Creating Safe and Drug-Free Schools: An Action Guide - September 1996

A r c h i v e d I n f o r m a t i o n

Action Steps for Community and Business Groups

Making schools safe, orderly, and drug-free requires the support and cooperation of the entire community. Children spend a significant amount of their time in the community, and it is essential that community groups (including law enforcement and social services, juvenile justice agencies, foundations, and not-for-profit organizations) and businesses provide students with the assistance and support needed to live in a community and go to school without the fear or threat of violence. Some of the actions community and business groups can take to assist schools are:

Participate on a school's Safe School Plan committee.
Adopt and support a school.
Sponsor extracurricular social and cultural activities, entrepreneurial opportunities, and other positive alternative activities for students.
Work collaboratively with the schools in developing and sponsoring community projects for youth living in the community.
Assist in creating safe corridors for students going to and from school.
Adopt policies that permit and encourage employees to become active in youth-related activities, like tutoring, mentoring, or coaching.
Encourage employees who are parents to visit their children's schools regularly without being penalized at work.
Open businesses and corporate facilities for field trips, apprenticeships, and internships for students.
Promote awareness of career and college opportunities and the availability of financial aid and nontraditional scholarships. Sponsor a scholarship program.
Sponsor fundraising events for schools to support their safe schools initiatives, focusing on preventing violence and resisting alcohol and drug use.
Become knowledgeable about the operation of schools in their community and participate in school reform efforts.

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[Action Steps for Parents]

[Preventing Juvenile Gun Violence in Schools]