Our Maine Safe Schools Initiative prioritizes Supporting a Restorative Culture of Care and Safety in schools by providing training, guidance, and ongoing support for the whole school and the whole student. We approach school safety through the lens of prevention and response with the overarching goal of helping educational leaders create a safe environment for students and staff where everyone feels like they matter. This environment is created through intentional action that identifies and addresses potential problems before they arise. Prevention starts by building community, creating and practicing safety plans, and understanding how to recognize warning signs of possibly harmful behavior. These skills are addressed in the following MSSC programs:
School Safety Specialist Badge Series
- Introduction
- Fundamentals
- School Climate & Culture
- Emergency Planning
- Incident Command System
This program is offered asynchronously through Eastern Maine Community College. It takes approximately 20 hours to complete over an 8-week period. Participants are given badges after each stage
Comprehensive School Threat Assessment Guidelines (CSTAG)
Team-based
- Instructor led Level 1
- Instructor-led Level 2
Schools select a team of participants to enroll in CSTAG training. Level 1 and Level 2 are facilitated by an instructor. This program takes approximately 8 hours to finish.
Creating a Culture of Care in Schools Using Restorative Practices
Whole School
- Asynchronous Modules
- In-person Facilitated by Team
Schools sign up to participate in this program as a whole staff. Schools select a team of leaders to undergo training from a coach. The staff are trained asynchronously at a pace chosen by the school.
When challenges do arise, guidelines for safe, student- centered responses are also imbedded in both the CSTAG and Creating a Culture of Care in Schools Using Restorative Practices training. The information provided helps school staff to repair harm after an incident, while safely reintegrating students back into the community after any prolonged absence.
What we offer
Training
We offer a variety of training opportunities from our School Safety Specialist program and partner training events to our specialized training.
Guidance
We offer guidance through office hours, one-on-one consultations, and site visits.
Ongoing Support
We offer ongoing support through resources from our partners. Each of our service areas has a dedicated webpage with a list of resources.