Time is of the essence in any emergency or potential emergency, so it is so important to simplify safe school processes. Ideally, school stakeholders quickly identify safety issues and can access a database that allows for safety questions to be inserted. They should have a simple, efficient process that enables accountability, escalation, delegation, collaboration, reporting, resolution, review, and improvement.
The National Association of School Psychologists notes that students, staff, and parents all have an important role in promoting school safety. They add that stakeholders can do this by setting a safe tone for school climate, encouraging responsibility, requesting students report potential problems (anonymously if need be), controlling and monitoring access, and planning. A simple school safety reporting and tracking system ensures that all of this is done well, without wasted time.
What are the simple steps for school safety?
There are a few key things to keep in mind for school safety, in nearly every situation.
First, timely and accurate information, sent out to as many people as possible who need to know, ensures quick reactions. Parents should be aware of what is happening and be mindful of procedures they need to follow well in advance. Students should be active participants in emergency response, too.
How a knowledgebase helps
A knowledgebase is a key aspect of a safe school with simplified processes. Many stakeholders share similar questions and do not necessarily need to speak with another stakeholder to have their concerns resolved. Instead, they can work with a knowledgebase, a database of information and articles in one central location online.
This is beneficial for staff but also holds a lot of potential for families and community members. Odds are, most schools and districts field many questions that don’t need a new, personal answer. In most situations, a quick, consistent, and simple answer has already been given to someone else.
With a knowledgebase, school districts or individual schools can set up articles and information that supports staff, families, and other stakeholders as they seek information. The stakeholder with the question has easy, instant access to what they need without a staff member needing to help them. It gives answers faster while keeping staff free to monitor and respond to daily issues.
What are the benefits of simple school safe processes?
Simplified procedures and processes ensure that everyone knows their role, what others’ roles are, who is in authority, how to respond, and who to contact. Simplified processes also help school and district administrators know when and why they need to pay extra close attention. Individual teachers and students may require mentoring or be noted as an area of concern, which is best informed by accurate data tracked in a digital system.
When looking at a knowledgebase specifically, there are many, many clear benefits to school stakeholders. A Smartsheet report looked at automation and repetitive work. Forty percent of respondents indicated they spent at least a quarter of their work day dealing with manual, repetitive tasks. Imagine what school stakeholders like teachers and staff could do with that saved time!
Instead of routing tickets or spending time on the phone or in the email inbox dealing with concerns, efficient software such as SafestSchools can easily address those issues. When stakeholders spend less time dealing with routine issues managable with a knowledgebase, they have more time to spend on student success and wellbeing.
Following true concerns with ease
Of course, this is not to say that schools should ignore safety concerns in favor of an easy process. The concept of a simplified school safety platform, including a knowledgebase, is to manage low-level issues early and often without requiring disproportionate staff support. From there, staff should be better able to identify and act on true concerns.
A knowledgebase can help with simple worries, like broken IT systems and general requests to meet with teachers. It can also point families and students in the right direction for seeking help with a bullying report or something else that could lead to a more significant problem. With a simplified, efficient system, the right information goes to the right people so everyone can make informed choices and stay accountable to other stakeholders.
GroupLink’s platforms, including GroupLink for SafestSchools, GroupLink Workflow Process & Incident Tracking, and GroupLink everything HelpDesk help stakeholders increase student safety and operational efficiency, collaboration, and accountability, while significantly reducing liability and risk associated with safety issues. Connect with us online or call us at 801-335-0700. You can also email us at info@grouplink.net to learn more.