Thru

Who do superintendents see as responsible for school safety in their school district? Do they think a common framework guides them as district leaders? ? Over the past year, the Thru team has researched these questions. We interviewed superintendents, mental health experts, school safety officials, Federal and local law enforcement and safety directors. A significant finding was the lack of guidance for superintendents on leading district-wide safety efforts to prevent school violence, especially shootings. ? Our research helped us create a simple and approachable framework that covers all district practices, both before and after an incident. This framework serves as a great starting point for the superintendent, providing a clear anchor that illustrates the district’s full range of capabilities. ? School districts might already support and practice several capabilities from our framework. However, there may still be areas that need attention. Superintendents should take a comprehensive view of the district’s capabilities and connect all the pieces to ensure the best progress possible. The key is to reflect and ask ourselves: Are we doing enough? ? The path to school safety begins well before any incidents occur—establishing connections and relationships is essential. We encourage a transition from reactive to proactive strategies. For further insights, download our report. https://lnkd.in/eeuDiAQi #schoolsafety #safeschools

Read David Irwin's latest article on "School safety: How to shift from reaction to prevention" Ensuring the safety, well-being, and sense of belonging for every student in our schools is paramount. It is crucial that we champion a proactive shift in our approach to school safety, with district superintendents at the forefront of this transformation. https://lnkd.in/gF4P5dS3

The operations of a school district include traditional organizational processes, such as budgeting, HR and IT. There are also education processes and district-level practices specific to the PreK-12 environment, like teaching and learning, student support, and procuring textbooks. At Thru, we often write about the optimization of both types of “business processes” in a school district: those that comprise the business of education and for the success of which the superintendent is responsible. School safety can simply be regarded and managed as another of these business processes. Key areas of business in a school district are typically comprised of roles, processes, and tools. Often a cabinet member is appointed, who, along with their staff, manage the respective business processes and they work within the parameters of that function. Their dedication is what makes the work happen every day. Superintendents lead the way on these traditional business areas, but also in spaces that might be new and emerging, such as AI and Pre-K in today’s landscape. Superintendents should regard and manage school safety as a business process. They can apply their natural instincts in leadership to bring the right people together. Lead the planning efforts. Maintain the focus and resources. Be the communicator and advocate.

In our interviews with superintendents and our review of the research and literature, the idea of the school’s climate as a factor in school violence came up again and again. Superintendents agreed that a framework on minimizing school violence must start with relationships and connections. Trusting and supportive relationships amongst the school community affect and contribute to all other dimensions of the climate. School climate refers to the quality and character of school life, according to the National School Climate Center. “School climate is based on patterns of students’, parents’ and school personnel’s experience of school life and reflects norms, goals, values, interpersonal relationships, teaching and learning practices, and organizational structures.” The aspect of caring in our continuum is primarily about fostering connections and relationships with students. “Our students do not have any reason to listen to us, follow our directions, or answer our questions other than that is what most of their parents and society expect them to do. However, once we establish a personal connection and bond with our students, indicate that we are interested in them as individuals and prove that we care about them, their work, and their future, there is much more motivation for them to contribute to the relationship in the form of instructional engagement and work,” wrote Matthew D. Thompson, superintendent of Montgomery County Public Schools.

Superintendents have traditionally been seasoned educators, rising through the ranks of teacher and school administrator before moving to the district office and eventually leading it. They do not become superintendents because they are safety experts, and few receive formal training related to school safety beyond a few hours here and there. Moreover, school safety has become yet another critical responsibility superintendents must attend to on a growing list. We began asking superintendents around the country how they felt about their ability to lead on school safety. Those conversations produced both good and bad news. The good news was that many we spoke to felt relatively confident in their level of preparedness and could point to specific measures they have in place, as well as how they work with law enforcement. The bad news was that every one of the superintendents who said they felt prepared also shared that they became so through happenstance or intuition. Rather than receiving comprehensive training or having clear guidelines they could refer to, they lucked into a community where there was already a solid strategy they could build on or a strong partner in law enforcement whose lead they could follow. They often lead by reaching out to others, and/or by chance. We think there is a better way to view and approach the ecosystem of school safety from the superintendent’s point of view. Stay tuned for more posts.

Superintendents have traditionally been seasoned educators, rising through the ranks of teacher and school administrator before moving to the district office and eventually leading it. They do not become superintendents because they are safety experts, and few receive formal training related to school safety beyond a few hours here and there. Moreover, school safety has become yet another critical responsibility superintendents must attend to on a growing list. We began asking superintendents around the country how they felt about their ability to lead on school safety. Those conversations produced both good and bad news. The good news was that many we spoke to felt relatively confident in their level of preparedness and could point to specific measures they have in place, as well as how they work with law enforcement. The bad news was that every one of the superintendents who said they felt prepared also shared that they became so through happenstance or intuition. Rather than receiving comprehensive training or having clear guidelines they could refer to, they lucked into a community where there was already a solid strategy they could build on or a strong partner in law enforcement whose lead they could follow. They often lead by reaching out to others, and/or by chance. We think there is a better way to view and approach the ecosystem of school safety from the superintendent’s point of view. Stay tuned for more posts.

In light of the recent school shooting in Georgia, there is a clear and loud call for action across schools in this country.?We need to make our schools safer, and we need to do it now. School safety is neither easy, cheap, nor convenient. It takes leadership and dedicated effort to prioritize implementing a multi-tiered approach to school safety. This includes physical security, mental health supports, social media monitoring, anonymous reporting systems, anti-bullying practices, to name a few. Read the blog (#repost) by David Irwin, and his thoughts on the important questions Superintendents and School Boards should be asking themselves to prevent tragedies and protect the lives of those who matter most. https://lnkd.in/eHQ_4pbM

As we navigate the complexities of education post-pandemic, the challenges within special education have come sharply into focus. This recent article from The 74 exemplifies a critical issue: Washington state schools missed identifying 8,500 children for special education referrals during the COVID-19 disruptions. This staggering number underscores a systemic problem. The pandemic exacerbated existing disparities and strains within our educational systems, particularly affecting vulnerable populations like students needing special education services. School districts can make strides in response to increasing demand by optimizing their central workflows and finding newer ways to recruit teachers and other staff. At Thru, we support school districts in modernizing the business processes of special education. Our new report on special education in early childhood settings also highlights one of the key challenges discussed in The 74 article: the staffing crisis. Visit thru.co to view the report. #SpecialEducation #InclusiveEducation https://lnkd.in/eVB8CpkE

We are thrilled to announce the release of our new white paper with solutions to address the challenges PK-12 school districts face heading into 2025! Under federal law, all school districts have a legal obligation to serve children with disabilities beginning at three years of age. Districts are struggling to meet those obligations for children ages 3-5 residing within their attendance boundaries. In our experience, the inability to provide a child with timely services often stems from an administrative procedure that has broken down in the Central office. To address the current backlog and keep up with demand for ECSE services, Districts must both attend to the children already in its pipeline and improve the efficiency of its systems and processes. In this?strategy blueprint, we have developed a reusable framework that can be used to illustrate the connection between multiple facets in play and use intentional logic to overcome the challenges and chart a course forward. Check it out! https://lnkd.in/e_Jra2Xg #edleadership #edleaders #specialeducation #preschool #preK #preKsped

Join us in saying thank you to the teachers who lead the way in classrooms all over the country. Your impact goes far beyond the classroom and we are forever grateful to the lessons you have taught us, and the critical role you play in shaping our society's future. Your dedication and passion inspires our work at #Thru everyday. Happy #teachersappreciationweek to all the amazing teachers out there!?