Welcome and Introduction to the Conference  [PDF, 485 KB]

Bill Modzeleski, Associate Assistant Deputy Secretary with the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, began the meeting with an overview of the two day agenda. He highlighted goals for the training, which included providing attendees with the information and skills necessary to create all-hazards Emergency Management Plans. Mr. Modzeleski discussed the importance for schools to have an Emergency Management Plan, and explained the necessary components that should comprise such a plan. Finally, he provided key lessons learned from the Emergency Management planning process to aid audience members' own work, and suggested additional resources to guide their efforts.

National Incident Management System (NIMS)  [PDF, 534 KB]

Tom Smith, Program Management Specialist, with the Resource Planning and Coordination Branch, National Preparedness Directorate, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security delivered information regarding the National Incident Management System. Mr. Smith gave an overview of the rationale for NIMS and NIMSCast.

Grant Administration  [PDF, 258 KB]

Debbie Kalnasy, Budget Analyst, with the OSDFS, U.S. Department of Education provided grantees with knowledge on Grant Administration, which incorporated an overview of grants management along with instructions, information, and resources to administer the REMS FY 2008 grant project.

Lessons Learned from the Field: Montgomery County Public Schools, Virginia   [PDF, 159 KB]

Danny Knott, Principal, Blacksburg Middle School, Montgomery County Public Schools, Freddie Nolen, Emergency Services Clinician, New River Community Services, Dawn Viers, Prevention Supervisor, New River Community Services, and Sharon Zuckerwar, Supervisor of Social Sciences and Character Education, Project Director, Project SERV, Montgomery County Public Schools shared with Grantees their first-hand experiences responding to and recovering from the October 2007 fires that impacted San Diego County.

Performance Monitoring and Evaluation: Site Visits, Reporting, and the Government Performance and Results Act  [PDF, 156 KB]

Elizabeth Argeris, Tara Hill, Michelle Sinkgraven and Sara Strizzi, Program Analysts with the Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, at the U.S. Department of Education reviewed the importance of the evaluation of REMS grant projects through an overview of the REMS performance monitoring plan, discussion of grant site visits, exploration of key evaluation components, and description of the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) measures and reporting method for REMS grantees.

Planning for the Expected: Infectious Diseases and All-Hazards  [PDF, 178 KB]

Dana Carr, Director Health, Mental Health, Environmental Health and Physical Education Programs, from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools discussed Pandemic Influenza Preparedness strategies. Ms. Carr emphasized the importance of cross-agency collaboration and shared information related to funding pandemic influenza preparedness efforts.

Prevention-Mitigation  [PDF, 3.9 MB]

Pegi McEvoy, Safety Administrator, Seattle (WA) Public Schools, and Arthur Cummins, Director of Safe and Healthy Schools, Orange County Office of Education (CA), reviewed the key components of the Prevention-Mitigation phase of emergency management, which is designed to assess and address the safety and integrity of facilities, security, and culture and climate of schools. Topics discussed included Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED), partner collaboration, safety and security needs assessments and hazard analysis.

Preparedness  [PDF, 394 KB]

Willie Freeman, Director of Security for Newark (NJ) Public Schools, and Julie Collins, Operations and Management Consultant Manager, Florida Department of Education, highlighted key Preparedness objectives and activities, such as the coordination of effective plans with community partners. Mr. Freeman and Ms. Collins discussed emergency management plans and procedures, the Incident Command System (ICS), training, and emergency exercises.

Response  [PDF, 587 KB]

Larry Borland, Chief of Security for Academy School District (CO), and Ian Moffett, Police Captain at the Miami-Dade Schools Police Department, provided an overview of the Response phase of emergency management, including three main response actions: evacuation, lockdown and shelter-in-place. Mr. Borland and Mr. Moffett also discussed emergency management plan components, decision-making procedures and after-action reporting.

Recovery  [PDF, 324 KB]

Gregory Thomas, the former Deputy Director of Planning and Response in the National Center for Disaster Preparedness, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health (NY), and Cathy Paine, Special Programs Coordinator for Springfield School District (OR), discussed the four main components of the Recovery phase of emergency management. These components included physical/structural, business/fiscal, academic, and emotional/mental health recovery. Mr. Thomas and Ms. Paine also reviewed Recovery planning activities, training goals, and guidelines for key Recovery issues (e.g., anniversaries, memorials).

Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools Technical Assistance Center  [PDF, 408 KB]

Ms. Judy Strother Taylor, Director of Marketing and Outreach at EMT Associates, Inc., presented to grantees on the services offered by the REMS TA Center, including the facilitation of training events, provision of electronic and telephone TA services, hosting of the rems.ed.gov Web site, dissemination of informational publications, and provision of numerous resources relevant to the field of emergency management.

Welcome and Introduction to the Conference  [PDF, 43 KB]

Bill Modzeleski, Associate Assistant Deputy Secretary with the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, began the meeting with an overview of the two day agenda. He highlighted goals for the training, which included providing attendees with current and important knowledge in the field of emergency management for schools, especially the piloting of six advanced emergency management training sessions. Finally, he urged attendees to review and revise their existing emergency management plans to align with information learned in the training.

City of Chicago: Multi-Agency Communications and E-Information Tools  [PDF, 3.5 MB]

Eileen Ryan, Director, Risk Management and Emergency Planning for Chicago Public Schools, Andres Durbak, Director, Safety and Security for Chicago Public Schools, and Catherine Kolb, Director of Development, Information Services Division for Chicago Police Department provided an overview of the emergency communication capabilities of the Chicago emergency response agencies, including Chicago Public Schools. Ms. Ryan highlighted the city's Office of Emergency Management and Communications response protocols and how they work for the Chicago Public Schools. In addition to an overview of the Joint Operations Center and the 911 center, Mr. Durbak discussed how the city integrates the public school cameras with its emergency communication technology. Ms. Kolb demonstrated the Chicago Police Department's Facility Information Management System (FIMS) and how they customized this system to meet the Emergency Planning needs of the Chicago Public Schools. Participants also viewed a video highlighting interagency collaborative efforts between the Chicago Police Department, Chicago Fire Department, Chicago Public Schools and the City of Chicago’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications.

Safety Audits, Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities Education Service Center, Region 20 (Texas)  [PDF, 6.9 MB]

Command School, Orange County Public Schools (Florida)  [PDF, 595 KB]

Evacuation Training, Aurora Public Schools (Colorado)

Lucien Costley, Educational Specialist for Education Service Center, Region 20 in Texas, Joe Mastandrea, Emergency Response and Crisis Plan Manager for the Orange County Public Schools in Florida, and Tudy Wicks, Security Supervisor for Aurora Public Schools in Colorado, presented to the REMS Grantees on successful activities accomplished in their LEAs with funding from the REMS grant. Mr. Costley shared with grantees the results of a security safety audit conducted in each facility within the region. Mr. Mastandrea described how his district designed and implemented "Command School" for law, fire, and school personnel in Orange County. He explained how command school operates and provided objective and subjective feedback from participants. Ms. Wicks shared an excerpt from, Schools of Aurora Focus on Emergency Plans, a training manual and video created by her district as a means of providing low-cost training to school staff on emergency management procedures, such as evacuation and reunification. The DVD has five scenarios that direct the viewer to go to the manual to learn valuable procedures to follow in the event a similar crisis occurs at their school. School districts interested in a copy of the DVD/manual should contact Tudy Wicks at tmwicks@aps.k12.co.us.

