COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
P.O. BOX 2120
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120
SUPTS. MEMO NO. 214
INFORMATIONAL
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TO: |
Division
Superintendents |
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FROM: |
Jo Lynne
DeMary Superintendent
of Public Instruction |
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SUBJECT: |
Crisis Management Plans
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Given the unfortunate nature of international events as recently demonstrated by the terrorist attack on a Russian school, it is extremely important that Virginia schools undertake plans to review, update, modify, and to refine their crisis management plans.
As you are aware, crisis management plans for Virginia schools have been required since 1999. The Code of Virginia Department of Education 22.1-279.8 states: Every school board in Virginia shall develop a written school crisis and emergency management plan I want to be sure that you are familiar with selected resources that can be helpful in undertaking this important work.
This past fall, Rod Paige, the U.S. Secretary of
Education, sent information to all schools across the country about the
importance of school emergency crisis plans.
The letter was accompanied by brochures entitled, Practical Information on Crisis Planning: A Guide for Schools and
Communities. If you are not
familiar with this brochure, a copy may be downloaded in PDF or Word versions: www.ed.gov/admins/lead/safety/crisisplanning.html.
In addition, by logging onto the U.S. Department of
Educations website at http://www.ed.gov/admins/lead/safety/emergencyplan/index.html,
you can also order a copy of the publication, A Guide for Schools and Communities, which provides detailed information
for developing a more comprehensive plan.
The website also offers a wealth of information and links to other
useful resources related to crisis planning.
Another important resource for addressing terrorist-types
of incidents is available from the National Strategy Forum website: www.nationalstrategy.com. The report, School Safety in the 21st Century: Adapting to New Security
Challenges Post-9/11, provides information to enable schools to adapt existing
emergency plans to encompass a catastrophic terrorism incident and to develop
and implement all-hazard emergency plans.
In addition to information from the U.S. Department of
Education, the following Virginia-specific resources are available:
Office of
Commonwealth Preparedness
www.commonwealthpreparedness.virginia.gov/
Department of
Criminal Justice Services
Virginia Center
for School Safety
www.dcjs.virginia.gov/vcss/index.cfm
Department of
Education
Resource Guide for Crisis
Management in Virginia Schools, 2002
www.pen.k12.va.us/VDOE/Instruction/crisis-guide.html
(Hard copies of this publication
are available upon request)
Model School
Crisis Management Plan, 1999
http://www.pen.k12.va.us/VDOE/Instruction/model.html
Department of
Emergency Management
Department of Mental Health, Mental
Retardation and Substance Abuse Services
Additional funding for the School Emergency Response and
Crisis Management Plan Discretionary Grant Program from the U.S. Department of
Education through the Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools is expected to be
available in 2005. More information about
this grant program is available on the website: www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osdfs.
Questions
may be directed to Arlene Cundiff, coordinator of
the Safe
and Drug-Free Schools Program, at 804-225-2871 or