School Safety – Grant Assistance

The Greenlights Grant Initiative is a vital resource for overworked administrators in small school districts. Created by actor Matthew McConaughey after the tragic school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, this unique initiative helps small schools access the billions of dollars in federal funding earmarked for school security and child well-being.

According to McConaughey, “The superintendents and principals in many of these schools that are high-risk, they are wearing three or four hats. They’re the superintendent, they’re the P.E. teacher, they’re the bus driver. They don’t have the time or the resources to fill out these grants. It’s intimidating!”

That’s where Greenlights comes in. The initiative is designed to help under-resourced districts navigate the complicated (and often confusing) grant application process, provides grant writers for assistance, and advocates for long-term improvements to federal grant-making.

Thinking about the unthinkable …

It’s a tragic reality that school shootings and gun-related incidents on campus are an increasing concern. Regardless of your community’s views on “prevention” (which vary widely), schools must always have an effective plan in place to deal with such a crisis.

During my “Physical Environment of Schools” class, we explore this topic in depth. However, over the years I’ve discovered that although most schools have at least a rudimentary plan in place for the crisis itself, there’s often only minimal planning for what to do afterwards.

Dealing with the aftermath of a crisis is a huge part of being prepared! This reflection by an Idaho superintendent serves to illustrate that. Since this event didn’t end with multiple deaths, it didn’t make the national news … but even in a “less severe” incident like this, there are significant consequences.

Hopefully this post will not only encourage you to review your school’s active shooter plans, but also provide a few additional ideas for dealing what follows should your community experience one of these tragic events.