Continuity of Operations (COOP) Planning  [PDF, 3.2 MB]

Fred Ellis, Director, Office of Safety and Security, Fairfax Public Schools (VA), and Jess Martinez, Project Coordinator, Emergency Response and Crisis Management, San Diego County Office of Education (CA), presented the key components of Continuity of Operations (COOP) Planning. COOP is the framework to maintain organizational preparedness, student instruction, and employee compensation during and after an emergency. Topics discussed included COOP-planning considerations, a description of the nine elements of a viable COOP plan, and potential impacts of a COOP situation.

Business Not as Usual: Preparing for Pandemic Influenza  [PDF, 4.4 MB]

Emergency Support Function Annexes (Pandemic Handout)  [PDF, 16 KB]

Dana Carr, Director, Health, Mental Health, Environmental Health and Physical Education Programs, OSDFS, U.S. Department of Education, and Pegi McEvoy, Director, Safety and Security Department, Seattle Public Schools (WA), presented Pandemic 101 for participants to gain a better understanding of pandemic influenza and response considerations for schools. Ms. Carr and Ms. McEvoy walked participants through a pandemic influenza plan and important factors for schools to consider in their pandemic planning efforts.

The session also incorporated the video, Business Not As Usual: Preparing for a Pandemic Flu, which was developed by Seattle King County Public Health Department, into the session. Grantees viewed portions of the video and then worked in small groups to identify issues that might affect their district. The video is designed to assist pandemic flu planning efforts for businesses, government agencies and community-based organizations and serves as a useful tool for school districts as well. The video is divided into six sections: 1) Introduction to pandemic flu; 2) Life during a pandemic; 3) Social distancing; 4) Creating a plan; 5) Benefits of planning; and 6) Recovering from a pandemic. Leaders from a variety of organizations, non-profits and service industries are profiled as they prepare for the consequences of an influenza pandemic.

Emergency Management Considerations for Students and Staff with Disabilities  [PDF, 4.1 MB]

Assessment Process (Disabilities Handout)  [PDF, 9 KB]

Meloyde Batten-Mickens, Executive Director of Facilities/Public Safety, Gallaudet University (DC), and Bob Spears, Director of Emergency Services, Los Angeles Unified School District (CA), discussed the steps schools can take to meet the unique emergency preparedness needs of students and staff with disabilities. Ms. Batten-Mickens and Mr. Spears illustrated how schools can better accommodate the needs of persons with disabilities in all four phases of emergency management (prevention-mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery).

Responding to Bereavement and Loss  [PDF, 4.5 MB]

National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement, Bereavement Guidelines (for responding to the death of a student or staff member)

National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement, Template Letters for Parents, Students and Staff During Times of Loss

David Schonfeld, Director, National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (OH), and Kelly Streeter, Safe Schools/Healthy Students Project Director, Maine School Administrative District 55, discussed why school emergency management plans should include strategies for responding to bereavement and loss. Mr. Schonfeld and Ms. Streeter outlined pre- and post-incident actions schools can take to ameliorate this type of situation, and offered guidelines on handling seven key issues.

School Safety and Physical Design  [PDF, 4.7 MB]

William Lassiter, Director of Communications, North Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, and Steven McElroy, Director of Security, Safety and Security, Columbus Public Schools (OH), presented key considerations for school officials to improve the physical environment of a school as it impacts overall security and safety. Mr. Lassiter and Mr. McElroy reviewed elements of strong safety-related school design, discussed school vulnerability assessments, and outlined the four elements of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED).

Conducting Effective Tabletops, Drills, and Other Exercises  [PDF, 3.8 MB]

Julie Collins, Operations and Management Consultant Manager, Florida Department of Education, and Matthew Taylor, Associate Director, Montana Safe School Center, presented key considerations for schools in planning and implementing tabletop exercises, drills, and full-scale exercises. Ms. Collins and Mr. Taylor provided an overview of five types of emergency exercises, discussed how to build a successful exercise design continuum, and shared strategies on conducting exercises.

Final Reports, No-Cost Extensions and Closeouts  [PDF, 111 KB]

Tara Hill, Michelle Sinkgraven, and Sara Strizzi, Program Analysts from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, provided an overview of FY07 REMS final report requirements, discussed no-cost grant extensions, and how grantees should close out their fiscal year 2007 grant projects.

Welcome and Introduction  [PDF, 547 KB]

Michelle Sinkgraven and Sara Strizzi, Management & Program Analysts with the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, presented background information on the Emergency Management for Schools Training program, and provided an overview of school emergency management. They also presented the agenda and introduced the trainers.

Lessons Learned from the Field: Southern California Wildfires and Hurricane Katrina  [PDF, 8.3 MB]

Carol Mancuso, Director of School Safety and Discipline for the Jefferson Parish Public School System in Louisiana, discussed experiences relating to school and community response and recovery to Hurricane Katrina. Jess Martinez of the San Diego County Office of Education also shared “Lessons Learned” by schools and communities in responding to a natural disaster: the October 2007 Southern California Wildfires.

Closing Session  [PDF, 403 KB]

Michelle Sinkgraven and Sara Strizzi, Management & Program Analysts with the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, thanked participants for their attendance at the training, and provided references and links to relevant resources.

Prevention-Mitigation  [PDF, 11 MB]

William Lassiter, Manager of the North Carolina Center for Prevention of School Violence, and Pegi McEvoy, Safety and Security Manager for Seattle (WA) Public Schools, provided an overview of the first phase of emergency management, Prevention-Mitigation. Topics discussed included collaboration, safety and security needs assessment, and hazard analysis.

Preparedness  [PDF, 4.5 MB]

Willie Freeman, Director of Security for Newark (NJ) Public Schools, and Mary Jalloh, Founder and Executive Director of the New York State Center for School Safety, reviewed the key components of the Preparedness phase, including emergency plans and procedures, the Incident Command System, coordination and communication, training, and functional exercises.

Response  [PDF, 3.7 MB]

Larry Borland, Director of School Safety and Transportation for the Douglas County (CO) School District, and Mike Beekman, Executive Director of Safety and Student Services for Capistrano Unified School District (CA), presented information on the Response phase of emergency management. They discussed the three types of response actions (evacuation, lockdown and shelter-in-place), the response continuum, emergency management plan development, and after-action debriefing.

