Month: January 2023

In this third installment of our Q&A series with Jill Lemond, Evolv’s director of education, we talk about social and emotional learning, mental health and gun violence, and the real impact of weapons detection screening systems in schools.

Prior to joining Evolv, Jill spent 12 years as the assistant superintendent of safety and school operations at Oxford Community Schools in Oxford, Michigan.

Q. What are the hidden costs of feeling unsafe in the classroom?

A. We know from study after study that the perception – and reality – of unsafe school environments directly correlates with lower learning outcomes. When students feel safe at school, they are better able to focus on learning and have stronger academic outcomes. Likewise, teachers and staff cannot be as effective in their imperative roles if they do not feel safe.

Q. How does social and emotional health factor into school safety planning?

A. Social and emotional health is significant when it comes to school safety planning. We are amidst a post-pandemic mental health crisis in the United States and it is particularly impacting our youth. I encourage schools to take a closer look at the increased number of counseling referrals, students self-reporting anxiety and depression, and the rise in suicides and suicidal ideation in their own school communities. When they do this, they’ll find that the data speaks volumes. Now consider the rising number of counseling referrals, along with an increase in school shootings and a growing need for more teachers and mental health professionals, and you’ll see how it sets the stage for more tragedies. I don’t think it’s possible to look at the numbers and not see the connection between troubled students and school shootings.

As school administrators explore the numbers behind the counseling referrals, they should also try to get to the root cause of mental health concerns and factor in social and emotional well-being into the school’s strategic safety plans. While schools are doing what they can to help students, keeping up with the demand is proving to be more than challenging, especially as we see long-term impacts of COVID-19 on student development and learning.

Q. Can you comment on the rise in swatting – hoax emergency calls to the police reporting school shootings – and its impact on communities?

A. The rise in swatting is having a big impact. We know that over the past decade, the classroom has changed dramatically due to social media and students having phones. It’s now reached a point where it’s almost too easy to create mass havoc like swatting.

Today, the threat of violence and school shootings is ever-present as students and teachers are constantly thinking that at any moment they could go into a lockdown or have to quickly respond to an emergency. When there is a fake incident reported and their fears become a reality, it amplifies anxiety. As swatting increases throughout the country, fears and anxiety rise in schools and everybody in the building is on high alert. Once the report is proven false, is it really fair to expect that students and teachers will be able to focus on learning and teaching for the rest of the day?

To end swatting, we need to do a better job explaining its impact to students, letting them know how to anonymously report when they hear or see something, and communicating very clearly about increasingly tougher laws that are being put into place. Let’s not forget that swatting is illegal. I also think educational campaigns about swatting should include students; giving them a voice and asking for their help is likely to decrease the number of fake calls. There is nothing funny about instigating panic and trauma.

Q. What are your thoughts on communities raising concerns that installing weapons detection screening systems creates distractions for students?

A. The overall rise in school shootings across the country means students are already distracted by the potential threat of violence. Our children are aware of the gun violence epidemic in this country and, through technology, have greater access to information than any previous generation. Weapons detection screening systems do not create distractions. Instead, they actually have the opposite effect because they allow students to stop thinking about weapons once they’re in the building. I’ve personally heard from countless students that having a weapons detection screening system in school offers them peace of mind.

Q. How does the introduction of weapons detection screening impact students and teachers?

A. Overall, it has an enormously positive impact on students and staff. During the morning arrival, it creates an opportunity for staff and administrators to greet students and let them know how glad they are to see them at school. The new protocol improves safety along with boosting social and emotional learning by recognizing every student, especially those that may have previously felt left out or ignored. Also, since systems like Evolv Express® are not metal detectors, students do not have to break their stride or stand in long lines due to false alarms that lead to unnecessary bag checks. The benefit of using technology like Evolv is that it does the security work, allowing teachers and staff to focus on their strengths in connecting with every student while reminding them of how safe they are in the school environment.

Q. What are some best practices for introducing weapons detection screening systems into schools?

A. Everybody in education knows that we need to do everything we can to make school environments safe for learning. So when it comes to introducing weapons detection screening systems, it requires a community effort. As key stakeholders have more meaningful safety experiences at venues like stadiums and theaters, where weapons screening systems are prevalent, the introduction of those same systems in schools will be easier.

From the perspective of evaluating weapons detection screening systems, I encourage school districts, parents and other interested parties to comment throughout the process. I want to, especially and specifically, invite students into the evaluation process, as well. Ask difficult questions and raise concerns so they can be addressed at the earliest stages of the decision-making process.

Also, I think it’s important for schools to communicate that weapons detection screening systems are not a standalone answer to gun violence. They must be part of a larger emergency operations plan. That plan takes into account the perspectives of parents, students, teachers, staff, administrators and other key stakeholders. It also outlines what to do and who to contact in an emergency and prioritizes regular training and drills to ensure everybody in the building knows what to do in the event of an incident or the detection of a gun or other prohibited items.

Essentially, the #1 best practice for introducing weapons detection screening systems into schools is beginning with a strategic emergency operations plan that is an integrated, collaborative effort spanning the people, processes and technology responsible for school safety.

