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.
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April Is National Child Abuse Prevention Month — What Can You Do to Help?
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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:
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Webinars on Student Privacy and Data Security
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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:
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.
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Bloom Into Spring Weather Preparedness
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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:
Check out our recent Web Chat on tornado preparedness at #REMSChatWithAnExpert to learn more about how schools can prepare for tornadoes.
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Considering Online Classrooms in Emergency Operations Plans
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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.
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Community Emergency Response Team Programs
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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.
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