Recovery  [PDF, 3.5 MB]

Carol Mancuso, Director of School Safety and Discipline for Jefferson Parish Public School and Kelly Streeter, Project Director for Maine School Administrative District 55, reviewed the Recovery phase of emergency management and provided information and resources on physical/structural, business/fiscal, academic and psychological/emotional recovery.

School Tabletops, Drills and Exercises  [PDF, 2.8 MB]

Matthew Taylor, Associate Director of the Montana Safe Schools Center, presented key considerations for schools in planning and implementing tabletop exercises, drills, and full-scale exercises.

Welcome and Introduction  [PDF, 638 KB]

Tara Hill and Sara Strizzi, Management & Program Analysts with the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, presented background information on the Emergency Management for Schools Training program, and also provided an overview of school emergency management. They also presented the agenda and introduced the trainers.

Closing Session  [PDF, 412 KB]

Tara Hill and Sara Strizzi, Management & Program Analysts with the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, thanked participants for their attendance at the training, and provided references and links to available resources.

Prevention-Mitigation  [PDF, 9.81 MB]

Jon Akers, Executive Director for the Kentucky Center for School Safety, and William Lassiter, Manager of the North Carolina Center for Prevention of School Violence, provided an overview of the first phase of emergency management, Prevention-Mitigation. Topics discussed included collaboration, safety and security needs assessment and hazard analysis.

Preparedness  [PDF, 3.14 MB]

Julie Collins, Operations and Management Consultant Manager of the Florida Department of Education, and Willie Freeman, Director of Security for Newark (NJ) Public Schools, reviewed the key components of the Preparedness phase, including emergency plans and procedures, the Incident Command System, coordination and communication, training and functional exercises.

Response  [PDF, 3.46 MB]

Larry Borland, Director of School Safety and Transportation for the Douglas County (CO) School District, and Steven McElroy, Director of Safety and Security with Columbus (OH) City Schools, presented information on the Response phase of emergency management. They discussed the three types of response actions (evacuation, lockdown and shelter-in-place), the response continuum, emergency management plan development and after-action debriefing.

Recovery  [PDF, 3.39 MB]

Carol Mancuso, Director of School Safety and Discipline for Jefferson Parish Public School and Kelly Streeter, Project Director for Maine School Administrative District 55, reviewed the Recovery phase of emergency management and provided information and resources on physical/structural, business/fiscal, academic and psychological/emotional recovery.

School Tabletops, Drills and Exercises  [PDF, 11.4 MB]

Steve Harris, Interim Director and Emergency Operations Manager for the Office of Security and Emergency Preparedness, University of Georgia presented key considerations for schools in planning and implementing tabletop exercises, drills, and full-scale exercises.

Welcome and Introduction to the Conference  [PDF, 3,099 KB]

Bill Modzeleski, Associate Assistant Deputy Secretary with the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, began the meeting with an overview of the two and one half-day agenda. He highlighted goals for the training, which included providing attendees with the information and skills necessary to create all-hazards Emergency Management Plans. Mr. Modzeleski discussed the importance for schools to have an Emergency Management Plan, and explained the necessary components that should comprise such a plan. Finally, he provided key lessons learned from the Emergency Management planning process to aid audience members' own work, and suggested additional resources to guide their efforts.

Sharing Information (FERPA)  [PDF, 2,554 KB]

LeRoy Rooker of the U.S. Department of Education presented on the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and this statute's relationship to schools' uses of student information. FERPA protects student records data by defining what constitutes a “student record,” the conditions under which consent is required to disclose student record information, and exceptions to the privacy and consent rules (e.g., subpoenas and court orders, health and safety emergencies, etc.). Mr. Rooker offered resources for Technical Assistance on this topic, as well.

Grant Administration  [PDF, 2,480 KB]

Karen Dorsey from the U.S. Department of Education provided grantees with knowledge on Grant Administration, which incorporated an overview of grants management along with instructions, information, and resources to administer the REMS FY 2007 grant project.

REMS Grantee Panel: Response to Southern California Fires  [PDF, 10,411 KB]

Jess Martinez, Jim Esterbrooks, and Dr. Randy Ward of the San Diego County Office of Education shared with Grantees their first-hand experiences responding to and recovering from the October 2007 fires that impacted San Diego County. Graphic pictures of the fires and their destruction accompanied the panel members' discussion of lessons learned in coping with this disaster, such as the value of the Incident Command System, the need for up-to-date and easily accessible contact information for school personnel, first responders, and community partners, and the importance of having functional ways of communicating quickly with students, parents, and community members.

Lessons Learned from REMS Grantees

Long Beach Unified School District  [PDF, 9,351 KB]
Orange County Office of Education  [PDF, 17,105 KB]
Los Angeles Unified School District  [PDF, 2,431 KB]

Cathy Coy, Emergency Preparedness Program Manager for Long Beach Unified School District, Dr. Arthur Cummins, Administrator of Safe & Healthy Schools for the Orange County Department of Education, and Bob Spears, Director of Emergency Services for Los Angeles Unified School District, presented to the REMS Grantees on their experiences managing an ERCM/REMS grant. Ms. Coy's district was awarded back to back ERCM grants in 2004 and 2005, and she shared with grantees the activities her district took on to improve their capacity in each of the four phases of emergency management. Mr. Cummins told the audience of the numerous events threatening schools in Orange County. He described how grant funds were used to create an informational Web site with trainings and resources to help schools prepare, prevent, and respond to these threats. Mr. Spears' district is a current REMS grantee, as well as a prior grantee, and he shared with audience members his district's lessons learned between their two years of funding.

One Grantee's Story: Developing an Emergency Management Plan from Start to Finish  [PDF, 3,811 KB]

Steven E. McElroy, Director of Safety and Security Services for the Columbus City Schools, has served as the Chief Investigator on two ERCM grants. He shared with training attendees his experiences using grant funds to develop and expand upon a comprehensive emergency management plan for his district, which included becoming NIMS compliance. Mr. McElroy offered grantees key components of the Columbus City Schools' emergency management plan, and provided tips for grant implementation.

National Incident Management System (NIMS)

Local Perspective on the National Incident Management System  [PDF, 1,138 KB]
NIMS Overview and Compliance  [PDF, 1,056 KB]

Susan Waller of the FEMA Region IX, National Preparedness Division, along with Joseph Mastandrea, Emergency Response & Crisis Plan Manager from Orange County (FL) Public Schools, delivered information in breakout sessions regarding the National Incident Management System. Mr. Mastandrea offered a local perspective on the use of NIMS, including how to take NIMS courses, the importance of practicing what is learned, and the usefulness of the NIMS structure in a school setting. Ms. Waller gave an overview of the rationale for NIMS and a detailed explanation of NIMS compliance.