In the second installment of our series interviewing Jill Lemond, Evolv’s director of education, we discuss ways that schools can improve safety and security without having to invest tremendous financial resources. We also talk about the impact of technology to keep students safer, and how the school of the future may look as a result of the latest innovations. Prior to joining Evolv, Jill spent 12 years as the Assistant Superintendent of Safety and School Operations in Oxford Community Schools in Oxford, Michigan.

Q. When it comes to school safety planning, who should be involved?

A. The school safety team should include a multi-faceted group of stakeholders across elementary, middle and high schools, with representation from district administrators, principals, teachers, emergency responders, members of the local police and fire departments, and community members, such as coaches, that are directly involved with students, board members, and select parents. Also, student leaders should be involved based on their insight into the student body and knowledge of the buildings.

Once the team is assembled, you need to build meaningful connections with each member while ensuring everybody fully understands their role. For example, local first responders, police and fire should be invited to tour school buildings, given access to entrances, and provided maps with room numbers on them. It’s also important to designate a primary contact for communicating to parents, students and the community. School administrators need a dedicated point of contact within local law enforcement to ensure lawful and accurate communication in the event of a critical incident. When specific roles are mapped out in the planning process, it avoids unnecessary confusion and provides a more efficient approach to incident response.

Q. For schools with limited resources, what actions can they take to improve safety?

A. There are several free and low-cost actions schools can take to improve safety. They can start by regularly reviewing their emergency operations plan. Every school has one and it’s important to review them at least once a year, if not more frequently.

Another free resource for schools is the School Security Assessment Tool. The assessment module and related forms are available to complete and prompt meaningful discussions about safety. For example, the checklist asks important questions that may not immediately come to mind, such as whether there are boulders or other obstacles near the school that will prevent a car from entering. Active shooter drills are another free exercise that should be conducted on a regular basis. To prepare, schools can access one of the many free tools available online. As a reminder, the drills should be conducted in a way that is age appropriate and ensures everybody in the school—including substitute teachers, paraprofessionals, office staff, and food service personnel—knows what to do if an active shooter is in the classroom, hallway, cafeteria, or any other part of the building. There should also be a dedicated lead in every school district that is responsible for ensuring safety plans do not sit on the shelf and that training happens regularly.

While these are some of the free options available to schools, it really comes down to having a layered approach to school safety.

Q. What do you mean by having a layered approach to school safety?

A. A layered approach is one that looks at all facets of safety and recognizes that there’s no one single action you can take that will keep a school safe. Rather, it’s a series of small steps and big actions working together to protect everybody in the building. A layered approach combines people, training, technology, and the operational processes around each to ensure a cohesive plan for safety.

You can think about it in three tiers:

1. Prevention – The first is prevention and creating an atmosphere of safety through ongoing training, regular drills, taking advantage of the free resources available, and regularly refining safety plans. It can also include weapons detection screening solutions like Evolv Express®. The activities and plans put in place by the school should not be available to the general public. It also needs to include connecting with students and checking in regularly, especially those that may be overlooked or bullied.

2. Mitigation – The second tier is mitigation. The key stakeholders need to know how to identify and respond to threats. Those threats may be happening in person with physical weapons or verbally using threats of violence. They may also include online discussions that are overt threats. They may also be more subtle such as taking a closer look at the victim(s) of bullying.

3. Response & Communication – The third tier is all about response and communicating with students. It also factors in how to respond to parents, the community and other stakeholders in the event of an incident while taking steps to reduce future tragedies.

Q. As school gun violence continues to rise, school safety has become more complex. What have been the most impactful changes that you’ve seen over the course of your educational career?

A. I’d have to say the most impactful changes are the demand for improving school safety and the speed of technology innovation to do just that. The rise in school violence has reached epidemic proportions, and as a result, there has been a public outcry demanding we, as a society, do more and do better to protect our kids.

Along with continuously training and refining safety protocols and emergency operations plans, technology has made a significant difference. For example, schools are installing panic buttons in classrooms, using online tools like Gaggle to be alerted about potential threats and plans being discussed on social media, and setting up emergency messenger systems to instantly communicate an emergency throughout the building and to local law enforcement and first responders. All of these technology innovations make a difference in responding to incidents more quickly while also setting a tone for zero tolerance when it comes to school violence.

Q. How do you envision school safety changing in the next 3-5 years?

A. I think we’ll continue to see tech guiding safety response. Schools, and especially parents, will demand better ways to identify and address potential threats. As they see the increased use of non-threatening weapons screening systems like Evolv at public venues including stadiums, theaters and amusement parks, they’ll want the same safety and security measures in schools.

Also, as technology continues to offer increasingly more innovative ways to improve safety and protect schools, we’ll see those technologies become more integrated. For example, the ability to bring together weapons screening systems, artificial intelligence, cameras, automated locks, and mass notification systems will help identify and address threats sooner. Having some or all of these systems in place helps reduce anxiety and allows everybody to stay focused on learning.

You can read the first article in the series, “How to Engage and Include Students in School Safety,” here.

