School Safety: True Stories and Solutions From School Leaders

Across 24 real-world safety events, contributors discuss situations ranging from a missing student and community disasters to security threats and school shootings, examining how school personnel responded and what could have been handled differently. Rather than approaching school safety only through policies and theory, the book uses firsthand experiences to identify practical lessons, effective responses, and promising practices that educators can apply in their own schools. Topics address both physical and social safety while emphasizing preparedness, thoughtful leadership, communication, decision-making, and care for students and staff during difficult situations.

 An appendix featuring promising practices from the Kentucky Center for School Safety further connects these experiences with actionable strategies, making the book a practical professional resource for teachers, principals, administrators, and other school personnel responsible for creating safer learning environments.