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 Elementary and middle school students and teachers in Belleville are learning how to prevent and respond to potentially dangerous situations on campus. This is a result of the American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter’s Safe Schools program, which is currently thriving at Central Junior High School and Westhaven Elementary School in Belleville.
Through this program, the Red Cross is educating teachers and students on how to respond to everything from violence to medical emergencies. Teachers and students are working on getting training in First Aid, CPR, multi-casualty response, anger management, conflict resolution, and anti-bullying programs. The Red Cross is also working to set up community meetings between school leaders and emergency management agencies in order to create disaster plans.
Many of the students who are getting this training are helping to educate their classmates. Members of the school’s Red Cross Club are an active force on campus, making presentations on first aid and safety to fellow students. The group has their own facility on school grounds – a classroom the school has officially deemed the Red Cross Room. This facility houses Red Cross training equipment like First Aid kits, CPR mannequins, and bandage training kits – all of which were purchased by the St. Louis Area Chapter.
History of Safe Schools:
The St. Louis Area Chapter of the American Red Cross is one of nine chapters across the country to participate in the Safe Schools Initiative, which is locally funded by Enterprise Car Rental and Target, and nationally funded by AT&T Wireless. Four years ago, the St. Louis Area Chapter started the first Safe Schools program in the Hazelwood School District in Hazelwood, Missouri. So far, the program has met the following goals:
• Hazelwood’s disaster plan was refined and communicated, ensuring that all partners are now fully prepared to respond to a disaster or emergency.
• Teachers offered life-saving instruction to 9,000 students as a result of Red Cross training and the implementation of the Safe Schools program.
• 400 administrators, teachers, and counselors received training in a program called “Capturing Kids’ Hearts,” which focused on creating a school environment that is safer, friendlier, and more conducive to learning.
• Over 100 bus drivers were trained in First Aid, becoming prepared to respond to injuries before the arrival of EMS.
• 60 counselors and staff participated in NOVA (National Organization for Victim Assistance) training, 30 of them from other districts.
• Over 50 teachers were trained to offer CPR/First Aid as part of the curriculum in health classes for grades 7 – 12.
• 35 parents attended sessions provided by the National Council on Drug and Alcohol Abuse, including anger-management, conflict resolution and how to recognize warning signs and guide their children’s behavior.
Due to the success in Hazelwood and increased funding for Safe Schools, the St. Louis Area Chapter recently expanded the program to Belleville.
Future Goals for Safe Schools include:
• Developing outreach to parents: Parents will be offered educational sessions on preparedness, school safety and behavioral issues. Parents will receive ongoing communication through direct mail and an online newsletter.
• Increasing the number of “Capturing Kids’ Hearts” participants: The “Capturing Kids’ Hearts” program is designed to help school personnel create an environment that is conducive to learning and focused on managing behavior, creating respect, and building productive relationships. This workshop will be more widely available to faculty during the third year.
• Providing in-service training for NOVA-trained counselors: The National Organization for Victims Assistance (NOVA) will provide continual in-service training, combining counselors with other trained groups to provide opportunities for teachers and school officials to refresh and improve their skills.
For more information about Safe Schools and other programs offered by the St. Louis Area Chapter of the American Red Cross, call 314-516-2717 or go online at www.redcrossstl.org.
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