Prevention-Mitigation  [PDF, 10,007 KB]

Pegi McEvoy, Safety Administrator, Seattle (WA) Public Schools, and Billy Lassiter, of the North Carolina Center for the Prevention of Violence, reviewed the key components of the Prevention-Mitigation phase of emergency management, which is designed to assess and address the safety and integrity of facilities, security, and culture and climate of schools. Topics discussed included Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED), partner collaboration, safety and security needs assessments and hazard analysis.

Preparedness  [PDF, 2,940 KB]

Willie Freeman, Director of Security for Newark (NJ) Public Schools, and Matt Taylor, Associate Director, University of Montana, Montana Safe Schools Center, highlighted key Preparedness objectives and activities, such as the coordination of effective plans with community partners. Mr. Freeman and Mr. Taylor discussed emergency management plans and procedures, the Incident Command System (ICS), training, and emergency exercises.

Response  [PDF, 3,554 KB]

Larry Borland, Executive Director for Safety and Transportation of Douglas County Schools (CO), and Ian Moffett, Police Captain, Administration Division of the Miami-Dade Schools Police Department, provided an overview of the Response phase of emergency management, including three main response actions: evacuation, lockdown and shelter-in-place. Mr. Borland and Mr. Moffett also discussed emergency management plan components, decision-making procedures and after-action reporting.

Recovery  [PDF, 3,234 KB]

Gregory Thomas, formerly of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness, Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University, and Joshua Kaufman, LCSW in School and Mental Health Services for the Los Angeles Unified School District, discussed the four main components of the Recovery phase of emergency management. These components included physical/structural, business/fiscal, academic, and emotional/mental health recovery. Mr. Thomas and Mr. Kaufman also reviewed Recovery planning activities, training goals, and guidelines for key Recovery issues (e.g., anniversaries, memorials).

Performance Monitoring and Evaluation: Site Visits, Reporting, and the Government Performances and Results Act  [PDF, 2,736 KB]

Tara Hill and Sara Strizzi, Program Analysts from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, reviewed the importance of the evaluation of REMS grant projects through an overview of the REMS performance monitoring plan, discussion of grant site visits, exploration of key evaluation components, and description of the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) measures and reporting method for REMS grantees.

Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools Technical Assistance Center  [PDF, 2,458 KB]

Mr. Joël Phillips, President of EMT Associates, Inc., presented to grantees on the services offered by the REMS TA Center, including the facilitation of training events, provision of electronic and telephone TA services, hosting of the rems.ed.gov Web site, dissemination of informational publications, and provision of numerous resources relevant to the field of emergency management.

Prevention-Mitigation  [PPT, 9,145 KB]

Jon Akers, Executive Director for the Kentucky Center for School Safety, and Steve Kimberling, School Safety Assessment Coordinator with the Kentucky Center for School Safety, provided an overview of the first phase of emergency management, Prevention-Mitigation. Topics discussed included key messages, definitions, and examples of the Prevention-Mitigation phase; the importance of collaboration; safety and security needs assessments; and hazard analysis.

Preparedness  [PPT, 2,246 KB]

Matt Taylor, Associate Director for the Montana Center for Investigation and Treatment of Childhood Trauma at the University of Montana, and Willie Freeman, Director of Security with Newark (NJ) Public Schools reviewed the key components of the Preparedness phase. Mr. Taylor and Mr. Freeman identified key components of the Preparedness phase, and discussed emergency management plans and procedures, the Incident Command System (ICS), and training and emergency exercises. The session concluded with a tabletop activity.

Response  [PPT, 2,497 KB]

Ed Clarke, Former Director of Security for Montgomery County (MD) Public Schools, and Ian Moffett, Police Captain with the Administration Division of Miami-Dade (FL) Public Schools Police Department, presented information on the Response phase of emergency management. Mr. Clarke and Captain Moffett reviewed the emergency management response continuum, defined and discussed key components of the Response phase, discussed Response planning and actions, and facilitated a tabletop exercise.

Recovery  [PPT, 2,216 KB]

Gregory Thomas, Deputy Director of Planning and Response at the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University, and Kelly Streeter, Project Director with Maine School Administrative District (MSAD) 55 Safe Schools/Healthy Students reviewed the Recovery phase of emergency management. Mr. Thomas and Ms. Streeter defined Recovery and introduced the four components of Recovery—physical/structural, business, academic, and psychological/emotional recovery. The presenters also discussed how to prepare for each component of Recovery and reviewed a brief scenario.

Final Reports, No-Cost Extensions and Close Outs  [PPT, 1,716 KB]

Ms. Sara Strizzi and Ms. Michelle Sinkgraven, Program Analysts from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools provided FY 2006 ERCM grantees with an overview of final reporting requirements, no-cost extensions, and close-outs. Ms. Strizzi and Ms. Sinkgraven discussed project specific measures, Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) measures, and budget information to include in final reports. The presenters also discussed the purpose and process for obtaining a no-cost extension, reporting due dates, the liquidation period after a grant ends, and other resources available to FY 2006 grantees such as the FY 2006 ERCM Grantee Listserv.

Pandemic Preparedness: The Federal Perspective  [PPT, 933 KB]

Dana Carr from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools discussed Federal Pandemic Influenza Preparedness strategies. Ms. Carr discussed the National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza and the Federal Implementation Plan, which describes the roles for Federal, state, local governments, businesses, communities, families, and individuals in the event of a pandemic influenza outbreak. Ms. Carr emphasized the importance of cross-agency collaboration and shared information related to funding pandemic influenza preparedness efforts.

Pandemic Influenza Planning for Schools: A State Perspective  [PPT, 554 KB]

Ruth Ellen Luehr, a Student Support Specialist with the Minnesota Department of Education's Health Services, presented information on state education's role in pandemic influenza planning. Ms. Luehr emphasized the importance of coordination, communication, and collaboration between state partners and school partners to help ensure disease prevention, control, and surveillance. Ms. Luehr also discussed the importance of creating a service continuation plan, which should delineate the roles and expectations for schools in pandemic planning.

Pandemic Influenza Tabletop Exercise  [PPT, 968 KB]

This tabletop exercise reviewed the rules, objectives, and scheduling requirements for a pandemic influenza tabletop exercise. This session also provided background information on pandemic influenza and provided scenario briefings.

Pandemic Influenza Tabletop Exercise Facilitator's Manual  [Word, 1.42 MB]

Pandemic Influenza Tabletop Exercise Participant's Manual  [Word, 1.41 MB]

Welcome and Introduction  [PPT, 3,109 KB]

Bill Modzeleski, Associate Assistant Deputy Secretary with the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, presented background information on the Emergency Management for Schools Training program, and also provided an overview of school emergency management. Diana Bourisaw, Superintendent of the St. Louis Public Schools highlighted the emergency preparedness efforts of the school system, a Fiscal Year (FY) 2006 Emergency Response and Crisis Management (ERCM) grantee.

