We are proud to highlight these school districts with “District Excellence for School Safety & Student Wellness” recognitions during National Youth Violence Prevention Week.
What is a “District Excellence for School Safety & Student Wellness” Award?
Nationwide, there’s heightened concern around acts of violence in schools. There have been 14 school shootings resulting in injuries or death so far this year (as of 4/24/23). Additionally, Navigate360 data show alerts related to self-harm are up 51 percent year-over-year and alerts related to weapons and harm to others are up 25 percent year-over-year. On average, the report also found more than 4,000 anonymous tips per week come into school tip lines, with the most common tips related to self-harm and weapons.
To combat growing trends and increased concerns, K-12 school districts across the country are working tirelessly to create and maintain safe environments for their staff and students. Navigate360 is proud to recognize the following districts for “Excellence for School Safety & Student Wellness” as they are leading the way through a holistic, layered and proactive approach.
“School safety is a multi-faceted and complex topic—it requires a layered approach, coordination with the community, repeated assessments, training and drills. Physically, psychologically and emotionally our children need to feel safe if they are to pursue academic learning and reach their full potential. Each of these districts is leading by example by way of their commitment to students and staff in addressing mental health and school culture through curricula that develops life skills; applying technology and education to identify, assess and remediate threats and concerning behavior before it is harmful or criminal; and developing strong school safety plans and providing incident-based training, for all-hazard events, including active shooter situations.”
— JP Guilbault, Chief Executive Officer at Navigate360
Presented with honors during National Youth Violence Prevention Week, these recognitions acknowledge the district’s leadership, commitment to elevated standards and continued dedication to creating safe spaces where children can experience each school day without fear.
Here is what the “District Excellence for School Safety & Student Wellness” recognition means to these school and district leaders, in their own words.
Presented in alphabetical order by district name.
Birdville Independent School District (Texas)
“We rely on accurate communication to prevent or mitigate any crisis. The solutions offered within the Navigate360 Threat Assessment Case Manager provide the ability to evaluate and support student needs. The solutions presented by Navigate360’s Emergency Management offer BISD the chance to account for staff and students in a quick and efficient manner. We appreciate having these time-saving measures.”
— Dr. Joseph Showell, Executive Director of Student Services, Birdville Independent School District
Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District (Texas)
“Cypress-Fairbanks ISD proudly accepts this recognition from Navigate360. This is a shared honor by our emergency management, CFISD police, psychological services and facilities / construction departments, whose proactive approach toward protecting students and staff has made CFISD campuses among the safest in the state.”
— Dr. Mark Henry, Superintendent of Schools, Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District
Schools are facing ongoing challenges with the rise in violent and other concerning behaviors within their communities. Proactive strategies for violence prevention, early intervention, universal student support and school safety are critical. Hear insights from the Cypress-Fairbanks psychological services and mental health intervention team leaders in this “Hot Topics: Behavioral Threat Assessment in Schools” webinar.
Escambia County School District (Florida)
“Navigate360 provides important concepts to students in the areas of mental health and behavioral interventions. Navigate360 lessons are more important than ever given the increased student mental health and behavioral challenges, and we are fortunate to have this program (Behavior Interventions & Restorative Practices) to help our students and our schools.”
— Dr. Tim Smith, Ed.D, Superintendent, Escambia County Public Schools
“We are very pleased to have our combined efforts bring high-quality character education, life skills and resiliency education through Navigate360 to our students. This online platform interactively teaches important topics such as: core values, empathy for others, perseverance, grit, gratitude, responsibility, honesty, and signs and symptoms of mental health concerns. Staff, students, families and the wider community benefit from the conversations these modules provide our students. It is most appropriate to embed this recognition within National School Violence Prevention Week, as education on these topics is directly linked to violence prevention.”
— Dr. Lisa Joyner, Director of Student Services, and Silvio Fina, Coordinator, Mental Health Services, Escambia County Public Schools
“It is an honor to be recognized as a District of Excellence in School Safety and Student Wellness by Navigate360. Escambia County Public Schools are continuously researching ways to meet the needs of the students and families that we serve in our community. Through the assistance of Navigate360 products, school staff have been able assist with the behavior and mental health challenges facing students in our schools. The Escambia County Public Schools truly consider Navigate360 a partner in education.”
