The Office of School Preparedness and Emergency Planning, part of the New Jersey Department of Education, is providing ongoing behavioral threat assessment and management virtual training for school communities through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance Students, Teachers, and Officers Preventing School Violence Act grant program, according to a memo issued by the NJDOE.
Participants will learn guiding principles related to threat assessment and management, including how to identify and investigate threats and other concerning behavior in local education agencies. Participants will get insights on how to assess threats and how to develop and implement plans to reduce risk and help maintain school safety.
The one-day training course is intended for administrators, teaching staff, school safety specialists, school psychologists, school counselors, school social workers, mental health professionals, school resource officers, local law enforcement and other school personnel. LEAs are strongly encouraged to register multiple representatives.
For the 2022-2023 school year, participants can register for the one-day virtual training session, using the links below:
- Friday, Oct. 14, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Thursday, Nov. 17, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Thursday, Dec. 8, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Thursday, Jan. 26, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Thursday, Feb. 23, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Thursday, March 23, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Thursday, April 20, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Thursday, May 18, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Wednesday, June 28, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Thursday, June 29, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Wednesday, July 12, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Wednesday, July 19, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
School safety specialists who attend this event will receive appropriate hours toward certification renewal. If you have questions or concerns, email OSPEP at school.security@doe.nj.gov.
The training comes in the wake of Gov. Phil Murphy signing legislation, N.J.S.A. 18A:17-43.4, on Aug 1, 2022, requiring the establishment of threat assessment teams in public, charter and renaissance school projects.
In the memo, the NJDOE reviews some of the highlights of the legislation, including policies surrounding the establishment of a threat assessment team and the members that a team should include, if possible.