Visit the REMS TA Center Calendar to find trainings, Web chats, conferences, and other stakeholder activities and events for K-12 and higher ed practitioners on safety, security, emergency management, and preparedness topics. All events featured are FREE to participate in and range from virtual to in-person opportunities for engagement and professional development.

Everyone at school and on campus plays a role in keeping students safe and thriving. This April, the REMS TA Center invites K-12 and higher ed communities to engage in two month-long national stakeholder awareness activities that support the prevention of child abuse and sexual assault. By participating in National Child Abuse Prevention Month, you can raise awareness of the warning signs and impacts of child abuse and neglect, gain tools and resources that can enhance your emergency operations plan (EOP) and relevant annexes, and build your protection capabilities by participating in mandated reporting training. And, with the theme of “Drawing Connections: Prevention Demands Equity,” this April’s Sexual Assault Awareness Month can support you in deepening your knowledge, enhancing your plans, and re-examining systems of sexual assault prevention through the lens of racial equity and respect.

The following resources can be reviewed or shared in conjunction with April’s activities:

• Child Physical Abuse and Children and Domestic Violence for Parents Fact Sheets.
• VetoViolence and Violence Prevention Websites.
• Safe Place and Teenage Dating Abuse Training for Specialized Instructional Support Personnel Toolkits.
• The Not on the Radar: Sexual Assault of College Students With Disabilities Report.

In April, the U.S. Department of Education, Student Privacy Policy Office’s Privacy Technical Assistance Center is hosting a 3-day virtual Webinar series on student privacy and data security. This is an opportunity to learn about the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), data security, data breach preparedness and response, and transparency. These topics present important considerations when planning for how information will be shared before, during, and after an emergency; a potential cybersecurity incident or cyberattack; and continuing teaching and learning online. The Webinar dates and topics are listed below:

• Day 1: FERPA 101 and FERPA 201, April 12, 2023, 2-4pm EDT
• Day 2: Data Security and Data Breach Response, April 19, 2023, 2-4 pm EDT
• Day 3: Vetting EdTech and Transparency, April 26, 2023, 2-4 pm EDT

The REMS TA Center also offers helpful resources on these critical topics that you may want to explore before attending the Webinars mentioned above. The Information Sharing for Schools and Postsecondary Institutions — the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Webinar provides an overview of FERPA and the implications that FERPA and other Federal statutes may have on information sharing in emergency management planning. The Cybersecurity Considerations for K-12 Schools and School Districts Online Course covers the types of evolving cyber threats facing education agency networks and systems and developing a Cyber Annex in the EOP.

As winter weather leaves our communities and flowers begin to bloom, the REMS TA Center invites school and campus communities to renew their preparedness for spring weather-related natural hazards. It is especially important to be aware of your community’s vulnerability to tornadoes and flooding, which have already begun to impact areas of the United States. One place to start is to read the REMS TA Center’s fact sheets on flooding for K-12 schools and school districts, institutions of higher education (IHEs), and state education agencies. Other ideas for school and campus safety leaders in April and beyond are below:

• Review and update EOP annexes with your core planning team.
• Host a flood tabletop exercise using the REMS TA Center’s Emergency Exercises Training Package and invite community partners to participate.
• Conduct a site assessment of your education agency’s building(s) and grounds.
• Obtain, test, or practice using a NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards.
• Engage in mitigation activities for spring weather-related natural hazards.
• Join the StormReady® program and/or Weather-Ready Nation Ambassador™ initiative.

Check out our recent Web Chat on tornado preparedness at #REMSChatWithAnExpert to learn more about how schools can prepare for tornadoes.

How often does your school or school district rely on online classrooms to provide teaching and learning services? While some schools and programs operate in an online-only format and use online classrooms throughout the school year, K-12 schools and school districts that normally offer in-person instruction may need to turn to online classrooms to support continuity of teaching and learning when emergency incidents disrupt in-person learning. As online classrooms become more common, it is important for schools and school districts to understand how to incorporate the virtual setting into school emergency management planning. Comprehensive school EOPs should also account for different threats and hazards that may occur while the school community is teaching and learning online.

To learn more about including online classrooms in your school or school district’s emergency planning efforts, check out our REMS TA Center fact sheet, K-12 Online Classrooms: Emergency Management Planning for All Settings. This fact sheet offers considerations for including online classrooms in EOPs from an all settings, all times perspective and highlights the importance of considering online classrooms in EOP annexes, such as the Continuity of Operations Annex and the Cyber Annex.

The REMS TA Center supports Federal programs and initiatives that seek to improve the preparedness capabilities of schools, school districts, and IHEs. One such program is the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program — a locally implemented training initiative that equips individuals with basic emergency preparedness and response skills. The CERT program seeks to organize teams of volunteers to serve in the event of an emergency; assist with operations such as light search and rescue, fire safety, medical operations, and incident command; and support the operations of first responders. Two types of CERT programs that relate to education agencies are Teen CERT, which trains high-school students to serve in these capacities, and Campus CERT, which trains students, faculty, and/or staff at IHEs. CERT programs can be incorporated into EOP planning efforts in several ways. Once trained, students and staff can help before, during, and after emergency incidents, thereby increasing the school’s or IHE’s preparedness capacity. Additionally, students and staff trained in CERT can participate in emergency exercises where the EOP is practiced, which helps the school or IHE identify gaps and areas for improvement in the EOP.

Learn more about how you can strengthen your school or campus community’s preparedness through CERT programs by accessing the REMS TA Center’s dedicated CERT Web page! It provides information about CERT programs; their benefits to education agencies; and several resources, tools, and training opportunities that schools and IHEs can use to implement CERT programs in their locale.