— Jeremy Tompkins, Coordinator of Student Engagement, Escambia County Public Schools
You can turn students’ challenging behaviors into meaningful learning opportunities through behavioral intervention. Hear more from Jeremy Tompkins on helping students learn from their mistakes, stay in the classroom and thrive in this “Behavioral Intervention & Student Discipline: From Implementation to Impact” webinar.
Jefferson Joint School District 251 (Idaho)
“May 6th, 2021, changed Jefferson School District and the community of Rigby. When a 6th grade student shot and injured a staff member and two students, it shocked our quiet community. It opened our eyes to the fact that nowhere is immune to the issues we face in this time. This type of evil can tear a community apart or draw them together. We are fortunate that our community rallied with the school district. Violence in our schools is not acceptable, not at all, not ever! As a community and district, we have taken great measures to build upon the safety protocols we previously had in place.
The May 6 incident opened our eyes to many things, and we have recognized areas in the district that we have done well regarding student safety as well as places for improvement. With all the programs and strategies we have implemented and/or improved, perhaps the most important step we have taken is strengthening our relationships with our local and even national partners.
We have all heard the adage “it takes a village to raise a child.” We have found it is also true that it takes a community to keep our children safe. We are fortunate to have an amazing community full of caring and knowledgeable individuals.
It is an honor for our district, community, and most importantly our teachers and staff to be recognized for their commitment to providing a safe environment for our students. Our staff has been willing to have uncomfortable conversations and stretch themselves with changes to policy and procedures to help our community heal and strengthen safety protocols.”
— Chad Martin, Superintendent, Jefferson School District 251
Since a school shooting occurred in his district in May 2021, Chad Martin has been on a mission to share the experience, including the steps his district took following the incident so that other schools can better prepare for an active shooter event. Hear more from him in this “Rethinking Active Shooter Preparedness” webinar.
North Shore School District 112 (Illinois)
“North Shore School District 112 is honored to be recognized for Excellence in School Safety & Student Wellness by Navigate 360. The safety and well-being of our students and staff is a top priority, and our parents, staff and community are important partners in this effort. Our holistic approach is designed to balance the importance of physical building security with proactive mental health and social-emotional supports and ongoing communication to ensure that all members of our school community are aware, informed, and part of the solution.”
— Dr. Mike Lubelfeld, Superintendent, North Shore School District 112
Northwest Independent School District (Texas)
“In Northwest ISD, our community ranks student safety as the most important job for our school district. With Navigate360, we have access to industry-leading safety tools such as emergency management solutions, behavior and threat assessment resources, and an anonymous tipline. Thanks to this partnership, the overwhelming majority of our families report their children feel safe in our schools.”
— Mark Foust, Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools, Northwest ISD
Round Rock Independent School District (Texas)
“As a district, we are dedicated to ensuring the safety and well-being of our students and understand that mental health plays a critical role in achieving that goal. This recognition is a testament to our ongoing efforts to provide a comprehensive approach to safety and student wellness, including access to mental health services and support. While we are thrilled to receive this recognition, we recognize that our work is far from done. We will continue to prioritize the safety and well-being of our students, and work tirelessly to improve the resources and support they need to thrive.”
— Dr. Hafedh Azaiez, Superintendent, Round Rock ISD
Visalia Unified School District (California)
“To receive this recognition from a national leader, especially during National Youth Violence Prevention Week, is a significant achievement for our district. It demonstrates the commitment we made to our community to create a safe and secure learning environment for staff and students.”
— Superintendent Kirk Shrum, Visalia Unified School District
Navigate360 has the Solutions to Address Your School Safety Concerns
We know it takes more than a single solution to care for the whole child and the school and community that surrounds them, which is why we believe in solutions that work better together. From prevention all the way through response and recovery, we can provide end-to-end solutions that keep your students, teachers and staff safe.
Building a comprehensive safety plan can be a daunting task, but we are here to help. Speak with one of our safety specialists today to learn how you can maximize your safety grants and state funding and build a holistic ecosystem of whole-child safety this year.
