Section
Breadcrumbs
Education and Training
Education and training are key factors to how prepared Indiana is when protecting against and responding to threats on school grounds. Educators and students should be aware of their surroundings, exits, procedures and safeguards in place to protect them. School resource officers in Indiana complete a robust training program that equips them to deal with the many challenges that can occur in a school environment. Indiana also requires a trained school safety specialist in every school. Law enforcement and first responders train regularly with their communities to ensure a quick and efficient response to an incident in which time is critical in saving lives. Indiana offers many opportunities to educate and train communities.
Partner with the Office of School Safety to host school safety trainings in your region
The Indiana Office of School Safety (OSS) invites school districts to partner with OSS in hosting regional school safety trainings. These events bring together educators, administrators, school resource officers and other community partners to share leading practices and strengthen preparedness.
By providing a suitable venue, host districts help expand access to high-quality training while demonstrating their commitment to protecting Indiana’s students, staff and communities. These training opportunities also will allow school safety specialists to acquire/maintain Advanced School Safety Specialist Academy credit. Moving forward, all advanced credits will be earned through a combination of regional training opportunities and impactful, vetted online courses.
OSS believes that training and collaborating with regional partners will prove invaluable as districts address hard-hitting topics and local challenges. While advanced training is critical to maintaining a safe school environment, OSS recognizes the burden it places on districts when multiple safety specialists must leave their buildings simultaneously. Hosting regional trainings offers flexibility, allowing districts to choose the timing that best fits their needs, serve their regional partners effectively, and avoid additional travel expenses or disruptions to daily operations. School Safety Specialist Academy, CEUs and Law Enforcement credit will be issued during regional trainings.
Training and Best Practices
- Indiana School Safety Specialist Academy
The Indiana School Safety Specialist Academy (ISSSA) provides certified training and information on state and national best practices to equip school safety specialists to lead their school and ensure safe educational environments are provided for all students in Indiana. This includes high-quality resources for school safety, security, intervention/prevention and emergency preparedness planning.
- State Police School Safety Training
In partnership with Indiana educators and local law enforcement, the Indiana State Police conducts various training sessions throughout Indiana. Training sessions help schools and law enforcement agencies establish partnerships necessary for coordinating a unified and effective response to various incidents.
- Best Practices
Find guidelines developed to help schools or parents implement effective safety procedures.
- Tabletop Toolkit
The Indiana Department of Homeland Security's Office of School Safety has developed a Tabletop Toolkit featuring 10 discussion-based exercises. These scenarios are designed to engage school officials, administrators, educators, SROs and staff in evaluating their responses to various situations. Each exercise includes a brief scenario followed by targeted questions that prompt reflection and dialogue.
Mental Health Training Resources
- Mental Health First Aid Training
Youth Mental Health First Aid is a nationally recognized and evidence-based program that trains individuals who work with adolescents (ages 12-18) to recognize and respond to signs of mental health problems or crisis. The state of Indiana provides this training free of charge through NAMI.
- Ending the Silence
Ending the Silence, a program from NAMI Indiana, is an engaging presentation about the warning signs of mental health conditions and what steps to take if you or a loved one are showing symptoms of a mental illness.
- Seize the Awkward
Seize the Awkward is a campaign that helps people get past their fears and awkwardness of talking with friends about mental health so they can provide support to someone who may really need it.
- Bring Change to Mind
Bring Change to Mind gives teens a platform to share their voices and raise awareness around mental health. Its goal is to empower students to educate one another and their communities, to fight the stigma around mental illness and to create a culture of peer support within their schools.