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Steve Harris (University of Georgia) joins the REMS TA Center to highlight the often overlooked but vitally important “invisible people” in school emergency operations plans (EOPs). Learn how custodians, cafeteria staff, substitute teachers, and others have frontline access that can increase school emergency management capacity. 

This episode considers: 

• Who are the “invisible people” in a school EOP, and how are they “invisible”? 
• What value and unique opportunities does this group hold for school EOPs? 
• How can schools unleash the power of their “invisible people” to create a culture of security and safety? 
• Why should schools train with the Incident Command System? 
• What stories from the field emphasize the importance of a school’s “invisible people”? 

Transcript

REMS TA Center Resources 

Collaborative Planning Teams at K-12 Schools and School Districts (Web Page) 

Implementing the Incident Command System (ICS) for Schools (Online Course) 

REMS TA Center Mailing List Sign-Up (Web Page) 

Timeless School Safety Strategies (Fact Sheet) 

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The REMS TA Center joins Ian Cyr (University of Massachusetts Amherst) and Mike Mulhare (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University) to consider best practices for preparing for and responding to emergency incidents that follow protest and demonstration activity. By identifying gaps in understanding regarding campus policies and collaborating with the campus community, institutions of higher education (IHEs) can work to create a safe environment for First Amendment behavior. 

This episode explores the following: 

• What are the different forms of protest and demonstration behaviors that occur on IHE campuses? 
• What is the difference between a policy violation and a failure to comply with a lawful order? 
• How should IHEs respond to emergency incidents that follow protest and demonstration activity? 
• How can IHE’s prepare for protest and demonstration activity? 
• What other considerations should IHEs hold for these types of events? 

Transcript

REMS TA Center Resources 

Archived Webinars (Web Page) 

Developing Emergency Operations Plans (EOPs) IHE 101 (Live and Virtual Trainings by Request) 

Developing Emergency Operations Plans (EOPs) IHE 101 (Online Course) 

Planning for Demonstrations, Protests, and Civil Unrest on Higher Ed Campuses (Fact Sheet) 

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The REMS TA Center joins with the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) National Technical Assistance Center (NTAC) for a collaborative episode on emergency considerations for afterschool and out-of-school time programs. Special guest Miguel Garcia (Forth Worth Independent School District, Texas) covers the ins and outs of afterschool considerations, including the following:

• What is NTAC, and what does it do?
• What is the difference between vendor-based and site-based afterschool programs?
• What are the differences in emergency planning during school hours and afterschool hours?
• How can local education agencies and schools work together to monitor hazards and threats particular to afterschool programs?
• What unique considerations do afterschool programs have for emergency operations plan development?

Transcript

REMS TA Center Resources

Guide for Developing High-Quality School Emergency Operations Plans (Guidance Document)

Using a Six-Step Planning Process and Scenario-Based Planning to Support Emergency Operations Plan Development (Web Page)

Other Resources

21st CCLC NTAC (Web Page)

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Dr. Timothy Tillman (Chesterfield County Public Schools, Virginia) rejoins the REMS TA Center for a discussion about the important role that school boards have in developing and improving K-12 cybersecurity postures. “Letting information technology (IT) team handle it” is no longer enough; school boards can lead by understanding what their IT teams need and providing a road map for improvement. 

This episode explores the following questions: 

• How do we need to reframe our philosophies regarding the relationships between IT teams, school boards, and K-12 cybersecurity? 
• What is the role of a school’s IT department in helping create and maintain a strong K-12 cybersecurity posture? 
• What is the role of the school board in helping create and maintain a strong K-12 cybersecurity posture? 
• What are “outside vendor risks” and what responsibilities should school boards take to address them? 
• How can school boards and communities grow from where they are now to where they need to be to protect schools most effectively? 

Transcript

REMS TA Center Resources  

Cybersecurity Considerations for K-12 Schools and School Districts (Online Course) 

Cybersecurity Preparedness for K-12 Schools and Institutions of Higher Education (Web Page)  

Cyber Safety for K-12 Schools and School Districts (Web Page) 

 Live Trainings by Request (Web Page) 

Understanding the Role of Information Technology Specialists in Supporting School Safety Before, During, and After an Emergency (Webinar) 

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The REMS TA Center interviews Carlton Gerald (Alexandria Public Schools, Virginia) for his take on the important relationship between technology and K-12 emergency management planning. In addition to providing general information about the school technology landscape, Gerald offers suggestions for choosing technologies as well as for avoiding over reliance on technology.  

This episode engages questions such as 

• What is an “outside in” approach to emergency preparedness?  
• Where and how should schools rely on technology in their planning? 
• How can schools know which technologies to use and purchase? 
• What common pitfalls with technology do schools tend to fall into, and how can these be avoided? 
• What does it mean to be a good steward of technology? 

Transcript

REMS TA Center Resources 

EOP Interactive Tools (Web Page) 

Cybersecurity Preparedness for K-12 Schools and Institutions of Higher Education (Web Page) 

Online Courses (Web Page) 

Understanding the Role of Information Technology Specialists in Supporting School Safety Before, During, and After an Emergency (Webinar) 

Join the Conversation

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The REMS TA Center explores immediate action steps core planning teams can take to protect their school from cyberattacks. Selected interview snippets from subject matter experts Ray Girdler (Arkansas Department of Education), Julia Fallon (State Educational Technology Directors Association), and Doug Levin (K12 Security Information eXchange) provide deeper insights into this topic. This episode answers the following questions: 

• What baseline cyber protections should schools implement if they don’t know where to start? 
• How can schools avoid getting bogged down in technical jargon? 
• Why is an audit important for improving cybersecurity? 
• How can self-assessments support cyber protection measures? 
• What role does information-sharing play in helping schools improve their cybersecurity posture? 

