication marks a critical juncture where intervention through the process of Behavior Threat Assessment becomes imperative.
The multi-disciplinary and proactive approach of a Behavior Threat Assessment Team are instrumental in identifying movement from thought to action and intercepting the trajectory towards violence, thereby redirecting individuals away from this perilous course. It is paramount that indicators like leakage are not overlooked but instead prompt swift and decisive action. Not all threats are equal but all threats must be taken seriously. As we focus on identifying the critical warning signs and red flags, a robust Behavior Threat Assessment Team provides the structure to assess and manage risk.
As we focus on understanding the critical warning signs within Behavior Threat Assessment, it’s crucial to bridge theory with real-world impact and tools as referenced in the resources below.
May 13th Webinar: Join us this month as we feature our “Speaker Series” on the school safety webinar. After Carly Posey's children were involved in the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary, she made school and community safety her focus. She has worked with and spoken to school communities around the country to help prepare and prevent the unthinkable. Carly has been the Executive Director for the Safe2Tell Nonprofit, the Program Director for Anderson Software, and is currently the Mission Director for the "I Love U Guys" Foundation. Carly is honored to share her story, the Foundation's programs, and work towards safer schools.
Simple School Solutions: This public resource from the National Threat Assessment Center through the Secret Service, provided by the DOE and the United States Secret Service Threat Assessment Guide, gives eleven questions to guide data collection in a threat assessment inquiry.
Cybersecurity Blog Post: One warning sign that a threat assessment may uncover is that a person of concern has been researching information on a location they are planning to target. Read more about how a cybersecurity researcher helped communicate concern about what information is available about what school information and plans are available online.
Thwarted Attack Blog Post: See our take on the collaborative efforts, risk factors, warning signs, and proactive measures that made a difference in a recent successful intervention in preventing violence in a school.
BTAT Toolkit: This Joffe Academy resource includes an 8-step process for Behavior Threat Assessments, templates, resources, and essential documents, and 6 comprehensive courses. $25 off the original $75 price when using the code BTAT4U. Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to enhance your expertise.
Jim Hulbert, J.D., is a partner at The Jane Group and a labor and employment lawyer by training. Jim is the CEO of the firm and manages the ongoing caseload. With an expertise in board matters, Jim is the lead consultant on governance and complex legal matters. Jim works closely with board chairs and executive committees advising on complicated issues involving governance matters and best practices; leadership transitions; sexual misconduct investigations; employment disputes and DEI(JB) cases; as well as managing a response to social media campaigns against schools. He has presented at numerous domestic and international education conferences, working with schools in 38 countries on five continents since 2015.
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Interested in workplace violence prevention training?
Our latest course on Joffe Academy, Workplace Violence Prevention, equips you with the essential resources to meet the California SB 553's legal obligations by the July 1, 2024 deadline. Non-Joffe clients can purchase our Workplace Violence Prevention Course today for $349.00 or our current clients can access it for free through their Joffe Academy Plus Membership! Prioritize safety in your school and check out a free course preview now!
Still have questions? Check out our blog post highlighting 10 reasons this course will help your school.
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