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Friend, 

As we begin the last quarter of the calendar year, often filled with so much joy and so many holiday events, we're bustling with excitement. At the same time, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the weight of what’s happening around us: schools nationwide are seeing an increase in both social media threats and other types of threats as well. 

I want to put this into context: we often see an increase in threats after a media covered shooting at a school like the one we saw on September 4th at Apalachee High School. Based on our experience after Parkland and other events, we anticipate we'll see the current surge of threats and concern sustain through about November 4th (60 days following the initial event). Unfortunately, this period coincides with the day before the election, and another significant date falls between now and then, which may further escalate tensions.

Next week, on October 7th, is the one-year mark from the beginning of the Middle East conflict. For many, this date marked the beginning of much trauma, fear, and concern and is still very real for many of our communities connected with these events. This will undoubtedly stir powerful emotions in many of our communities, both on this date and in the weeks leading up to the presidential election.

With so much happening at once, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. How do we ensure our schools remain the joyful places of learning that we strive for, even amidst the tension and uncertainty? The first step is to find the balance of taking safety and threats seriously, without letting them define and take over our daily experience. Equally important is maintaining a sense of calm and focus. While it’s critical to be aware of potential dangers, we must also guard against crisis fatigue, which can drain the very energy we need to create safe and nurturing learning environments for our students.

Included below are resources, housed on Joffe Academy and our blog, that endeavor to help you be both proactive and reactive to each of these concerns. Whether it be parent communication (template letters), best practices for earthquake drills, or a flowchart on steps for a Behavior Threat Assessment, we hope these tools provide a sense of comfort and confidence as you navigate this time. 

At Joffe, our goal is to help you through -- quite frankly, all -- turbulent times with clarity and confidence. We are committed to ensuring that our schools remain places where joy, connection, and learning flourish—even as we face external pressures. Our students and staff deserve a space where they can focus on growth, exploration, and community. Let’s make sure we continue to build and protect those spaces.

In strength,

Chris Joffe

Founder and CEO 

Safety Spotlight: Social Media Threats

When on a recent call with a client, a head of school asked us, “As a school leader, how do I determine whether to take a threat seriously or not?” To answer this, we turned to our Joffe Safety Consultant and recent guest on our Navigating Social Media Threats in Schools Webinar Episode, Emma.

Every potential threat—whether verbal, written, drawn, or posted online—should be taken seriously until it’s confirmed to be non-credible. As a school leader, it’s critical not to handle this process alone. Engage your Behavioral Threat Assessment Team (BTAT) to assess the situation. Your BTAT should include a law enforcement officer or School Resource Officer (SRO), who can assist with evaluating and investigating the threat. Start by gathering relevant information and assessing the immediate risk. While threat assessments are often fluid, having a structured response plan, like the Simple School Solutions BTA Flow Chart, can provide clear guidance and ensure a coordinated, effective response. Beyond this Flow Chart, our team has put together a Social Media Threats Course on Joffe Academy with additional resources and templates for you and your team to use. 

October 14th Webinar: Join us on October 14 as Megan Mann and Cat Cecere from Joffe discuss preparations that schools can take leading up to the November 5th presidential election. Megan, founder of Approach, focuses her work on aiding independent schools and nonprofits in continuous improvement. Previously, she served as General Counsel and VP of Legal Education and Support at NAIS, managing legal matters and providing consultation to member schools. With over 16 years of experience in legal, nonprofit, and education sectors, Megan will bring a fresh perspective to our webinar topic of Political Divisiveness. 

Add our webinars to your calendar:

Planning to attend or have questions about any of the events? Let us know!

Resources

Preparing for the Great Shake Out Blog Post: Are you ready for the world’s biggest earthquake drill? The Great ShakeOut is happening on October 17, 2024, and it’s your chance to take preparedness to the next level! Don’t settle for just “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” — discover how to turn this drill into an exciting, real-world learning experience for your school. Liz Rupert, Safety Consultant, provides more information for school participation in our most recent blog.

Political Season Toolkit: Equip your school with our Safety for Schools During the Political Season toolkit designed to handle the election and beyond with confidence and clarity. Stay ahead with strategies that ensure safety and informed decision-making.

New Fall Programming

Charter School Virtual Safety Certification 

Joffe is launching a Charter School Safety Certification Course tailored for Operations Leaders at charter schools across the nation! This comprehensive course equips participants with vital crisis response skills, promotes collaboration within charter school networks, and shares best practices for daily operations.

Here’s what your Ops Leaders will learn to leverage:

• Defining Roles within Incident Command Systems
• Roadmap to Reunification
• Trauma-Informed Active Shooter Training

Enroll now for our November cohort to elevate your skills and make a lasting impact on your school's operations!

Independent School BTAT Training in Southern CA 

Boost your expertise in behavior threat assessment teams with our in-depth two-part training led by Joffe team members. This program covers essential behavior threat assessment practices and includes a personalized observation of your team in action. Register now to secure your spot for our October 11th training!

Not in Southern CA? We’re bringing BTAT training to more cities soon! Contact us for details.

Follow us on social media!

We regularly post updates, blog posts, and share resources specifically designed to support school health and safety.

X: @JoffeChris & @Joffeemergency

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