About the Center for Safe and Secure Schools

Harris County Department of Education’s Center for Safe and Secure Schools (CSSS) was established in 1999 at the request of school superintendents to advance safe and secure environments for learning and teaching. CSSS partners with federal, state and local entities to take the lead in the development of increased safety and security strategies, standards and best practices for K-12 school environments for both students and educators. CSSS continually seeks new and innovative opportunities to build safer and more secure learning environments.

HCDE's Center for Safe and Secure Schools has been instrumental in bringing restorative discipline practices to Harris County schools by conducting both onsite and offsite workshops supporting implementation of various restorative practice models.

COVID-19 RESOURCES & MINDFULNESS EXERCISES

• Collection of COVID-19 Resources for Schools (PDF)
• Compassion in the Time of COVID (Article)
• Maintaining Mindfulness Videos: Short mindfulness exercises to boost mental well-being.
  • Little Bits of Mindfulness – Tuning In to Tune Out (YouTube)
  • Catch Those Thoughts
  • Mountain Rising Exercise
• Choice Partners COVID-19 Information Page

Climate & Culture Approach and Benefits

The Approach...

What is School Climate and Culture?

School climate is the perception that is held about a school derived from outward indicators such as physical appearance. Climate is what is seen on the surface and elicits a distinctive feeling. School culture is the shared experiences and traditions that are celebrated. Culture is the collective norms, values, and beliefs, that contribute to the overall personality of a school.

Why School Climate and Culture?

Climate and culture are the undertow of a school. They can influence student belonging, teacher morale, parental involvement, and school safety. Often overshadowed by academic accountability, school climate and culture when neglected, can have detrimental consequences on the overall success of a school. For that reason, there are several resources from the Harris County Department of Education, Center for Safe and Secure Schools available to support schools and districts in enhancing their school climate and culture.

The Benefits…

Course offerings through the CSSS division of School Climate and Culture aim to:

• Increase school safety and security
• Enhance student, teacher, and parent relationships
• Decrease suspension rates
• Increase student class time
• Contribute to a positive learning environment
• Improve student behavior
• Transform school culture

As the established school district liaison for Harris County schools with the City of Houston emergency management community, the Center for Safe and Secure Schools participates in various planning initiatives through the:

• Offices of Emergency Management (OEM)
• Harris County Office of Public Health and Environmental Services (HCPHES)
• Houston METRO
• Mayor's Office of Emergency Management
• Regional Collaborating Planning Committee Member
• Harris County Mitigation Plan Steering Committee Member
• Houston Urban Working Group Education Representative

Services include:

• Onsite training for district staff National Incident Management System (NIMS)
• State-mandated facility safety and security audits
• Assistance developing state-mandated emergency operation plans
• Public health preparedness initiatives
• Continuity of Operations Planning (COOP) Training
• Active Shooter and Intruderology training for staff and administrators
• Threat Assessment training for public schools
• Standard Response Protocol and Standard Reunification Training
• Active Shooter Response Training (ALICE, CRASE, ALERT I-II)

Texas Education Code Chapter 37.108 requires all public schools to conduct safety audits of all their facilities every three years and report the results to the Texas Schools Safety Center and to their local district boards of education. The Center provides these safety audit services to school districts to help them comply with this legal mandate by conducting five critical area audits: intruder, exterior, interior, emergency planning policy review and National Incident Management System (NIMS) alignment assessment. Upon completion of the safety audit, a district will receive an executive summary and access to individual site reports through the web based state of the art system called ERIP (Emergency Information Portal).

Services include:

• In-depth school facility & security safety audits that meet TEA requirements
• Public Health Preparedness Initiatives
• Intruder assessment
• Exterior assessment
• Interior assessment
• Emergency Planning Policy Review
• National Incident Management System (NIMS) alignment assessment
• Executive Summary of audit results
• Individual electronic site reports using ERIP (Emergency Response Information Portal)
• Digital Site Mapping
• Access to e-learning module
• Access to emergency operations planning module
• Access to assessment module service
• Add resource links to assessment and auditing sites such as the Texas School Safety Center

Unique capabilities for first responders that provide access to:

