ACTION STEPS FOR STUDENTS
There is much students can do to help create safe schools. Talk to your teachers, parents, and counselor to find out how you can get involved and do your part to make your school safe.
Here are some ideas that students in other schools have tried:
Listen to your friends if they share troubling feelings or thoughts. Encourage them to get help from a trusted adult- such as a school counselor, school psychologist, teacher, leader from the faith community, or other professionals. If you are very concerned, seek help for them. Share your concerns with your parents.
- Know your school’s code of conduct and model responsible behavior. avoid being part of a crowd when fights break out. Refrain from teasing, bullying, and intimidating peers.
Be a role model- take personal responsibility by reacting to anger without physically or verbally harming others.
- If you know or hear that someone is planning to do harm, even if he/she say it’s a joke, you MUST TELL SOMEONE; a school official, police officer or school counselor- someone. If they don’t take you seriously, then tell someone else until someone does.
- Work with your teachers and administrators to create a safe process for reporting threats, intimidation, weapon possession, drug selling, gang activity, graffiti, and vandalism. Use the process.
- Help to develop and participate in activities that promote student understanding of differences that respect the rights of all.
- Volunteer to be a mentor for younger students and/or provide tutoring to your peers.
- Get involved in planning, implementing, and evaluating your school’s violence prevention and response plan.
- Work with your school to organize an assembly and invite your school counselor, school psychologist, in addition to student panelists to share ideas about how to deal with violence, intimidation, and bullying.
- Work with local businesses and community groups to organize youth-oriented activities that help young people think of ways to prevent school and community violence. Share your ideas for how these community groups and businesses can support your efforts.
- Ask for permission to invite a law enforcement officer to your school to conduct a safety audit and share safety tips, such s traveling in groups and avoiding areas known to be unsafe. Share your ideas with the officer.
- If you are experiencing intense feelings of anger, fear, anxiety, or depression, seek help from your parents or a trusted adult- such as a school counselor, school psychologist, school nurse, or teacher.