hool is a function of community will, priorities and interests. It requires partnerships and cooperation. The components and people involved are limited only by the imagination, creativity, energy, and commitment of the local community. Very important people include students, educators, parents, law enforcers, judges, probation directors, mental health leaders, and other youth serving professionals. Unlimited options and potential exist for safe school planning. It is about the art of the possible. It is about creativity. It requires only the ability to get started. It is not limited by special restraints or a set of guidelines. Each community has the opportunity to shape the type of school climate it wants to create. The key questions we must ask are "What is it we want to accomplish?" and "How do we want to make it happen?" The safety of our children is crucial. It is so crucial that it is everyone's problem: school leaders, parents, and the broader community. A needs assessment is simply a formative evaluation. It helps a school determine its needs regarding violence reduction and prevention. Asking several questions first might help a school develop a more effective long term strategy. There also needs to be set some measurable goals. Effective schools create a violence prevention and response plan and form a team that can ensure it is implemented. They use approaches and strategies based on research about what works. A sound violence prevention and response plan reflects the common and the unique needs of educators, students, families, and the greater community. The plan outlines how all individuals in the school community, which includes administrators, teachers, parents...
