Violence Prevention & Crisis Response in NB schools … why can’t I find updated NB DOE Policies??

[AreWeThereYetMom]

Violence Prevention & Crisis Response in NB schools … why can’t I find updated NB DOE Policies??

Keeping our Schools Safe: A Protocol for Violence Prevention and Crisis Response in New Brunswick Schools.

I’m an internet information junkie like many of the readers of this community forum.
But I’m also a responsible citizen trying to parent and raise a family in a challenging time.

I figured a second thread related to the school violence was in order as our New Brunswick Internet Highway may be
lacking updated Education policies on our wonderful New Brunswick Government website – I can’t find them, can you?

www.gnb.ca (http://www.gnb.ca)

Government of New Brunswick - Department of Education
http://www.gnb.ca/0000/index-e.asp
http://www.gnb.ca/0000/policies.asp (http://www.gnb.ca/0000/policies.asp) which lists all the Education Policies.Sadly the following policies are flagged as "Policy in Effect"
Under Health and Safety:
Policy #701 - Policy for the Protection of Pupils NOTE: Last Revised 2004I encourage all parents read this document and file a request to have it updated with the Department of Education.


Policy #701 also comes with a Form link right below it labelled "Appendix A-Complaint Summary Form"
--> This form is to be used for complaints of non-professional conduct. It can be made against the following: Pupil, Teacher, School Administrator, District Administrator, Parent/Guardian, DOE Staff or Other Person.

Next under Health and Safety: Policy #705 - Crisis Planning

This covers School and School District Crisis Planning NOTE: Last Revised July 2001.

Addresses aspects of violence prevention and crisis response in schools.
The policy provides a protocol for crisis planning to be implemented at the school and school district levels, which is adaptable to a variety of critical events.

And contains the link to http://www.gnb.ca/0000/publications/ss/keepschoolsafe.pdf. (http://www.gnb.ca/0000/publications/ss/keepschoolsafe.pdf)


There’s various phone numbers on the pages and documents –
Can anyone shed any light on the right road to the Department of Education
and how we can find out if there’s more updates planned for our children’s Education Policies ??

[rubycshells]

Actually the Harrassement policy is dated for 1998 as well.

The Lamrock report is to be released next week regarding an overhaul and updating of the NB education system. As a concerned parent, I have been very active in the past few months regarding school policies (crisis management, evacuation procedures, etc.) and the lack of procedure and current policy. Myself and other parents have met with District 8 administration and particularily the administration from Forest Hills School regarding all these issues (meeting April 30)...and yes the media were there.

I am awaiting the report to actually see if it addresses these issues. If not, I already have plans for petitioning the government to ensure that these things are addressed immediately. I have many parents who are aware of an impending petition and that are willing to support it.

As far as the privacy issue, we addressed that with the District 8 administration and have spoken of the following:

1. We are not interested in knowing the name of children involved in an incident. (Falls within the Privacy Act)

However, as parents we are entitled to know and be notified of the following:

a. What has ocurred?
b. What has been done? i.e. police involved, crisis intervention,
c. What process has the school followed to ensure the safety of the children?

The above process was followed for the latest bomb threat at Forest Hills School and the parents were informed. Kudos to the district and school for finally acting on this.

At the meeting of March 20 and April 30 there was some discussion about Rogers customers not being able to get Talk Mail. Various ideas were put out such as notes home and utilizing the district/school website more effectively.

Also we presented the forum of www.peacefulschoolsinternational.org (http://www.peacefulschoolsinternational.org) and www.leagueofpeacefulschools.ca (http://www.leagueofpeacefulschools.ca) .

[AreWeThereYetMom]

Anyone have any further input & updates to this thread?
Now that schools out for the summer the issue may have possibly gone into a hibernation stage.

[Pumpkin]

I will add my two cents worth....

The school may have this policy in place but it is not necessary that it is followed!

I have friends who have had issues with a certain school, on numerous occassions. I have other friends have complaints with different schools actually, but one in particular seems to have the most issues in which the issues seem to get tossed aside.

Two occassions that I know of, accusations were made on teachers and above authority in a school, and the principal ALWAYS backs the teachers, etc, up. I have seen cops and social workers even pass it off as nothing, and then refuse the parents the documentation, video interviews with the child, ect, after promising them they would be able to veiw these things. Almost like a cover up.

When your child comes to you with a concern that involves inappropriate behaviours concerning adults in a school system you are supposed to be able to trust what do you do? Ofcourse you want to beleive your child! But see the school systems won't do anything for you because THEY PROTECT THEIR OWN. Personally, and thankfully, my child has no had an issues with her school and I hope she never has in any school! But, from the experiences of friends I have learned this is their way of doing things.

So who is the policy protecting? The teachers! When it comes to the children, you keep being passed off to the next person and then to the next person and eventually you run out of persons and then you're out on your own. You are labled and so is your child, and that is the end. NOTHING has been accomplished to appease the child or the parents!

So what is the point in having policies when they are not followed!!!!!

Now, if they do develop and put in place new policies, albeit protection policies, emergency plans, ect it would be wondeful. BUT THEY HAVE TO FOLLOW THEM for it to work! There are policies and procedures now in place, and obviosly we know this, that are not being followed at all. Looking at some of the incidents that have happened at our surrounding school just in the past year. They need to be learned by all pesrons who learn, work, teach, clean, ect, in these buildings and they need to be implemented not forgotten!

The "rotten apples" who are putting our children and loved ones at risk in school buildings, are multiplying in numbers and it is becoming a scary place to want to send your children or watch your loved ones go off to work too! Something HAS to be done. School will become a thing of the past and homeschooling will become the new thing to do. Socializing will go out the windows and all the "lazy" people who use computers as their socializing tool will just increase their numbers! Children will become lazy and will not learn the values that everyday school interaction would bring them.

My suggestion...and yes it would become costly but well worth it for the lives and safety of our children, don't you think?,....install cameras in the hallways and have atleast one security person per school to keep watch on these cameras! This will bust fighting in the halls, anyone on the premisis that should not be there or who has not reported would be seen, ect...I don't think I need to relay what else it would help.

[rubycshells]

Kelly Lamrock released the PNB plan the first week of June for the overhaul of the education system. The report has a list of 8 mandates. Safe and healthy schools was last on the list.

It was recognized that the policies require updating.

I am still active with the campaign of pushing this to a priority level.


Here is the website of "When Kids Come First": http://www.gnb.ca/0000/kidsfirst-e.asp