| dc.description.abstract | This project was an investigation into safety and security measures implemented by Heads of
School within the South Carolina Independent School Association (SCISA). Interviews and an
open-ended survey were conducted with both current and former Heads of School. The goal of
the project was to determine a) how schools are currently addressing violence prevention; b) how
Heads of School perceive safety and security issues; and c) how various factors serve to either
facilitate or inhibit implementation of new safety and security initiatives. This report utilizes
research conducted on school safety and violence prevention as well as relevant scholarly work
on new program implementation. The qualitative data collected was evaluated using the Four
Frame Model as developed by Bolman and Deal. This report indicates that SCISA schools are
actively implementing new measures to prevent violence on their campus, but face significant
challenges in the form of financial limitations and facility design. Heads of School consistently
expressed that the topic of safety and security is one of their top priorities, if not the greatest
single concern from their leadership perspective. The report suggests that successful
implementation of preventative violence initiatives can be influenced by employee buy-in,
appropriate training, and extensive communication with key stakeholders. Recommendations to
SCISA include a clear vision and commitment from leadership, member schools developing a
positive relationship with local law enforcement, consistent and dynamic training sessions with
faculty and staff, and requiring a comprehensive safety and security audit as part of the
accreditation process. | en_US |
