Psychological and Physical Student Safety impacts classroom performance

Mike Seger, Director of Safety, Security and Student Services, Penn-Harris-Madison School

Mike Seger, Director of Safety, Security and Student Services, Penn-Harris-Madison School

It was 2008 when we had discovered a Columbine like plot to acquire weapons described by the student as “Party Favors”. The students were using the social media platform “My Space” at the time and a small group of students were wearing shirts with “Natural Selection” written on the front. To say the least, this was a red flag for our administrative team. Columbine had been a major incident in K12 schools a few years prior. The situation quickly developed into a police investigation and an arrest in an adjoining state along with a juvenile expulsion and adjudication. School administration, police and Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) were involved with the local police cyber security experts at the time.

This was my first recollection of online data investigations taking place because of the online social network proliferating in society. In this investigation, there were both a physical presence of the term “Natural Selection” raising questions and concerns and the internet data collection of terms. As we are all aware, the Columbine school shooting had a significant impact on the K12 Education environment among other high profile school shootings. As a school administrator and security professional, I view the digital transition of students and educators as not been equal. Student are learning digital platforms at faster pace.

As we continue to evolve in the digital world, educators are behind the curve related to the transitions taking place daily. I find this transition lagging in security as students in Generation Alpha are seamlessly adapting to a digital society. Generation Z represents those born between 1996 and 2010. Generation Alpha are those born after Generation Z. While Generation Z currently represents those middle-school and high school age, the incoming Generation Alpha should be the target for administrators to adopt digital security measures. In a recent article “Gen Z and Gen Alpha in the Classroom: The Importance of Digital Learning,” they indicate Generation Alpha is the first generation of digital natives. Half of students find themselves online “constantly” according to a 2018 survey with a higher percentage to date. As a result, educators are dealing with the fall out of mental health at the expense of social media. The mental health of students within Generation Z and Generation Alpha has resulted in serious suicidal ideations and depression.

As a result of the digital society and implications upon our youngest students, research is beginning to uncover how specific social media experiences may influence a youth’s mental health. When you consider the mental health aspects in a safety and security viewpoint, the implications can be tragic for some schools and districts. After working as a school administrator and Security Director for two decades, the transitions required by school administrators must evolve as quickly as Generation Alpha when it comes to getting in front of school violence. The fact remains that school administration and school boards across the county will continue to focus on academic excellence and may not recognize the impact student safety has in the classroom.

When students in Generation Z and Generation Alpha feel safe attending classes or participating in a digital learning environment, they will perform in the classroom. Administration and school boards should closely consider the options available in data mining and response options. The applications available in 2008 as compared to the vast array of software available today is mind boggling. If Generation Alpha is our first native digital generation, they feel more comfortable using a keyboard or interactive technology than most educators today. As a result, school districts must begin to use technology to assist with maintaining safe and secure schools.

As a retired school administrator, it has been interesting to see the technology transitions over the past decade or more, both from a physical standpoint and software applications. The utilization of big data for filtering, detecting, assessing, and managing potential threats is required. While many of these applications are available to school districts, they continue to rely on students, parents, and staff to share information timely. Having a safe school hotline is essential but remains just one of the manual ways of gathering information that may be critical to a response. We all know that school districts do not provide the human resources needed to monitor and respond to conflicts or threats as they occur daily. Having said that, it may be time for K12 schools to meet the students where they reside online.

There are countless software applications that have been created to assist with student wellness and mental health, student threats, bullying prevention, social media monitoring, Threat Assessments, Site Assessments, Suicide Prevention, Helpline reporting, incident response, Safety Online Training, among others. While it is hard to know which of these applications are effective for a particular school or school district, it is crucial to begin the process of learning how to bridge the gap created by educators and Generation Alpha. The digital world is moving forward, and it is time to embrace this reality with our youth. Do not find yourself asking why you were unaware prior to a critical incident.

It is important to layer resources into your all hazards approach to Safety, Security and Emergency Management. There are many resources to assist in the process of establishing your layers of security. The Federal Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools (REM-Technical Assistance Center) is a great resource for K12 Schools. The State of Indiana Department of Education has an outstanding School Safety Academy in which administrators and School Resource Officers strive to bridge the gap between our student generations and existing school knowledge of digital media.

While these resources continue to get more refined based on ever changing digital landscapes, schools must continue to find resources to provide layers that effectively and positively impact school safety and security. For example, utilizing Digital Threat Assessment Training as a professional development tool with classroom teachers may be a way to prevent future student incidents. Afterall, when students feel both psychologically and physically safe, they tend to exceed in the classroom.