COLUMBUS, Ohio—October 1 marks the start of Ohio’s first annual Ohio School Safety Month.
The Ohio School Safety Center (OSSC) developed the theme "Know School Safety, Know Your Role – It’s Everyone’s Responsibility" for October's activities.
“Students, staff, parents, and guardians all have an important role in promoting school safety by following safety procedures and reporting concerns,” said Emily Torok, OSSC Executive Director. “It is important to balance sufficient building security with a healthy, nurturing school environment that reassures students that although there is a possibility of violence occurring at school, the probability of a school experiencing a high-profile violent act is extremely low.”
In recognition of Ohio School Safety Month, OSSC has also developed weekly themes to help schools highlight resources within their schools and communities and to provide an opportunity to engage with students, staff, parents, guardians, and community members on their school safety programs.
Week 1: Comprehensive Safety (Oct. 2-8). The OSSC encourages schools to highlight ways they are improving safety through prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery.
Week 2: Emotional Safety (Oct. 9-15). The OSSC encourages schools to highlight ways they are ensuring that students feel emotionally safe by creating a climate that is inclusive, supportive, and builds positive relationships among students and staff.
Week 3: Physical Safety (Oct. 16-22). The OSSC encourages schools to highlight ways they are combining physical safety improvements with efforts to enhance school climate, build trusting relationships, and encourage students and adults to report potential threats.
Week 4: Know Your Role (Oct. 23-29). The OSSC encourages schools to convene their school safety team to identify their roles and create a plan for the rest of the school year to highlight safety programs.
Other highlights of Ohio School Safety Month include:
Stop Bullying. Oct. 12 is National Stop Bullying Day, part of National Bullying Prevention Month. OSSC encourages schools to highlight their school climate and anti-bullying initiatives and communicate them to students and staff.
Kindness Matters. Oct. 19 is Unity Day, where students and staff can wear orange to show unity for kindness, acceptance, and inclusion.
Bus Safety. October 17-21 is National School Bus Safety Week. OSSC recommends that parents, guardians, students, teachers, administrators, motorists, and school bus drivers discuss the importance of school bus safety with youth.
Students, parents, and community members can use the free Safer Ohio School Tip Line to anonymously report threats to schools or students’ safety. The tip line is available by calling or texting 844-723-3764 (844-SaferOH).
The OSSC urges students, parents, and community members to report concerns immediately to authorities or to a school tip line instead of sharing viral social media posts. Reporting it to proper authorities will ensure the information gets to someone who can investigate it. Sharing posts on social media does not guarantee it will be received by authorities.
The Ohio School Safety Center has been developed within the Ohio Department of Public Safety to be a comprehensive, statewide office focused exclusively on enhancing the safety of Ohio schools. In addition to maintaining and promoting the Safer Ohio School Tip Line, the center assists schools and first responders in preventing, preparing for, and responding to threats and acts of violence including self-harm. Staff also proactively scans social media and websites to identify threats against schools.