School Emergency Management: Highlighting State and Local Collaborative Efforts in Missouri  [PPT, 1,809 KB]

Paul Fennewald, Homeland Security Coordinator with the Missouri Office of Homeland Security, presented guidance on emergency preparedness and highlighted the efforts the state of Missouri is taking to ensure school safety. Cecil Jenkins, ERCM Project Director for the St. Louis (MO) Public Schools, Ken Walk, Emergency Management Specialist at the St. Louis City Emergency Management Agency and Rebecca White, Disaster Specialist with the American Red Cross, St. Louis Area Chapter discussed their collaborative emergency management efforts as part of the St. Louis Public Schools Fiscal Year (FY) 2006 ERCM grant.

Prevention-Mitigation  [PPT, 9,486 KB]

Jon Akers, Executive Director for the Kentucky Center for School Safety, and Steve Kimberling, School Safety Assessment Coordinator with the Kentucky Center for School Safety, provided an overview of the first phase of emergency management, Prevention-Mitigation. Topics discussed included collaboration, safety and security needs assessment and hazard analysis.

Preparedness  [PPT, 1,887 KB]

Julie Collins, Operations and Management Consultant Manager at the Florida Department of Education, and Steve Harris, Emergency Operations Manager with the University of Georgia, reviewed the key components of the Preparedness phase, including emergency plans and procedures, the Incident Command System, coordination and communication, training and functional exercises.

Response  [PPT, 3,649 KB]

Larry Borland, Director of School Safety and Transportation for the Douglas County (CO) School District, and Ian Moffett, Police Captain with the Administration Division of Miami-Dade (FL) Public Schools Police Department, presented information on the Response phase of emergency management. Mr. Borland and Captain Moffett discussed the three types of response actions (evacuation, lockdown and shelter-in-place), the response continuum, emergency management plan development and after-action debriefing.

Recovery  [PPT, 2,239 KB]

Marleen Wong, Director of Crisis Counseling and Intervention Services at the Los Angeles (CA) Unified School District, and Gregory Thomas, Deputy Director of Planning and Response with the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University, reviewed the Recovery phase of emergency management. Dr. Wong and Mr. Thomas provided information and resources on physical/structural, business/fiscal, academic and psychological/emotional recovery.

Overview of Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools (REMS) Grant Competition  [PPT, 2,611 KB]

Tara Hill and Michelle Sinkgraven, Program Specialists with the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, provided an overview of the Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools (REMS) discretionary grant program, offered preliminary information for the FY 2007 REMS grant competition and answered applicants' frequently asked questions.

Introduction and Overview  [PPT, 1,820 KB]

Bill Modzeleski, Associate Assistant Deputy Secretary with the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, presented background information on the Emergency Management for Schools training program, and also provided an overview of school emergency management.

Incorporating Special Needs Considerations into School Emergency Planning  [PPT, 530 KB]

Annette Brandolini, Director of Pupil Services, Upper Darby (PA) School District, and Margie Bates, Social Worker, Upper Darby (PA) School District provided an overview of the district's efforts to support the entire school community, including students with disabilities and special needs. Ms. Brandolini and Ms. Bates provided information and lessons learned as they worked with community partners to increase the district's overall capacity to respond to students with special needs during an emergency or crisis, specifically students in the district's Autistic Support Program and English language learners.

Emergency Response and Crisis Management Grant Program  [PPT, 1,647 KB]

Sara Strizzi, Program Analyst with the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, provided an overview of the Emergency Response and Crisis Management (ERCM) grant program, offered preliminary information for the FY 2007 ERCM grant competition and answered applicants' frequently asked questions.

Prevention-Mitigation Presentation  [PPT, 8,801 KB]

Jon Akers, Executive Director for the Kentucky Center for School Safety, and Steve Kimberling, School Safety Assessment Coordinator with the Kentucky Center for School Safety, provided an overview of the first phase of emergency management, Prevention-Mitigation. Topics discussed included collaboration, safety and security needs assessment and hazard analysis.

Preparedness Presentation  [PPT, 2,172 KB]

Julie Collins, Operations and Management Consultant Manager at the Florida Department of Education, and Matt Taylor, Associate Director of the Montana Safe Schools Center, reviewed the key components of the Preparedness phase, including emergency plans and procedures, the Incident Command System, coordination and communication, training and functional exercises.

Response Presentation  [PPT, 2,497 KB]

Ed Clarke, Former Director of Security for Montgomery County (MD) Public Schools, and Ian Moffett, Police Captain with the Administration Division of Miami-Dade (FL) Public Schools Police Department, presented information on the Response phase of emergency management. Mr. Clarke and Captain Moffett discussed the three types of response actions (evacuation, lockdown and shelter-in-place), the response continuum, emergency management plan development and after-action debriefing.

Recovery Presentation  [PPT, 2,230 KB]

Alex James, Director of the Office of School Facilities with the South Carolina Department of Education, and Marleen Wong, Director of Crisis Counseling and Intervention Services at the Los Angeles (CA) Unified School District, reviewed the Recovery phase of emergency management. Mr. James and Dr. Wong provided information and resources on physical/structural, business/fiscal, academic and psychological/emotional recovery.

Planning for Pandemic Influenza  [PPT, 10.171 KB]

Pegi McEvoy, Safety Administrator with the Seattle (WA) Public Schools, provided information about pandemic influenza framed within the four phases of emergency management (prevention-mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery). Ms. McEvoy also outlined steps schools can take to prepare for a pandemic influenza.

Welcome, Overview of Objectives and Introductions of Presenters  [PPT, 2,630 KB]

Bill Modzeleski, Associate Assistant Deputy Secretary with the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, provided an overview of the meeting goals and objectives. He also reviewed the ERCM discretionary grant program, discussed the importance of the development and maintenance of all-hazard school emergency management plans and outlined critical lessons learned surrounding the four phases of emergency management (Prevention & Mitigation, Preparedness, Response and Recovery).

Grant Administration  [PPT, 70 KB]

Rich Lucey, Program Specialist with the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, and Bryan Williams, Program Analyst with the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, discussed the monitoring and reporting requirements of the ERCM discretionary grant program.

The presentation also highlighted specific issues related to ERCM grantees, including fiscal management, budget transfers and no-cost extensions.

Repeat ERCM Grantee Panel

Chris Dayian, Senior Project Director, Safe Schools Center, Los Angeles County (CA) Office of Education; Gina Kahn, Risk Prevention Services Coordinator, Hampden-Wilbraham (MA) Regional School District; and Steve McElroy, Director of Safety and Security Services, Columbus (OH) Public Schools presented the lessons learned from their previous ERCM grant projects. Mr. Dayian, Ms. Kahn and Mr. McElroy highlighted successful ERCM grant activities implemented in their respective districts, and also discussed specific strategies for overcoming challenges encountered when developing emergency management plans.

A PowerPoint presentation is not available for this session.