Band, student government, chess club, and athletics. These are some typical activities and student groups you see when you thumb through the class photos of any high school yearbook. Yet, seldom do schools create a student safety committee. This type of group can and should exist as an integral part of district safety planning. Student voices must be invited into the school security conversation as one of the most valuable perspectives on the topic.

Gun violence, especially when it occurs in schools, is never an easy topic to discuss. With gun violence continuing to escalate, Americans are rightfully concerned. One in five believe their chance of encountering an active shooter has increased since 2019, according to a recent survey. The difficult conversations need to happen if we want to decrease, and ultimately try to put an end to, gun violence in schools.

It’s hard to ignore the fact that more than 900 school shootings have taken place in this country since the Sandy Hook tragedy in December 2012; not to mention the 27 school shootings that occurred in 2022. As students continue to speak out as agents for change, it’s also hard to ignore the insights of students when it comes to creating safer school environments.

We sat down for a Q&A with Jill Lemond, Evolv’s Director of Education, to discuss the importance of inviting student voices into the safety planning process. Prior to joining Evolv, Jill spent 12 years as the assistant superintendent of safety and school operations at Oxford Community Schools in Oxford, Michigan where she learned, firsthand, of the tragic effects of school gun violence.

Q. Are students ever involved in school safety decisions?

A. Students are not typically included in school safety decisions because there is not a natural or obvious channel for them to enter the safety planning process. Many times, adults think they know better, but the reality is schools exist for the students and students should have a voice when it comes to safety. Certainly, students do not have the same experience, knowledge, and decision-making authority as say the superintendent or safety officer. However, they do have insight into what is happening with their peers in school and online and have the pulse of the building. Such student insight fills an intelligence gap that could potentially stop an incident.

Q. Wouldn’t including students in school safety increase their fear and anxiety?

A. It may seem counterintuitive to involve students in the school safety process since we are ultimately trying to protect our children. However, young adults today are already inundated with media and messages, sometimes erroneous ones, about school gun violence. They are acutely aware of the dangers of school shootings. Including students in the safety planning process empowers them and can actually help decrease their anxiety around gun violence. Also, when students have agency about what happens in their school, they are more connected to the building and community, making them more likely to make safety a priority and feel comfortable reporting potentially dangerous behavior.

Q. What types of safety programs can students get involved in that will make a difference in keeping everybody in school safe?

A. There are lots of ways that school administrators and faculty can include students – actively or anonymously – to improve safety.

Every time we were considering a new security technology in Oxford, we asked our key stakeholders to weigh in on the decision. This advisory group included local police, fire, superintendents and administrators, parents, and the community, among others. It is important

to include these participants, especially parents, to inform them of every decision and to alleviate any concerns about students being involved in the process. As a school is narrowing its decision, they can invite students to participate.

For example, a pilot of the Evolv Express system presents a great opportunity for students to try it out and participate in a poll about their experience. Another thought, with a system like Evolv, schools can get students even more involved by creating a contest for students to design what image should be on the panels of the system.

Also, for better or worse, social media continues to play a large role in many students’ lives. Meanwhile, there are not a lot of options for adults with good intentions to monitor what’s happening online. Schools can create pathways for students to anonymously report what they’re hearing or seeing from their peers on social media, and in the real world, as it pertains to safety concerns. Of course, there’s always the potential for incident reports that are not genuine threats. But if we can foster stronger relationships with students and give them the tools to communicate with adults, we can potentially decrease school gun violence.

Another benefit of including students in the safety planning process is that it helps them see law enforcement in a more positive way. They realize that police and other authority figures are not people to keep secrets from rather people our students can trust. They build relationships with other adults on the safety committee and have a variety of trusted advocates in the school community to share with any concerning information or threats.

Q. What resources should schools have in place to help prevent gun violence?

A. I think the best approach includes a balance of both technology and non-tech resources. From a tech point of view, there are anonymous reporting tools, software to scan school-issued accounts and flag potential issues, and advanced weapons screening systems like Evolv Express®.

From a non-tech point of view, it really comes down to establishing genuine relationships and trust with students. When a student trusts an adult in the building, they are less likely to commit an act of violence. They also feel more comfortable reporting anything that might indicate safety risks to other students. Additionally, students should have a way to self-report if they are at risk.

The sad truth is that if someone is intent on hurting people, they will find a way to do so. In my opinion, one of the most important ways to try to stop school shootings is to create an environment where all students feel seen, heard, valued, and respected. Too often, a small percentage of the student body is overlooked or ignored. If we can identify those students, reach out to them and make them feel welcome and included, it could make a big difference. This cannot be achieved during a singular event or activity; this requires an entire culture of intentional inclusion with zero tolerance for bullying or other harmful behaviors in the school environment.

Q. In your experience, what do students want when it comes to safety and security at school?

A. While students should play an active role in safety decisions if they choose, they should not be burdened with thinking about security all the time. That’s the role of adults. Students want to have fun, to explore, to learn, and to grow. Students want to know that they are valued and that school leadership is prioritizing the safety of their learning environment. Let’s allow them to focus on their education without the constant fear and anxiety of school violence on their minds. Our students deserve peace of mind so they are free to learn an instrument, run for student council, master chess and most importantly, have a yearbook filled with happy memories they can look back on in the years to come.