Community Threat Assessment & Intervention Protocol

Fair Notice & Process The Durham District School Board and Community Partners are committed to making our schools safe for students and staff. As a result the Board will respond appropriately to all student behaviours that pose a potential risk to other students, staff and members of the community. It is hoped that support for early identification and intervention measures by Durham District School Board and Community Partners will prevent school violence. There are many initiatives in place to support our schools as safe places for students to learn. One important initiative is the Community Threat Assessment and Intervention Protocol and the training of Board administrators and associated staff in Threat Assessment and Intervention. School teams work to assess potentially high risk student behaviour and evaluate the level of threat to others and the student exhibiting the behaviour. This training and response plan was developed by Kevin Cameron, The Director of the Canadian Centre for Threat and Risk Assessment. The timely sharing of information about students at risk for violence towards self and/or others ensures that supportive plans are put in place to enhance safety. In addition, the effective implementation of The Community Threat Assessment & Intervention Protocol will support collaborative planning to prevent traumatic events. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE STUDENT COMMUNITY THREAT ASSESSMENT AND INTERVENTION PROTOCOL?  To ensure the safety of students, staff and parents.  To understand, based on the data gathered, the factors that contribute to a threat-maker’s behaviour.  To develop an intervention plan that addresses the emotional and physical safety of the threatmaker and others. WHAT BEHAVIOURS INITIATE A STUDENT THREAT ASSESSMENT? A threat is an expression of intent to do harm or act out violently against someone or something. Threats may be verbal, written, drawn, posted on the Internet or made by gesture. Threats must be taken seriously, be investigated and followed up with a response. A Student Threat Assessment will be initiated when a student exhibits behaviours that include, but are not limited to:  Violence with the intent to harm or kill  Verbal/written threats to harm or kill others (clear, direct and plausible)  Internet website/social media threats to harm or kill others  Possession of weapons, including replicas  Bomb threats (making and/or detonating explosive devices)  Fire setting  Sexual intimidation or assault  Gang related intimidation and violence A Threat Assessment may be initiated because of the content of an incident or as a result of worrisome behaviour. WHAT IS A COMMUNITY THREAT ASSESSMENT AND INTERVENTION TEAM? Each school has a multi-disciplinary Community Threat Assessment and Intervention Team. The Community Threat Assessment and Intervention Team includes a variety of team members and support personnel. The team will include a combination of the following: Administrators, SERT, School Board Psychologist, Guidance Counsellors, Social Worker, School Resource Police Officer and other pertinent professionals and/or community resources(such as Mental Health Professionals). The Community Threat Assessment and Intervention team will share and review student information and the details of the event in order to collaborate on a plan of action based on a broad range of expertise. WHAT IS THE PROCESS? All threat making behaviours are reported to school administration who may activate the Protocol. A team is formed and people are assigned to gather data. Information may be obtained from multiple sources including:  Teachers, students, targets, threat makers, parents/caregivers  Current and previous school records  Support groups and agencies  Online sites and/or social media  Locker and backpack search Data collected is shared and a determination is made whether the threat is made of a low, medium, or high level of concern. An Intervention Plan is developed to reduce risk of violence. DUTY TO REPORT In order to keep our school communities safe, the Durham District School Board expects anyone in a school community having knowledge of high-risk student behaviour or having reasonable grounds to believe there is a potential for high-risk or violent behaviour to promptly report the information to the school Principal or designates. All Board policies, procedures and protocols align with the Ministry of Education’s Safe Schools initiatives and other appropriate legislation. For further information please contact your school Principal.