EMPLOYEESAFE

Spotlight on Staff Training Management System

The new school year is just around the corner! Check out PublicSchoolWORKS’ (PSW) Staff Training Management System, part of the award-winning EmployeeSafe Suite. This system reduces risks, health care costs, workers compensation and liability insurance while staying in compliance with local and state regulations. The Staff Training Management System provides over 250 online training courses including :

• Student Behavior, Intervention & Support Catalog
• Personal Productivity Catalog
• Workplace Safety & Regulatory Compliance Catalog
• Human Resources & Employment Law Catalog
• Safe Work Practices & Job Procedures Catalog
• School Transportation Catalog
• Food Safety Catalog

To learn more about PSW’s Staff Training Management System, please email sales@publicschoolworks.com

STUDENTWATCH

StudentWatch: Youth Violence- Florida Teen Tips off Friend before Murdering Parents

In West Palm Beach, Florida, seventeen year old Tyler Hadley is being held without bond after being charged with the murder of his parents. A sad addition to this story is that Hadley told his best friend he was going to kill his parents several times before he actually committed the crime. This same friend later tipped off police to the killings after Hadley showed him his parents’ bodies at a party he threw after he killed his parents. Hadley’s public defender has entered a plea of not guilty.

Would this friend’s timely communication to authorities or school administrators through a tip line have changed the tragic outcome of this event? How do we instill in students the importance of treating threats to others seriously? While this teen had threatened to harm his parents before, any and all threats should be reported. If authorities could have gotten involved in the threats earlier, just by him knowing that other adults were aware of his thoughts it could have changed the outcome of events. In addition, authorities could have sought appropriate counseling for him and his parents. Have you been made aware of a situation that could have escalated to violence with one of your students? If so, what did you do about it? Share your comments our Facebook page.

EMPLOYEESAFE

Spotlight on School Kickback Scheme

Former North Chicago School Board Member, Gloria Harper, and the head of district transportation, Alice Sherrod, along with three other contractors, face a 26-count indictment because of a kickback scheme. According to the Chicago Sun Times, beginning in 2001, both women were said to be collecting money in exchange for providing business to suburban bus companies. This indictment calls for the forfeiture of 48 busses and vans, seven personal automobiles and nearly $10 million dollars.

Some school districts do not provide staff with the ability to report issues such as fraud, which can lead to incidences like those in North Chicago. PublicSchoolWORKS’ Fraud Reporting System, which is a part of its award-winning EmployeeSafe Suite, provides school staff with the ability to quickly report fraud, suspicious activity, harassment and other risk issues. Once a report has been entered, the system quickly notifies the appropriate people to intervene. This helps schools address situations that could otherwise go undetected for long periods of time before ever being investigated. Being able to intervene more quickly can help to limit the legal exposure often associated with these issues and can help administrators answer the question, “What did you do?” Has your school or district been a victim of employee fraud? Share your stories with us on Twitter@PSWORKS.

SAFETY THOUGHT

Safety Thought: New Policies for School Discipline

As the new school year approaches, the North Carolina General Assembly has approved legislation that will change 32 policies for the 2011-12 academic year. The policy changes are being implemented to reduce the number of school suspensions. According to the new set of policies, only the possession of a firearm on school property will result in a 365-day suspension. In addition, long-term suspensions are being limited to incidences that disrupt the educational environment or threaten staff, student or school visitor safety.

What policies are you putting in place for your school this year? What policies do you have to ensure both student attendance and school safety? Share your stories with us on Twitter@PSWORKS.