Getting the School Year Off to a Great and Safe Start
As summer winds down, kids around the country are getting ready to go back to school. Beyond buying the new school clothes and list of important supplies, it is important that we all take a few minutes to think about our kids’ safety at school (as well as kids walking to and from school). The National Crime Prevention Council (Home of McGruff the Crime Dog®) and AlertID have teamed up to share important tools and tips for parents and students to get the year off to a great and safe start. Please take a few minutes to review the list below.
Tips for parents:
- Know the dangers to your family by enrolling for the free AlertID program to be able to receive alerts about crimes and sex offenders in your neighborhood, around your children’s school and other areas.
- Talk to your children about their day. Ask your children if they see anyone bullied, if they are bullied, or if anything else makes them feel uncomfortable. Look for warning signs, such as a sudden drop in grades, loss of friends, or torn clothing.
- If you see something, say something. If you see something that is suspicious in your neighborhood, post to warn neighbors on AlertID and share with local law enforcement.
- Teach children to resolve problems without fighting. Talk to them about other ways they can work out a problem, such as talking it out, walking away, sticking with friends, or telling a trusted adult.
- Keep an eye on your children’s Internet use. Talk to your children about what they do online – what sites they visit, who they email, and who they chat with. Encourage them to speak up if something makes them uncomfortable, or if they witness forms of cyberbullying such as threats or harassment (For more information on this topic, please see my cyberbullying blog).
- Ask about safety and emergency plans for your children’s school. How are local police involved? How are students and parents involved? What emergencies have been considered and planned for?
Tips for students:
- Map out with your parents a safe way to walk to school or to the bus stop. Avoid busy roads and intersections. Do a trial run with your parents so that you can discuss areas to avoid along the way, such as vacant lots, construction areas, and parks where there aren’t many people.
- Walk to school or the bus stop with a sibling or friend, and wait at bus stops with other children.
- Follow traffic signals and rules when walking or biking. You should cross the street at crosswalks or intersections with crossing guards when you can.
- Do not talk to strangers, go anywhere with them, or accept gifts from them without your parents’ permission. If you see a suspicious stranger hanging around or in your school you should tell an adult.
- Memorize your phone number and full address, including area code and zip code. Write down other important phone numbers such as your parents’ work and cell phone on a card to carry with you.
As I always say, “Prevention is Key and Knowledge is Power”. If we all heed these tips and be proactive about safety, our kids will be safer, we’ll have more peace of mind as parents, and we’ll all have a successful school year. All the best to you and your families this year!
Written by Keli Wilson, Founder of AlertID
National Crime Prevention Council