Safe Schools Questions

Parents share a key role in keeping the school environment safe. It is natural for them to have questions about school policies and how safe the school that their child may be attending really is.

One frequently asked question by parents is “what exactly are the schools policies?” These school policies should be given out in a handout at orientation, the first day of school and even linked clearly on the schools website. Each school has their own policies but this way a parent can go over them with their child. Another frequently asked question is “what do I do if my child is being bullied?” This particular question can often times feel like a double edged sword for the parent. Typically if a student is being bullied they should call the teacher and speak with them. In turn the teacher may offer some type of mediation with the students. The parent may also feel like if they say something it might make the bullying worse. The key is to never tell your child to resort to violence. If matters are that bad that it cannot be solved through civil family to school to family contact then police may often times get involved. This is of course dependent on the situation and the age of the children.

Lastly parents always want to know “what can I do?” The answer to that question is easy. Stay informed, educated and keep an open line of communication between you and your child and of course school staff. Leaving a link out of the communication circuit can sometimes have disastrous effects.

Communication and education for the parents of students really is the bridgework between having a safe school environment. Students should know that their parent plays a key role in their everyday education and safety even if they are not sitting right beside them every minute of the day.