Lessons Learned from Hurricanes Katrina & Rita: A Perspective from Mobile County Public Schools in Alabama  [PPT, 1,750 KB]

Rhonda Neal-Waltman, Retired Assistant Superintendent of Student Support Services, Mobile County (AL) Public Schools, discussed the impact of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on the Mobile County Public School system. Dr. Neal-Waltman reviewed the role of schools in responding to an emergency, and offered successful strategies for supporting students, teachers and staff. She also discussed the district's recovery efforts and provided resources on disaster preparedness.

National Incident Management System (NIMS)  [PPT, 787 KB]

Julie Collins, Operations and Management Manager, Florida Department of Education, provided an overview of the National Incident Management System (NIMS), including the six components of NIMS. Ms. Collins also discussed how schools can comply with NIMS requirements.

Prevention & Mitigation  [PPT, 8,586 KB]

Pegi McEvoy, Safety Administrator, Seattle (WA) Public Schools, and Stasha Wyskiel, Emergency Planning Director, San Francisco (CA) Unified School District, reviewed the key components of the Prevention & Mitigation phase of emergency management. Topics discussed included Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED), partner collaboration, safety and security needs assessments and hazard analysis.

Preparedness  [PPT, 1,792 KB]

Willie Freeman, Director of Security/Chief Investigator, Newark (NJ) Public Schools, and Matt Taylor, Associate Director, University of Montana, Montana Safe Schools Center, highlighted key Preparedness objectives and activities. Mr. Freeman and Mr. Taylor discussed emergency management plans and procedures, the Incident Command System (ICS), training and emergency exercises.

Response  [PPT, 2,746 KB]

Edward Clarke, former Director of School Safety and Security, Montgomery County (MD) Public Schools, provided an overview of the Response phase of emergency management. Mr. Clarke outlined the three main response actions: evacuation, lockdown and shelter-in-place. He also discussed emergency management plan components, decision-making procedures and after-action reporting.

Recovery  [PPT, 2,172 KB]

Chris Saiz, Manager of Psychological Services, Denver (CO) Public Schools, and Tod Schneider, Safe School Design Professional, discussed the four main components of the Recovery phase of emergency management. These components included physical/structural, business/fiscal, academic and emotional/mental health recovery. Dr. Saiz and Mr. Schneider also reviewed Recovery planning activities, training goals and guidelines for key Recovery issues (e.g., anniversaries, memorials).

Evaluation, Government Performance and Results Act Measures & Performance Reports  [PPT, 1,520 KB]

Tara Hill, Michelle Sinkgraven and Sara Strizzi, Program Analysts from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, reviewed the importance of the evaluation of ERCM projects, outlined the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) measures, provided illustrative measures and explained the reporting method for ERCM grantees.

Bereavement, Loss and School Memorials  [PPT, 723 KB]

Dr. Marleen Wong is Director of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Crisis Counseling and Intervention Services and the LAUSD/RAND/University of California Los Angeles Trauma Services Adaptation Center for Schools. Dr. Wong presented information on the prevalence of trauma in children's lives, its impact on learning and the role of caring adults in promoting healthy coping strategies following a trauma. Additionally, Ms. Wong provided guidelines for bereavement memorials.

Infectious Disease Planning: Incorporating Pandemic Planning into School Emergency Management Plans  [PPT, 690 KB]

Ms. Dana Carr is a Program Specialist with the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools. Ms. Carr provided background information on pandemic influenza, current planning assumptions and implications for schools in the event of a pandemic influenza. She also outlined the roles of Federal, State and local governments in preparing for and responding to a pandemic influenza outbreak. Additionally, Ms. Carr described activities for schools and school districts to implement before, during and after an outbreak: creating a business continuity plan, activating the incident command system and restore the learning environment.

Terrorism Early Warning Model

Gus Frias, Coordinator of School Safety Programs, Los Angeles County Office of Education, and John Sullivan, Lieutenant, National Terrorism Early Warning Resource Center, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, presented on the Los Angeles Terrorism Early Warning Model. Mr. Frias and Lieutenant Sullivan provided background information on terrorism around the world and its effects our nation. Additionally, an overview of the Terrorism Early Warning Model and its role in school and community preparedness was given.

A PowerPoint presentation is not available for this session.

Threat Assessment: Part I

Chief Arthur J. Kelly, III, Retired Chief of Police, New Bedford, Massachusetts; Sara Strizzi, Program Analyst with the OSDFS; and Georgeann Rooney, Threat Assessment Specialist with the U.S. Secret Service's National Threat Assessment Center, co-presented to ERCM grantees on threat assessment in schools. Threat assessment in schools was developed through the Safe School Initiative, a joint initiative of the U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Education studying 37 school shootings and other school-based attacks that took place between 1974 and 2000. The protocol sets forth a process for identifying, assessing, and managing students who may pose a threat of targeted violence in schools.

A PowerPoint presentation is not available for this session.

Conducting Effective Table Tops, Drills & Exercises  [PPT, 449 KB]

Mr. Matt Taylor, Assistant Director of the University of Montana's Outreach for the Division of Educational Research and Service, provided information and strategies for grantees on how to design and conduct effective school emergency exercises.

Incident Command System for Schools  [PPT, 746 KB]

Mr. Larry Borland, Director of School Safety and Security, Douglas County (CO) Public Schools led a session on developing and institutionalizing the Incident Command System (ICS). With a brief description of each component, he also provided insight from past experiences and examples of how schools use ICS to meet their needs. In conclusion, Mr. Borland provided a few scenarios to be used as tabletops for practicing the activation of the ICS and its team.

The National Response Plan: What it Means for School Preparedness  [PPT, 449 KB]

Yvonne Bartoli, Senior Policy Advisor, Homeland Security is currently working with the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools. She provided an overview of the National Response Plan (NRP), the government's role in an incident of national significance, and how it relates to school emergency preparedness.

A Conversation with the American Red Cross: Opportunities to Work Together

Keith Robertory, Manager of Preparedness Planning and Development, American Red Cross and Lauren Lobrano, Senior Associate, Government Relations & Public Policy, American Red Cross led a discussion with grantees addressing how the American Red Cross and schools can better work together to ensure the safety of our nation's students at school and at home. Discussions focused on what services schools needed to prepare for an emergency, how schools access American Red Cross services and products, and how the American Cross can better address these needs.

A PowerPoint presentation is not available for this session.

The Flu Pandemic: A Once and Future Menace  [PPT, 823 KB]

Kelly Granger, Pandemic Influenza Coordinator for the Hillsborough County Health Department, presented background information on the pandemic flu, its likely impact on school communities, and school emergency management strategies for preparedness and communication. Other issues addressed were surveillance and detection of the influenza virus, and response and containment.

Threat Assessment: Part I

Arthur J. Kelly, III, Retired Chief of Police, New Bedford, Massachusetts, Bill Modzeleski, Associate Assistant Deputy Secretary, OSDFS, and Tracey Mullins, Threat Assessment Specialist, U.S. Secret Service, National Threat Assessment Center co-presented to ERCM grantees on threat assessment in schools. Threat assessment in schools was developed through the Safe School Initiative, a joint initiative of the U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the U.S. Department of Education studying 37 school shootings and other school-based attacks that took place between 1974 and 2000. The protocol sets forth a process for identifying, assessing, and managing students who may pose a threat of targeted violence in schools.

