School Safety

• Pursuant to Neb. Rev. Stat. § 79-3110, the School Emergency Response Mapping Fund is designed to enhance the safety and security of Nebraska’s students, staff, and visitors by implementing a comprehensive mapping data system. Using this fund, The Nebraska Department of Education has established The School Emergency Response Mapping Grant to provide funds to schools for the purpose of creating accurate site-specific mapping data of school buildings and properties.

To qualify for funding for school emergency response mapping, a school board or a governing authority must first adopt a policy to provide mapping data in electronic or digital formats to public safety agencies for use in an emergency response. Schools must also select a vendor that follows The Nebraska Department of Education’s mapping standards. Both the policy creation and required standards ensure school mapping data is accurate and able to be shared easily with public safety agencies leading to efficient and effective emergency response.

This grant funding opportunity has $525,000 in available funding intended to bolster school security and increase situational awareness for first responders.

Additional information, including eligibility and application requirements, can be found here: NDE Mapping Grant Application. Applications are due by January 31, 2025.

For any questions or additional information, please contact jay.martin@nebraska.gov

The NDE Suicide and Prevention Team has created two new electronic toolkits to support the suicide prevention in schools. https://www.education.ne.gov/safety/suicide-prevention- response/.

The Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) online course is now available in Canvas. The training is organized into 12 modules for school safety team members to use when it is convenient. You can find more information and guidance on the NDE School Safety YouTube Channel (Link Here). Or log into Canvas with the link (Link Here)

Link to Winter 2024 Newsletter

The newsletter includes...

• New Badge Recognition for School Safety
• New Suicide Prevention Toolkits and Student Help Book
• EOP on-line learning using Canvas
• Updates on future trainings...and more! (updates have been made to the 24-25 Trainings document below)
• SWATTING
• Model Gun Policy for Authorized Security Personnel
• Strategies to help schools and students when impacted by Immigration and Customs Enforcements

UNK Public Policy Center has released a communications messaging guide to use during and after a threat, hazard, or incident. Click the button below to view.

Nebraska schools, law enforcement, and human service professionals may request consultation regarding the threat assessment and management approach at no cost. There are two types of consultation requests.

• Threat Assessment/Management Process Consultation: Certified Threat Managers (CTMs) available to consult with you or your team about the process you are using to assess and manage a potential threat. CTMs can help you think through your process and suggest other areas for you to probe or potential interventions to explore. They will focus on your process.
• VRA Cadre Lists- Can provide Nebraska law enforcement, education agencies, and behavioral health with contact information for mental health clinicians in their area who have had violence risk assessment training and agreed to be on a list.

Request a consultation by contacting ppcta@unl.edu or by visiting this website https://ppcta.unl.edu/

Updated in LB705 State Statute 79-2, 145-146

Required Training: Approved Training Options

• “Beginning in school year 2023-24, all public school employees who interact with students and any other appropriate personnel, as determined by the school superintendent, shall receive at least one hour of behavioral and mental health training with a focus on suicide awareness and prevention training each year. Such training may include, but need not be limited to, topics such as identification of early warning signs and symptoms of behavioral and mental health issues in students, appropriate and effective responses for educators to student behavioral and mental health issues, trauma-informed care, and procedures for making students and parents and guardians aware of services and supports for behavioral and mental health issues. This training shall be provided within the framework of existing inservice training programs offered by the State Department of Education or as part of required professional development activities.”
• Resource Links:
• Your Language Matters
• Teen Suicide Prevention Video for School Personnel
• Nebraska School Suicide Resource Guide
• Handbook for Developing School Suicide Policies and Procedures
• Policy Template Example
• Nebraska School Suicide Risk Flowchart Example
• Nebraska Suicide Awareness/Prevention Approved Training for School Personnel
• Suicide Prevention Mini Grant Information - Hazelden Lifelines: Prevention; Building Knowledge & Skills to Prevent Suicide
• Help for Parents: Dealing with Suicide Concerns
• Suicide Risk Screening
• Why Consider the SBQ-R?
• SBQ-R Administration & Scoring Guide (available through NDE)
• Checklist for Developing Re-Entry Procedures
• Example Safety Re-Entry Plan
• Assisting Staff in Re-Entry Process

The NDE School Safety Team is organized to provide leadership and support to all schools in Nebraska. The safety team has established safety and security standards that focus on prevention, response, and recovery that also meet the requirements of Nebraska State Statutes and Rule 10 requirements. The Nebraska Annual Safety Requirements for Schools document is a helpful resource as well as the Safety and Security Standards Technical Assistance Guide. These documents are not an Emergency Operation Plan (EOP) but can be utilized when district teams are building or reviewing EOPs.

An Emergency Operation Plan (EOP) is a comprehensive plan for addressing prevention, preparedness, response and recovery in order to minimize the impact of any hazard, threat, or incident to the safety and security of students, staff, visitors, school buildings and property.

Rule 10: What’s Required?

• 011.01B - The school system has an EOP plan and is approved by the district's school board
• 011.01C - The school must have a safety committee that includes faculty, parents, and the community. The committee meets at least annually to prepare and review EOP plans.
• 011.01D - School system's safety and security plan(s) are reviewed annually by one or more persons not employed by the school system or on the school’s safety committee. The review includes a visit to the school to analyze plans, policies and procedures, and practices and recommendations. Any recommendations made are forwarded to the administrator and to the school safety committee to consider and review.

Nebraska State Statute (#79-2,144) requires the NDE School Safety director to collect schools' EOPs for review. The director identifies deficiencies in minimum standards and makes recommendations to school boards to remedy.

The following links may be helpful in order to develop an efficient EOP plan:

• NDE Safety & Security Website: Developing an Emergency Operations Plan
• Guide for Developing High-Quality School Emergency Operations Plans
• Developing and Maintaining Emergency Operations Plans
• Protecting America's Schools: A U.S. Secret Service Analysis of Targeted School Violence
• National Prevention Framework (Homeland Security)
• Standard Response Protocols and Standard Reunification Method (I Love You Guys Foundation)
• Psychological First Aid for Schools Field Operations Guide
• A Framework for Safe and Successful Schools

For any questions: contact Jay Martin at jay.martin@nebraska.gov

Steps to Submit Your School's EOPs

1. Submit plans in a PDF format using this link: https://nde.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cRTwJRjjqsGBi3Y

2. Select your district or school from the drop-down menu list. ONLY if your district or school is NOT listed in the drop-down menu will you write in the requested information.

3. When submitting, identify two people as a primary and secondary contact person at your district.

Safe2HelpNE anonymous report line services will now be permanently funded per LB705. Even if a school is using another report line service, schools can add this service in as well. Safe2HelpNE has trained crisis counselors from the Boys Town call center available to receive calls 24 hours a day 7 days a week to change the path of potential incidents in schools. The crisis counselors will relay reports in real time to a school's Threat Assessment Team. Eighty percent of calls do not involve law enforcement and avoid tying up police resources when it is unwarranted. If a school would like to participate in Safe2HelpNE register your team at: https://nde.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_aaQY6E9bkjZggui.

Click on the flyer for more information or visit Safe2Help FAQ

Safe2HelpNE marketing and informational videos are now available to educate staff, parents, and students in the anonymous report line service: NDE School Safety Channel