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Advancing the discipline of risk management in public education.
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Believe in Three
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Corporate Partners 

CBIZ

Genesis Underwriting Mgt.

Willis

Company Nurse

Target Safety

Norman Peterson & Assoc.

Selective Insurance

MediCor

Core Management Resources Group
 

Alternative Service Concepts

School Bus Safety Company

Pittman & Company

MicroAssist, Inc.

 Bickmore Risk Services

York Risk Services Group

Hour-Zero

SafeSchools.com

DuPont Training Solutions powered by Coastal


to learn more about the corporate partner
 program
please visit

 
Founding 
 School Risk Groups
 
Florida School Boards Insurance Trust
 
Minnesota School Boards Insurance Trust
 
New York Schools Insurance Reciprocal
 
Schools of Ohio Risk Sharing Authority
 
Pennsylvania School Boards Association Insurance Trust


Six other school risk groups have joined these founders.
 
Founding
 School Districts

City of Atlanta, GA
 
City of Chicago, IL
  
Clark County, NV

City of Cleveland, OH 

Dekalb County, GA
 
Fairfax County, VA

 Francis Howell, MO
 
Fulton County, GA
 
Miami-Dade, FL
 
Rockdale County,GA
 
San Francisco USD, CA

Wake County, NC 



Other districts that are direct or associate members now number more than 2,300.

To find out how to join, click here!


SchoolRisk.org

School leaders who are members can search the directory and find districts with similar risk management interests

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December 9, 2010                        Special Edition No. 3                

Risk management is... a vital business process that inspires confidence and builds resiliency.

Believe in Three
Editor's Note:  Our regular writer was a little under the weather  and then traveled out of state for two days.  We apologize for the delay in release of this edition.


Power of Three, Three Strands are Stronger than Two,  Triple Threats, Triple Options, Three Amigos


When it comes to news sources about the risk and insurance industry, you can't go wrong with these three:  Business Insurance Magazine, Risk & Insurance Magazine and Risk Management Magazine.   One of these has an online section devoted to Education, however, the focus is higher ed.   In the future, there might be more public attention  devoted to the important work of school risk leaders. 


In core competency models for risk management there  are usually several skill/knowledge elements that are grouped into three main  components areas.   The three components of the model developed by the Risk & Insurance Management Society are conceptual skills, technical skills and core competency skills.   A model developed by the Public Risk Management Association also uses three components: public risk management skills, public administration/business skills and critical thinking & interpersonal skills.  In the future, a model for school risk managers might blend elements from these two models and others.


 

The Insurance Institute of American Associate in Risk Management (ARM) program has three parts that require mastery of a large body of information. The courses are 54 - Essentials of Risk Management, 55 - Essentials of Risk Control  and 56 - Essentials for Risk Financing.  It would be interesting to know how many school district and school risk group employees have earned this designation.   For information about the ARM program and a source for independent online study, please contact the Executive Director. 


Comprehensive loss control programs include activities that take place prior to the loss, during the loss and after the loss.  Without the appropriate action at all three times,  the extent of loss is likely to be much greater.   

 

Arson, vandalism and malicious mischief are a terrible threesome for schools.  Joann Robertson, a risk control professional who works with member districts of the New York Schools Insurance Reciprocal, pointed out in a recent article that vandals fear three things when they come up with a plot to damage school buildings.   Being heard, being seen and not having enough time will cause them to abandon their plans.  Ms. Robertson suggests that public awareness campaigns can be very cost effective in raising the defenses against property crimes.  Getting citizens, staff and police working together can put an end to the threats.   Taking this a step further, the Schools Insurance Authority of Sacramento offers its members a DVD they can use to rally support and introduces 30 ways to prevent school arson.  


Biological, chemical and radiological exposures are prevalent in school districts.  Just thinking about the dangers of harmful virus and bacteria,  it seems there's no end to the number of  potential health risks to students.  Along with life threatening concerns about meningitis, MRSA, and mulitple types of influenza, there  are some tiny  insects - bed bugs, head lice and fleas -  on the list  of administrator anxieties and often more serious issues. 
 

The Institute has re-organized it programs and projects into three initiatives - Share, Lead,  and Learn - and each initiative has an corresponding label - Commonwealth, Blueprints and Education. A new guide is available that gives an illustration and overview of the Institute's services.  The Executive Director had an opportunity to visit with three members of the Genesis Underwriting Management team in Atlanta.  John Fumo, Regina Beers Pettus and Bruce Norvell are risk professionals, with CPCU distinction, and years of service to school districts and school risk groups.  Their encouragement and informal review of some of the Institute's programs and projects was greatly appreciated. 

 

Public School Risk Institute
   
Please call or send us a note with your comments and suggestions about this newsletter and any projects you would like to see us undertake. We also want to receive school contact names, contacts with organizations you believe may want to be involved, and material for the new website resources. We hope you find the Institute's newly updated website useful.  Please visit regularly and let us know how we can support your efforts to advance risk management.  Your input and feedback is greatly desired and appreciated.

Sincerely,
 
Lee Gaby, Executive Director 
Public School Risk Institute  
[email protected]
NEW Phone  (706) 715-3381 Ext. 701