A PowerPoint presentation is not available for this session.

School Tabletop Exercises  [PPT, 19,446 KB]

Steve Harris, formerly of Georgia Emergency Management Agency and currently with the University of Georgia provided information and strategies for grantees pertaining to conducting tabletop exercises. Following the presentation is a sample scenario.

Incident Command System for Schools  [PPT, 673 KB]

Larry Borland, Director of School Safety and Security, Douglas County (CO) Public Schools led a session on developing and institutionalizing the Incident Command System (ICS). With a brief description of each component, he also provided insight from past experiences and examples of how schools use ICS to meet their needs. In conclusion, Mr. Borland provides a few scenarios to be used as tabletops for practicing the activation of the ICS and its team.

Welcome and introduction

• Emergency Management for Schools Training Introduction  [PPT, 204 KB]
  
• Overview of Emergency Management for Schools  [PPT, 150 KB]
  
  Tara Hill and Michelle Sinkgraven presented background information on the "Emergency Management for Schools" training initiative and an overview of school emergency management.

Infectious Disease Planning: Incorporating Pandemic Planning into School Crisis Plans

• Infectious Disease Planning: Incorporating Pandemic Planning into School Crisis Plans  [PPT, 661 KB]
  
  Dana Carr, a Program Specialist with the Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, provided information about infectious diseases and a pandemic influenza framed in the four phases of emergency management. Ms. Carr outlined the common steps schools can take to prepare for a pandemic influenza.

Back to Top

Prevention and Mitigation

• Prevention/Mitigation Presentation  [PPT, 6,737 KB]
  
  Pegi McEvoy of Seattle (WA) Public Schools and Matt Taylor of Montana University reviewed the first phase of crisis planning, mitigation and prevention. Topics addressed included the importance of risk and safety assessments, hazard analysis, and collaboration

Preparedness

• Preparedness Presentation  [PPT, 788 KB]
  
• Preparedness Table Top Exercise  [PPT, 88 KB]
  
  Julie Collins, of Florida Department of Education, and Wayne Sakamoto of San Diego (CA) County Office of Education discussed the key components of the preparedness phase: emergency procedures, the incident command system, coordination and communication, training, and functional exercises.

Back to Top

Response

• Response Presentation  [PPT, 1,165 KB]
  
• Response Table Top Exercise  [PPT, 75 KB]
  
  Ed Clarke, of Montgomery County (MD) Public Schools, and Gregory Thomas, of Columbia University provided an overview of the key components of the response phase: Unified Command, communication, decision-making, and after-action briefing.

Recovery

• Recovery Presentation  [PPT, 826 KB]
  
  Melissa Brymer, of National Center for Child Traumatic Stress, and Kelly Ryan-Biskup, of Windham (ME) School Department, reviewed the recovery phase and addressed the emotional, behavioral, and cognitive effects of trauma.

FY 2006 Emergency Response and Crisis Management (ERCM) Discretionary Grant Program

• FY 2006 ERCM Application: Question and Answer Session  [PPT, 256 KB]
  
  Tara Hill and Michelle Sinkgraven provided an overview of the ERCM Grant program, offered preliminary information for the FY 2006 ERCM Grant competition, and responded to questions from participants.

Welcome and introduction

• Emergency Management for Schools Training Initiative  [PPT, 380 KB]
  
• Overview of Emergency Management for Schools  [PPT, 154 KB]
  
  Bill Modzeleski, Tara Hill, Michelle Sinkgraven, and Sara Strizzi presented background information on the "Emergency Management for Schools" training initiative and an overview of school emergency management.

Infectious Disease Planning: Incorporating Pandemic Planning into School Crisis Plans

• Pandemic Influenza Planning: What Schools Need to Know  [PPT, 5,997 KB]
  
  David Morens of the National Institutes of Health Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases outlined the history of pandemics, the common attributes, and steps schools can take to prepare for a pandemic influenza.

Lessons Learned

• Community Crisis Response: Lessons Learned from Columbine  [PPT, 49 KB]
  
  Betsy Thompson of Jefferson County (CO) Public Schools, Steve Siegel of Colorado's Crime Victim Compensation Program, and Robin Finegan of Finegan Flannigan & Associates presented lessons learned from the Columbine school shooting tragedy.

Prevention and Mitigation

• Prevention/Mitigation Presentation  [PPT, 7,218 KB]
  
  Jon Akers and Steve Kimberling, from the Kentucky Center for School Safety, reviewed the first phase of crisis planning, mitigation and prevention. Topics addressed included the importance of risk and safety assessments, hazard analysis, and collaboration.

Preparedness

• Preparedness Presentation  [PPT, 773 KB]
  
  Willie Freeman, of Newark (NJ) Public Schools, and Matt Taylor of the University of Montana discussed the key components of the preparedness phase: emergency procedures, the incident command system, coordination and communication, training, and functional exercises.

Response

• Response Presentation  [PPT, 1,115 KB]
  
• Response Table Top Exercise  [PPT, 79 KB]
  
  Ed Clarke, of Montgomery County (MD) Public Schools, and Jon Blackburn, of Houston (TX) Independent Schools provided an overview of the key components of the response phase: Unified Command, communication, decision-making, and after-action briefing.

Recovery

• Recovery Presentation  [PPT, 819 KB]
  
  Melissa Brymer from the University of California Psychiatric Institute and Chris Saiz from Denver (CO) Public Schools, reviewed the recovery phase and addressed the emotional, behavioral, and cognitive effects of trauma.

FY 2006 Emergency Response and Crisis Management (ERCM) Discretionary Grant Program

• FY 2006 ERCM Application: Question and Answer Session  [PPT, 258 KB]
  
  Tara Hill, Michelle Sinkgraven, and Sara Strizzi provided an overview of the ERCM Grant program, offered preliminary information for the FY 2006 ERCM Grant competition, and responded to questions from participants.

Hurricane Katrina: Mitigation, Response, and Recovery

• The Mississippi Perspective  [PPT, 8,851 KB | PDF, 2,561 KB]
  
• The Houston Perspective  [PPT, 11,875 KB | PDF, 2,954 KB]
  
  Mr. Robert Laird, the Director of School Safety for the Mississippi Department of Education, and Chief John Blackburn, Chief of Police for the Houston Independent School District (HISD) shared their experiences and lessons learned during Hurricane Katrina.

National Incident Management System

• NIMS Presentation
  
  Captain James Cummings and Chief Jim Kelly, from the Palm Beach County (FL) School District Police Department, provided an overview of the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and how it applies to schools and school districts.
  
  A PowerPoint presentation is not available for this session.