Transcript

REMS TA Center Resources 

Cybersecurity Considerations for K-12 Schools and School Districts (Online Course)  

Cybersecurity for K-12 Schools and School Districts: Developing a Cyber Annex (Fact Sheet)  

Cybersecurity Preparedness for Schools and Institutions of Higher Education (Web Page) 

Emergency Exercises Training Package (Training Package) 

School EOPs In-Depth: Developing a COOP Annex (Online Course) 

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Join the REMS TA Center for an exciting episode in which Whytley Jones (District of Columbia Homeland Security and Emergency Risk Management Agency [DC HSEMA]) shares a school behavioral threat assessment success story. Whytley explains how collaboration, integral to DC HSEMA’s founding, is a key factor in helping public schools, private schools, and institutions of higher education (IHEs) prevent behavioral emergency incidents. This episode explores

• What is DC HSEMA, and how does it partner with schools and IHEs to implement threat assessments?
• How did DC HSEMA employ referral, intervention, and follow-up to provide support for a person of concern?
• What steps can schools take to form collaborative partnerships that foster successful outcomes?
• How does a multidisciplinary approach benefit school emergency operations plans?
• Why is training so important for school safety?

Transcript

REMS TA Center Resources

Collaboration and Community Partnerships: Strategies for Effective School and Higher Ed Emergency Operations Plan Development (Fact Sheet)

Forming a School Behavioral Threat Assessment Team (Webinar)

Other Resources

Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency, DC HSEMA, (Website)

Protect DC, Government of the District of Columbia (Web Page)

SchoolSafety.Gov, SchoolSafety.Gov (Web Page)

Join the Conversation

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The REMS TA Center considers the importance of collaboration in preparing for and preventing cyberattacks. Selected recordings from interviews with subject matter experts Julia Fallon (State Educational Technology Directors Association), Doug Levin (K12 Security Information eXchange), and Ray Girdler (Arkansas Department of Education) provide direct insights from the field. This episode explores 

• What is the current state of the cybersecurity landscape for K-12 schools? 
• What should cybersecurity collaboration between schools, school districts, and partners look like? 
• Why is the entire school community needed to engage in cybersecurity? 
• What is the importance of establishing collaborative relationships and contact lists in advance of a cyber incident? 
• What REMS TA Center resources exist on this topic? 

Transcript

REMS TA Center Resources 

Cybersecurity Considerations for K-12 Schools and School Districts (Online Course)  

Cybersecurity for K-12 Schools and School Districts: Developing a Cyber Annex (Fact Sheet)  

Cybersecurity Preparedness for Schools and Institutions of Higher Education (Web Page) 

Integrating Cybersecurity Into School Emergency Operations Plans (Training Package) 

Other Resources 

The K-12 Cyber Incident Map, K12 Security Information eXchange (Tool) 

Join the Conversation

Use the #REMSontheAir hashtag and engage in a post-episode discussion on X (formerly Twitter). To ensure that the #REMSontheAir podcast serves your needs

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The REMS TA Center talks with Dr. Garry McGiboney (formerly with the Georgia Department of Education) on the topic of human error and school safety. Dr. McGiboney explores the types and causes of human error in schools and provides suggestions and best practices to avoid human error incidents. Key explorations include 

• What is “human error,” and what are its primary causes? 
• How and where is human error most likely to manifest in K-12 school settings? 
• What does school climate have to do with human error? 
• What is the difference between remedy-based thinking and solution-based thinking? 
• What are some strategies and best practices for avoiding human error in K-12 school contexts? 

Transcript 

REMS TA Center Resources 

Guide for Developing High-Quality School Emergency Operations Plans (Guidance Document)

Human Error and School Safety: Risks That Compromise Safety Plans (Online Course)

The Role of Districts in Developing High-Quality School Emergency Operations Plans (Guidance Document) 

Timeless School Safety Strategies (Fact Sheet) 

Join the Conversation

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The REMS TA Center draws from current data and an interview with Dr. Timothy Tillman (Chesterfield County Public Schools, Virginia) to understand the current landscape of K-12 school cyberattacks and best practices for improving K-12 cybersecurity posture. Join the REMS TA Center to explore questions about cybersecurity risk management: 

• Where do K-12 schools and school districts fit in the cybersecurity landscape? 
• What federal resources exist for K-12 schools to use in cybersecurity preparedness efforts? 
• What are some high-impact strategies to help schools prevent, respond to, and recover from cyberattacks? 
• What unique challenges stand in the way of K-12 cybersecurity buy-in? 
• What are Cybersecurity Annexes and Incident Response Plans, and why are these important for your school emergency operations plan? 
• What is multifactor authentication, and why is it important for schools? 

Transcript 

REMS TA Center Resources 

Cybersecurity Preparedness for Schools and Institutions of Higher Education (Web Page) 

Other Resources 

K-12 Digital Infrastructure Brief: Defensible & Resilient, U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Technology (Report) 

Protecting Our Future: Partnering to Safeguard K-12 Organizations From Cybersecurity Threats, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (Publication) 

Schools and Libraries Cybersecurity Pilot Program: Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, Federal Communications Commission (Publication) 

The State of K-12 Cybersecurity: Year in Review, K12 Security Information eXchange (Report) 

Join the Conversation

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