The items listed below are intended to assist educators looking for optional resources.  Each resource should be evaluated for alignment to your planned objectives, intended audience, and instructional setting.  Please review and apply as appropriate to meet your needs.  Resources will be added as they become available.  If there are broken links or outdated items, please let us know by emailing: jason.weatherly@ade.arkansas.gov  

Mental and Emotional Wellbeing

• Youth Mental Health First Aid:  Mental Health First Aid is a course that teaches you how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders. The training gives you the skills you need to reach out and provide initial help and support to someone who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem or experiencing a crisis. https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/ Check with your local Co-Op for upcoming trainings or contact Dr. Betsy Kindall at Elizabeth.kindell@ade.arkansas.gov.  
  

Data and Technology Safety

• Cyberbullying & Harassment Online: Awareness & Prevention:  Whether you’re just starting out online or you’re a seasoned digital learner, cyberbullying can impact any student at any time. Learn to understand the basics, gain expert insight on handling yourself in cyber-harassment situations, and take away tips for staying safe online. https://www.edumed.org/resources/preventing-cyberbullying-and-harassment-online/ 
  
  

Personal Wellness and Safety

• What They Don’t Teach Teens Book Study and Lesson Plans:  In the spring of 2022 the Office of School Safety held a statewide book study opportunity for educators, SRO, and administrators.  Topics included: 1) Dealing with the Police and Street Safety; 2) Sexual Violence and Misconduct, and 3) Staying Safer Online.  More information on the book and the author, Jonathan Cristall, ESQ., can be found at wtdtt.com.  As part of this project, a library of lesson plans was created to assist with introducing these topics to students. 
  
• Red Ribbon Week:  Red Ribbon Week takes place each year from October 23 through 31. For assistance in planning events or activities, check out the National Red Ribbon Week page. https://www.redribbon.org/   For state event information please visit the Arkansas Red Ribbon Week page. https://dese.ade.arkansas.gov/Offices/communications/safety/red-ribbon-week   For information on local events, please check with your school district. 
  
• Naloxone in Arkansas Schools:  To reduce the morbidity and mortality of opioid overdoses among students, Arkansas Public Schools may choose to stock naloxone for use in emergencies.  Districts are encouraged to develop procedures for stocking and administration of an anti-opioid and include this information in their school policies.  https://dese.ade.arkansas.gov/Offices/communications/safety/naloxone-in-schools 

Physical and Environmental Safety

• Readiness and Emergency Management For Schools Technical Assistance Center (REMS TAC):  Our nation’s K-12 schools and school districts and postsecondary institutions are entrusted to provide a safe and healthy learning environment for students, faculty, and staff members. Faced with emergencies ranging from active shooter situations to fires, tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, and pandemic influenza, this is no easy task. Many of these emergencies occur with little to no warning. It is critical for all schools and school districts—public and private, large and small, rural and urban—to plan ahead to ensure the safety and general welfare of all members of their school or campus community. https://rems.ed.gov/ 
• SchoolSafety.gov: a website by the federal government that provides a one-stop shop for school safety best practices and resources to create a safe and supportive learning environment for students. The website aims to help schools prevent, protect, mitigate, respond to, and recover from emergency situations. SchoolSafety.gov includes the School Safety Readiness Tool, an assessment that helps users evaluate their respective school’s overall safety posture across 10 foundational elements of school safety and generates a tailored Action Plan with task prioritization, options for consideration, aligned resources, and grant opportunities specific to individual needs; a Secure Information Sharing Platform for designated school personnel to share school safety ideas, practices, and tactics in a protected environment; and resources and best practices on key school safety topics to assist with building awareness within the school community to promote vigilance and build capacity to respond to incidents.