Preparing for Pandemic Flu

• The CDC's Guidelines  [PPT, 919 KB | PDF, 1,295 KB]
  
• Seattle's Perspective  [PPT, 6,747 KB | PDF, 3,263 KB]
  
  Dr. Diane Allensworth, Associate Director, Education Sector in the Division of Private and Public Partnerships at the Centers for Disease Control, and Ms. Pegi McEvoy, the Safety Administrator for Seattle (WA) Public Schools, discussed pandemic avian influenza and the steps school districts should take to prepare their schools.

Government Performance and Results Act and Relationship to 524B Form

• GPRA and Evaluation Presentation  [PPT, 387 KB | PDF, 1,093 KB]
  
  Ms. Tara Hill, Ms. Sara Strizzi, and Ms. Michelle Sinkgraven from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools reviewed the importance of the evaluation of ERCM projects, outlined the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) measures, and explained the reporting method for ERCM grantees.

Overview of the Emergency Response and Crisis Management Technical Assistance Center

• ERCM TA Center Presentation  [PPT, 175 KB | PDF, 531 KB]
  
  Dr. Kathy Zantal-Wiener from the Emergency Response and Crisis Management (ERCM) Technical Assistance (TA) Center provided an overview of the services of the Center, including technical assistance, newsletters, and a variety of resources for ERCM grantees and non-grantees.

Red/Blue Tracks

The Red and Blue Tracks provided the 60 new FY 2005 ERCM grantees with an overview of the four phases of emergency planning, including mitigation and prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery. Grantees also attended a lessons learned session hosted by a panel of former grantees to provide insight into handling emergency situations at the school and district levels.

Mitigation and Prevention

• Mitigation and Prevention Presentation  [PPT, 10,364 KB | PDF, 3,052 KB]
  
  Mr. Jon Akers and Mr. Steve Kimberling, from the Kentucky Center for School Safety, reviewed the first phase of crisis planning, mitigation and prevention. Topics addressed included the importance of risk and safety assessments, mitigation legislation, and nonstructural hazards.

Preparedness

• Preparedness Presentation  [PPT, 468 KB | PDF, 1,061 KB]
  
  Mr. Wayne Sakamoto, the Safe Schools Lead Coordinator for the San Diego County Office of Education, discussed the preparedness phase and outlined eight key steps to ensure a quick response to an emergency or crisis.

Response

• Response Presentation  [PPT, 312 KB | PDF, 151 KB]
  
• Response Table Top Exercise  [PPT, 70 KB | PDF, 89 KB]
  
• Response Video  [AVI, 171,942 KB]
  
  Mr. Ed Clarke, Director of the Department of School Safety and Security at Montgomery County (MD) Public Schools, provided an overview of the response phase of crisis planning and discussed the importance of the Incident Command System.

Recovery

• Recovery Presentation  [PPT, 1,255 KB | PDF, 390 KB]
  
• Recovery Table Top Exercise  [PPT, 335 KB | PDF, 359 KB]
  
  Dr. Marleen Wong, from the Los Angeles (CA) Unified School District, and Ms. Kelly Ryan-Biskup, from the Windham (ME) School Department, reviewed the recovery phase and addressed the emotional, behavioral, and cognitive effects of trauma.

Lessons Learned

• Stanley Conyer's Presentation  [PPT, 273 KB | PDF, 222 KB]
  
• Bruce Wilkoff's Presentation  [PPT, 23 KB | PDF, 23 KB]
  
• Pat Swanson's Presentation  [PPT, 159 KB | PDF, 67 KB]
  
  First Sergeant Stanley Conyer (Retired), from the IDEA Public Charter School (DC), Bruce Wilkoff, from Oxnard (CA) Union High School District, and Pat Swanson, from Valparaiso (IN) Community Schools, discussed the lessons learned from various crises experienced in their districts.

Gold Track

The Gold Track consisted of the 33 ERCM grantees that received their second award this year and offered information to help maintain their crisis planning efforts. The topics for the five concurrent breakout sessions included crisis planning for individuals with disabilities and special needs, communication with parents/guardians, dealing with weapons on campus, the Teen SERT program, and designing community-wide drills.

Crisis Planning for Individuals with Disabilities and Special Needs

• The National Organization on Disability's Guidelines  [PPT, 343 KB | PDF, 253 KB]
  
• Upper Darby's Perspective  [PPT, 205 KB | PDF, 136 KB]
  
• San Francisco's Perspective  [PPT, 10,781 KB | PDF, 729 KB]
  
  Ms. Hilary Styron, Acting Director of the National Organization on Disability's Emergency Preparedness Initiative, discussed guidelines for including individuals with disabilities and special needs in disaster response planning. Ms. Annette Brandolini and Mr. Timothy Boyce, from Upper Darby (PA) School District, and Ms. Stasha Wyskiel, from San Francisco (CA) Unified School District, outlined the efforts their school districts have made to include the special needs population in crisis plans.

Communication with Parents/Guardians

• Austin's Perspective  [PPT, 953 KB | PDF, 845 KB]
  
• Virginia Beach's Perspective  [PPT, 1,074 KB | PDF, 610 KB]
  
  Ms. Jo Moss, from the Austin (TX) Independent School District, and Ms. Nancy Soscia and Mr. Richard Ponti, from Virginia Beach City (VA) Public Schools, reviewed the steps school districts can take to involve parents and the community in crisis planning.

Dealing with Weapons on Campus

• Prince William County's Perspective  [PPT, 5,813 KB | PDF, 1,669 KB]
  
• Kerrville's Perspective  [PPT, 524 KB | PDF, 402 KB]
  
  Lieutenant Kevin Hughart, from the Prince William County (VA) Police Department, Mr. William Bixby, a principal with Prince William County (VA) Public Schools, and Ms. Kendall Young, from the Kerrville (TX) Independent School District, presented strategies to plan and prepare for incidents of school violence.

Teen SERT

• Teen SERT Presentation  [PPT, 11,558 KB | PDF, 8,818 KB]
  
  Ms. Haley Rich, of the Teen SERT program, provided an overview of Teen SERT, an in-class program that educates students on the effects of natural and man-made disasters while teaching basic preparedness and response skills. Issues, such as planning needs and funding methods, were also discussed.

Designing Community-Wide Drills

• Guidelines for Conducting Community Wide Drills  [PPT, 8,338 KB | PDF, 3,841 KB]
  
• Sample Exercise  [MPG, 108,450 KB]
  
• Macomb's Perspective  [PPT, 128 KB | PDF, 810 KB]
  
  Mr. Steve Harris, formerly with the Office of Homeland Security-Georgia Emergency Management Agency and currently with the Office of Security and Emergency Preparedness at The University of Georgia, reviewed the fundamental components of planning, implementing, and evaluating emergency exercises. Nancy Buyle, from the Macomb (MI) Intermediate School District, described one school district's experience and lessons learned during a district-wide scenario.