• Cameras
• Floor Plans
• Site Mapping

Membership Plan
2021–2022 School Year

• Send one district representative to one threat assessment train-the-trainer professional staff development offered twice a year by the Center for Safe and Secure Schools.
• Send two district representatives to any NIMS 100,200, 700, 800 training offered by the Center for Safe and Secure Schools three times a year (fall, spring, and summer).
• Center members will have access to quarterly webinars that focus on the topics of school safety/security or emergency operations planning best practices.
• Center members will be offered the opportunity to participate in two tabletop exercises offered by the
• Center for Safe and Secure Schools twice a year (fall/spring).
• Center members receive a 20% discount on registration fees to any workshop or conference offered by the
• Center for Safe and Secure Schools during the school year or summer.
• Center members will have the opportunity to attend quarterly networking operations board meetings that focus on information sharing and best practices in the area of emergency operation planning and safety/security.
• Center members will receive a certificate of membership and public recognition of their participation in the Center for Safe and Secure Schools at their local board of education meeting.
• The Center for Safe and Secure Schools will recognize one Center member quarterly for their innovative and comprehensive practices in school safety/security and emergency operations planning. A press release and board presentation will be made to recognize award recipients.
• Center members will receive a monthly newsletter that will highlight emergency operations planning best practices, school safety and security news, and upcoming professional development opportunities offered by the Center for Safe and Secure Schools beginning in the month of August 2019.
• Center members will receive a school safety “tip of the week” during the 2019-2020 school year.
• Center members will a have access to monthly two-way radio checks beginning in the month of August 2019.

PROMO CODES: For districts that are members of HCDE’s Center for Safe and Secure Schools, there is no cost to send two representatives to any NIMS training offered when you enter a promo code.

Contact Gil Gaona at ggaona@hcde-texas.org or 713-696-0771 for promo code. Each additional representative from member districts pays a discounted fee.

Current Center Members

• Aldine ISD
• Alief ISD
• Avance - Houston
• Channelview ISD
• Crosby ISD
• Cy-Fair ISD
• Dayton  ISD
• Deer Park ISD
• Dickinson ISD
• Galena Park ISD
• Goose Creek CISD
• Houston ISD
• Huffman  ISD
• Humble ISD
• Katy  ISD
• Klein ISD
• La Porte  ISD
• Liberty ISD
• New Caney ISD
• Pearland ISD
• Sheldon ISD
• Spring ISD
• Spring Branch ISD
• Stafford MSD
• The Rhodes School
• Waller ISD 

*Charter/Private School Members

• Current Partner Agencies/Organizations include:
  City of Houston Mayor’s Office of Public Safety and Homeland Security
• City of Houston Mayor’s Office of Emergency Management
  
• City of Houston Department of Health and Human Resources
  
• Harris County Judge’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management
  
• Harris County Public Health and Environmental Services
  
• Harris County Fire Marshal’s Office
  
• Harris County Sheriff’s Office
  
• FBI-Houston Field Office
  
• U.S. Secret Service-Houston Field Office
  
• Port of Houston Authority
  
• State of Texas Division of Emergency Management
  
• Texas Department of State Health Services

NIMS Compliance

Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools - NIMS
FEMA - NIMS
NIMS Comprehensive Guidance Activities
FY 2010 NIMS Training for K-12 and Institutions of Higher Education

Active Shooter Information

DHS Cyber Infrastructure - Active Shooter Preparedness
DHS - Active Shooter How to Respond

National Sleep Awareness

The College Student’s Guide to Sleep
What Sleep Deprivation Does to Your Body and Brain
Guide to Managing Anxiety and Sleep

Attendance and Truancy Guidelines

Attendance Requirements in Texas Schools
Texas Education for Homeless Children and Youth - TEA Attendance / Truancy
American Lung Association / Teen Smoking
Building Trust in Law Enforcement Through Service
Crime Stoppers Houston
Cyber Bullying
Harris County Office of Emergency Management
Houston Emergency Management
Houston Transtar
Hurricane Preparedness
DHS National Terrorism Advisory System (NTAS)
FEMA - Emergency Operations Planning
Fire Safety for Texans
National Association of School Safety and Law Enforcement Officers
National Center for Education Statistics
National Criminal Justice Reference Service
National School Safety Center
National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention

