Safe and Civil Schools Committee Meeting Minutes

1. Chair Mark Higgins welcomed committee members and thanked them for their service. He provided an overview of the meeting agenda and reported on the following:
· Walla Walla Public Schools Board of Directors approved a district Cyberbullying policy this summer to meet the new state requirements - CYBERBULLYING (SSB5288 Amending RCW 28A.300.285)
· Walla Walla Public Schools is meeting the new state requirements approved by legislators in 2007  SAFE SCHOOLS (SSB 5097 Amending RCW 28A.320.125 and creating a new section)

2. Mark Thompson led district principals and committee members through a writing exercise to develop Core Beliefs centered on respectful and civil schools. These core beliefs will be transferred to posters and put on display at each school. Thompson stressed that Core Beliefs should be easy to read and send a clear message that district schools are safe and promote respectful and civil behavior.

Mark Thompson will be visiting district schools this year to further develop the district's Respectful School model. The Respectful School model features: Core Values; Administrator Support; Teacher Intervention; Peer Leadership.

3. Kirk Jameson and Scott Brashear led a table top exercise with district principals and committee members. Each principal was given a potential crisis scenario to manage. Principals then logged on to Rapid Responder to access crisis plans and develop a plan of response. Table partners helped discuss the scenario before principals reported to the entire group how they managed the situation. This impromptu, role playing drill was aligned with the district's new approach to Administrative Council meetings which feature more group interaction and responsibility.

4. Scott Brashear provided an update on Rapid Responder. He reported each district school is close to meeting the requirements of new legislation -- Amending RCW 28A.300.285. This fall, Brashear will contact each school's Rapid Responder facilitator and provide detailed information as to what additional information is needed at each site.

Brashear is also working to give all District Level Incident Command System team members access to Rapid Responder so they can better support a crisis situation.

5. Liz Campeau reported the district is moving forward with developing a district-wide Student Safety Assessment Team model. Liz reported building team training is scheduled Tuesday, October 7, from 3 to 6 p.m. at the district office.

Campeau said the district Student Safety Assessment Team is also meeting Tuesday, October 7 from 9 a.m. to noon. The District Level Student Safety Assessment Team is:
Liz Campeau, Chair

Mark Higgins

Laura Droke

Maria Garcia

Kim Doepker

Angie Gardea

Susie Morris

Melito Ramirez

Scott Brashear

Steve Echevaria

Scott Brashear reported he will add each schools Student Safety Assessment Team to the Rapid Responder system. He will also add the district level team to the system.

6. Matt Bona provided an update on the GriefBusters program. He handed out a packet detailing community members cleared to support a GriefBuster activity. He also noted in the packet a sample GriefBuster model and the district's new Employee Assistance Provider. Bona directed principals to contact Wa-Hi Health Clinician Susie Morris at 527-3020 or smorris@wwps.org if they need additional materials and information or if they need to activate district level GriefBusters support.

Scott Brashear reported he will add each school's GriefBusters Team to the Rapid Responder system.

Safe Schools Leadership Team
Mark Higgins, Chair
Scott Brashear and Matt Wood, Law Enforcement Specialists
Mark Thompson, Crisis Prevention Specialist
Kirk Jameson, Crisis Management Specialist
Matt Bona, Post-Crisis Recovery Specialist
Liz Campeau, Student Safety Assessment Team Chair

Safe Schools Committee members
Max Carrera, School Board
Gay Ernst, Emergency Management
Keri Abernathy, Parent Volunteer
Harvey Crowder, Health Services Department
Susie Morris, GriefBusters/Health Services
Al Escalera, WA State Patrol
Terry Heisey, WW City Police
Brad Morris, WW City Fire
Rocky Eastman, WW Fire District 4
Peggy Needham, Parent Involvement Specialist
Patty Courson, Emergency Medical Services
R.L. Miller, WA State Patrol
George Wiese, Juvenile Justice Center
Steve Echevaria, School Resource Officer
Luke Waggoner, WW County Health Dept.
Norrie Gregoire, Juvenile Justice Center

(*NOTE: All district principals and directors are also members of the Safe Schools Committee)