Schools, school districts, and institutions of higher education (IHEs) across the country are all unique. However, one thing they have in common is the need to develop and continually maintain emergency operations plans (EOPs) that outline goals, objectives, and courses of action for before, during, and after a potential emergency. Landmark #1 in the U.S. Department of Education’s Return to School Roadmap for this academic year focuses on “prioritizing the health and safety of our nation’s students, school personnel, and families.” High-quality EOPs support education agencies and their communities in meeting that landmark by providing a solid, but flexible, structure they can use to plan ahead and be prepared for potential emergencies they may face.

Did you know that the Federal government offers a recommended format that education agencies can use to enhance existing EOPs or to create new ones? The Guide for Developing High-Quality School Emergency Operations Plans, The Role of Districts in Developing High-Quality School Emergency Operations Plans, and the Guide for Developing High-Quality Emergency Operations Plans for Institutions of Higher Education—collectively known as the Guides—all offer a recommended EOP format that education agencies can use as they create plans that consider all settings and times and a variety of threats and hazards. This format features three sections, including:

1. The Basic Plan
2. Functional Annexes
3. Threat- and Hazard-Specific Annexes

Follow along with the REMS TA Center monthly as we spotlight each EOP section and offer key resources and recommendations that can support your plan development and enhancement efforts.

Did you know that November 8–12 is National School Psychology Week? From behavioral threat assessment to recovery measures, school psychologists play a critical role in EOP development and preparedness. You are invited to participate in this awareness week to celebrate school psychologists in your school community and highlight their contributions. Consider the following activities:

• Participate in our upcoming Twitter Chat on Friday, November 12, 2021, at 3:00 p.m. ET, where we will highlight the role of the school psychologist in enhancing school safety, security, emergency management, and preparedness. Follow @remstacenter and #REMSChatWithAnExpert on Twitter to participate in this informative chat!
• Watch an archived Webinar titled, Understanding the Role of School Psychologists in Supporting School Safety Before, During, and After an Emergency. The REMS TA Center hosted this 60-minute Webinar with the National Association of School Psychologists on how K-12 education agencies can collaborate with school psychologists to develop high-quality EOPs.
• Review and share resources on the role of school psychologists before, during, and after an emergency.

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Safe and Supportive Schools (OSSS) offers grants to state education agencies, local education agencies, and IHEs to support emergency management and planning, school counseling and climate, pervasive violence, physical education, and recovery initiatives. In addition, Federal partner agencies administer grant programs that education agencies may use to enhance safety, prepare for emergencies, and protect the whole school community before, during, and after emergencies. Find upcoming and past grant opportunities that can fund your school and campus safety efforts on our NEW Grant Programs Web page. Utilize the search engine to find programs that fit your needs.

The REMS TA Center creates Web badges, email signature banners, and other graphics to help education agencies build their preparedness capacity. Download and share Grants Program images via social media to spread the word about these grants offered by OSSS and Federal partner agencies. Be sure to direct your stakeholders back to the REMS TA Center Website so they can access resources.

Youth preparedness is all about teaching and training children and youth skills that help them to be actively engaged in school safety and ready to jump in during and after emergencies. An effective strategy to facilitate youth preparedness is to integrate it into existing educational initiatives. Some academic areas and initiatives where youth preparedness can easily be integrated include

• Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), or STEAM when incorporating art
• Project-based learning (PBL)
• Career and technical education (CTE)
• Social and emotional learning (SEL).

Involving other preparedness organizations, first responders, families, and caregivers in educational activities strengthens efforts and helps to build the preparedness capacity of the entire community. Read more about integrating youth preparedness with educational initiatives along with ideas, examples, programs, and resources, like Ready Kids! in our NEW Building Youth Preparedness and School Safety Capacity by Integrating Educational Initiatives Fact Sheet.

The REMS TA Center archives all Webinars on the Website for on-demand viewing at any time. On Twitter, we notify our followers when a recently hosted Webinar has been archived and remind you of other Webinars and resources throughout the year. Our top tweet for the month of October focuses on our Webinar Understanding the Role of School Nurses in Supporting School Safety Before, During, and After an Emergency from August 2021.

Follow our official @remstacenter Twitter page to receive news and updates on free trainings and resources for higher ed and school safety, security, emergency management, and preparedness.