Healthy and Safe School Environment
To create a healthy and safe school environment, schools should address the safety and accessibility of the physical environment,
how the school climate and culture impacts students and staff, and what policies and practices are in place to address issues such as
bullying, and crisis response. Additionally, ensuring a healthy and safe school environment requires ongoing and targeted training of
teachers and other staff to ensure students are safe. As Figure 8.1 shows, approximately three-quarters of all schools train most, if
not all, of their staff on implementing the crisis preparedness, response, and recovery plan.
In an effort to promote positive school climate,
the majority of all schools incorporate
materials and activities that reflect the
diversity of the student body, provide
anonymous methods for students to report
harassment and bullying, and hold school-wide
opportunities for students to share in diverse
cultures and experiences (Figure 8.2). However,
fewer than half of elementary and combined
schools, and two-thirds of secondary schools
have student-led clubs that include gender and
sexually diverse students and staff.
FIGURE 8.1
Staff trained in implementing the crisis preparedness, response, and
recovery plan
Ensuring a healthy and safe
school environment requires
ongoing and targeted training
of teachers and other staff to
ensure students are safe.
FIGURE 8.2
Percentage of schools with practices to promote positive school climate
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