Leadership for Safe Schools

Leadership for Safe Schools is every school and district leader's guide to developing practical policies and carefully designed action plans to ensure that K-12 students are physically and psychologically safe, secure, and supported. With today's students experiencing soaring rates of depression, anxiety, trauma, loneliness, and suicidality-in addition to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the normalization of school shootings-school personnel desperately need multifaceted approaches that decrease violence, facilitate social connectedness, and promote emotional well-being. This book's proactive, preventive, and responsive Three Pillar Model offers a coherent framework for creating safe and supportive schools and fostering student mental health.

Each chapter guides school leaders and administrators to implement evidence-based interventions and strategies, including:

strategies for school safety, threat assessment, suicide prevention, and anti-violence efforts

easy-to-apply improvements to school climate and culture

social supports for diverse students, including the marginalized, victimized, and at-risk

effective partnerships with families, communities, and other spheres of influence

principles from positive psychology and social-emotional learning

research-based strategies for trauma-informed care and crisis response

Whether you are a principal or superintendent; a school psychologist, counselor, or social worker; or a school resource officer, nurse, or proactive teacher, this book will be your all-in-one inspiration for fostering resilient learning environments and implementing multi-component prevention and intervention strategies to support students' mental health.