Playground Safety Resources

National Program for Playground Safety
Playground Safety for parents
Quitday.org - Tackling Tobacco Abuse in Modern K-12 Schools
Road/Pedestrian Safety - Distracted Walking
Security Measures at Schools: Mental Health Considerations
School Safety Info
School Safety Tips and Prevention
TEA: List of School Districts & ESC Regions
TEA: Regional Education Service Centers (ESCs)
Texas Homeland Security Preparedness
Texas Safety Standards for Kindergarten - Grade 12: Third Edition
Texas Association of School Boards
Texas Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN)
Texas Emergency Management Online
The Character Network
U.S. Department of Education: Safe Schools & FERPA
Drone Safety

Video Links

Texas School Safety Center – When Seconds Count Video
Texas Attorney General – School Safety
Sandy Hook Promise-Evan Video
Vape Danger - Vape and E-Cigarette Dangers

NIMS Compliance

Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools - NIMS
FEMA - NIMS
NIMS Comprehensive Guidance Activities
FY 2010 NIMS Training for K-12 and Institutions of Higher Education

Active Shooter Information

DHS Cyber Infrastructure - Active Shooter Preparedness
DHS - Active Shooter How to Respond

National Sleep Awareness

The College Student’s Guide to Sleep
What Sleep Deprivation Does to Your Body and Brain
Guide to Managing Anxiety and Sleep

Attendance and Truancy Guidelines

Attendance Requirements in Texas Schools
Texas Education for Homeless Children and Youth - TEA Attendance / Truancy
American Lung Association / Teen Smoking
Building Trust in Law Enforcement Through Service
Crime Stoppers Houston
Cyber Bullying
Harris County Office of Emergency Management
Houston Emergency Management
Houston Transtar
Hurricane Preparedness
DHS National Terrorism Advisory System (NTAS)
FEMA - Emergency Operations Planning
Fire Safety for Texans
National Association of School Safety and Law Enforcement Officers
National Center for Education Statistics
National Criminal Justice Reference Service
National School Safety Center
National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention

Playground Safety Resources

National Program for Playground Safety
Playground Safety for parents
Quitday.org - Tackling Tobacco Abuse in Modern K-12 Schools
Security Measures at Schools: Mental Health Considerations
School Safety Info
School Safety Tips and Prevention
TEA: List of School Districts & ESC Regions
TEA: Regional Education Service Centers (ESCs)
Texas Homeland Security Preparedness
Texas Safety Standards for Kindergarten - Grade 12: Third Edition
Texas Association of School Boards
Texas Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN)
Texas Emergency Management Online
The Character Network
U.S. Department of Education: Safe Schools & FERPADrone Safety

Video Links

Texas School Safety Center – When Seconds Count Video
Texas Attorney General – School Safety
Sandy Hook Promise-Evan Video
Vape Danger - Vape and E-Cigarette Dangers

2018 - Culture and Climate Hosting an Introduction to Restorative Practices Workshop

School Culture and Climate Specialist, Julia Andrews will be hosting an Introduction to Restorative Practices workshop on Tuesday, December 11th. During this workshop, participants will be provided an introduction of Restorative Practices and basic steps on how to begin implementation on their perspective organizations.

Restorative Practices seeks to build a stronger community by involving the whole community in the positive resolution of wrongdoing and by using conflict as an opportunity to strengthen positive relationships.

2018 - CFSSS Connects with ONE Houston (Organizing Network for Educators) on School Safety

School Safety and Security Specialist, Janice Owolabi was part of a very important community conversation on school safety.  Over 100 Houstonians came together Saturday, December 1st, to take action to create safe and supportive schools. High school and college students, parents, teachers, principals, and advocates representing six different school districts identified preventive counseling and mental health efforts as well as restorative justice practices as the top two issues in our community.  The CFSSS is joining the effort to keep the conversation going.  Janice is part of a leadership group that works on concrete policy changes, funding changes in the practices of local schools and districts that focus on the issues of increasing mental health personnel on campuses and expanding restorative justice programming.

2018 - DOJ Grant Meeting Milestones

The CSSS DOJ Grant is wrapping up its first quarter with a significant accomplishment. Our new Grant Manager, Dr. Colina Poullard has successfully completed the Department of Justice Grants Financial Management Training. This was one of our first required milestones to ensure that our grant is a success.

Dr. Pollard’s position is funded through the BJA STOP the Violence Grant awarded to the Center for Safe and Secure Schools for nearly $500,000. The grant award will allow the Center to work with up to thirty schools over three-year period where they will provide educators, students and law enforcement personnel with violence prevention training.