School Environment

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To achieve a safe, welcoming environment, we must consider the entire context, including schedules, rituals, and routines, and whether each member of the community feels that they belong.

The environment refers to how people feel when they enter the school. The environment refers to the physical, emotional, psychological, and social context of the school. 

Physical Safety

Safe Being Yourself

Belonging

Voice & Choice

All students, staff, and families have opportunities to contribute to decision-making.

Healthy Spaces

The physical space of the school environment promotes healthy behaviors.

•   In what ways is the school environment physically safe for all students and staff?  In what ways is it not?
• Which spaces of the school are physically safe and accessible for all students?  Which areas are not? 
• In what ways does the school prevent harassment, bullying and violence?
• What policies and procedures are in place to assess, monitor and intervene when there are threats to the school?
• What procedures are in place to support students who demonstrate risk and reintegrate them into the school community? 

Mindsets

• Staff are aware of differences in physical safety needs for different bodies and identities.
• Staff believe it is the staff and school's responsibility to keep students safe.
• Staff believe that all students deserve to be safe from bullying and harassment.

Skills and Practices

• A team of individuals meets regularly to discuss and review ongoing safety challenges.
• Staff know the necessary action to take when there is a threat to the school. 
• School staff are trained to respond appropriately to threats of violence. 
• Appropriate school staff are trained in crisis response and follow-up. 
• Staff are trained to effectively intervene when they witness bullying and harassment.
• School or district leadership regularly walks the building to look for accessibility challenges.

• Colorado Bullying Prevention and Education Best Practices and Model Policy (2022) [PDF]
• Colorado Office of School Safety
• Colorado School Safety Resource Center
  • Comprehensive School Safety Planning: Suggested Elements for Districts and Schools (2021) [PDF]
  • Essentials of School Threat Assessment: Preventing Targeted School Violence (2021) [PDF]
  • Positive School Climate: Bullying and Harassment Prevention and Education (2021) [PDF]

• Colorado Attorney General's Office
  • Safe 2 Tell
  • Colorado School Safety Guide (2019) [PDF]
  • School Safety - A Legal Manual (2022) [PDF]
• CU Boulder - Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence
• Canvas Course - Safe and Resilient Schools: Threat Assessment

• Do all students and staff feel safe being themselves when they come to school?  Do they have to pretend to be someone else while participating in the school community?
• Who can find themselves represented and affirmed in the school community, through curriculum, staff, materials, rituals, etc?
• How do staff create space and listen to the experiences and perspectives of all individuals?
• In what ways does the school prevent harassment, bullying, and violence?
• How often and in what ways do staff intervene when they hear or see individuals engaging in harmful behaviors (e.g., bullying, microaggressions, exclusion)?

Mindsets

• Staff believe that all students, staff, and families deserve to feel safe.
• Staff believe that the various unique identities that exist within a school strengthen the school community.
• Staff understand that people with different social locations or identities have different experiences.
• Staff understand that students may experience harm as a result of racism, sexism, homophobia, and other forms of oppression and discrimination. 

Skills and Practices

• Staff utilize inclusive language by choosing appropriately specific terms and showing respect by calling people what they call themselves 
• Staff affirm the uniqueness and humanity of every single person they interact with, and students are encouraged to do the same for their peers. 
• Staff intervene when they hear or see individuals engaging in behaviors (saying or doing something, subtle or egregious) that harm others.
• Staff model acceptance, curiosity, and value about all kinds of different people.
• Staff ensure that all students see their unique identities represented throughout the school (i.e., in the curriculum, on building walls and displays, and among the make-up of the staff, etc.).  
• Staff model appropriate repair behavior - apologize, change, move on, and don't do it again.

• How does the school environment communicate to all that they are respected, valued and a part of the school community?  How does it not?  Who is excluded?  
• How does the environment communicate to every student, staff member, and family that they belong?
• How does the climate and culture of the school promote the prevention of harm through self-awareness and self-reflection?
• In what ways are all staff trained and able to repair harm (or potential harm) when they make mistakes? 

Mindsets

• Staff believe that the school and classroom are enriched by the diverse experiences of each individual.
• Staff believe that belonging and community are essential for learning.
• Staff believe that it is their job to create a nurturing community within their school or classroom.
• Staff understand that belonging drives resilience.

Skills and Practices

• Staff are responsive to students with different types of needs (developmental, learning, cultural, etc.) so that they are supported and valued.
• Students are recognized, appreciated, and noticed throughout the day.
• The school environment shows a variety of people so that everyone can see themselves represented.
• Different kinds of students and accomplishments are celebrated throughout the school (e.g.: athletes, musicians, artists, leaders, good friends, people with disabilities, people of color, etc.).
• Staff are able to create resilient communities - that repair flex and change over time.

• How does the school environment create predictability and consistency throughout the day?   
• How do physical spaces promote predictability and consistency?
• How do policies and procedures promote predictability and consistency?
• How are routines developed and taught to students to create belonging, predictability, and consistency?

Mindsets

• Staff understand that consistency and predictability help everyone feel safe.
• Staff understand that when students know what expected of them they are more able to be successful.
• Staff understand that consistency and predictability help promote independence and self-efficacy.

Skills and Practices

• Staff explicitly teach expectations and expected behaviors.
• Staff explicitly reinforce expectations.
• Staff use consistent language.
• Staff react with consistency to student behavior.
• Staff consistently use school/classroom routines.
• Staff scaffold daily routines to create more independence and self-efficacy.

• Do students, staff, and families have agency over their bodies, experiences, and choices?   
• When and to what extent are students, family, and staff meaningfully involved in decision-making processes that affect the school, the community, or their learning?
• How does the environment build and maintain trust?  How does the environment foster opportunities for autonomy? 
• In what ways does the climate and culture of the school create opportunities for scaffolded risk-taking? How are community members given permission to make mistakes in a safe way?

Mindsets

• Staff believe that students can make meaningful choices about their own education, given appropriate scaffolding and support.
• Staff understand that opportunities for choice can increase student engagement and motivation.
• Staff understand the importance of respecting student bodily autonomy, including private property. 
• Staff believe that families should have a voice and decision-making power at the school.
• School leaders believe that staff should have a voice and decision-making power at the school.

Skills and Practices

• Staff offer developmentally appropriate choice points.
• Staff ask permission and offer choices before touching students and their belongings.  
• Staff scaffold and support students in making decisions about their education.
• Staff model effective decision-making (metacognition).
• Staff support students in individualized and communal goal setting, tracking progress, and reflection on progress. 
• Students, staff, and families are involved in the co-creation, maintenance, and implementation of norms, expectations, routines, and rituals. 
• Staff create opportunities to hear the voices of families and engage them in decision-making processes at school.
• School leaders create opportunities to hear the voices of staff and engage them in decision-making processes at school.

• How does the school space support all forms of health? 
• Are there opportunities for movement, play, nutritious food, and time outside?
• What services are available within the school for physical and mental health (school health services)?  
• How is the space (whole school, classroom) structured to promote interpersonal connection for all? How is it not?
• Are spaces and places accessible, representative, and welcoming? 
• Are bathrooms accessible?  

Mindsets

• Staff believe that it is the school's responsibility to promote health for youth and adults.
• Staff believe that students learn better if health is prioritized. 
• Staff believe that mental health is a component of health. 

Skills and Practices

• Staff model appropriate self-care and emotional regulation.
• Staff integrate opportunities for socialization throughout the day.
• Staff integrate opportunities for physical movement throughout the day.
• Staff integrate opportunities for developmentally appropriate play throughout the day.
• Schools create time in the schedule for play, socialization, physical movement and connection.
• Schools create inviting, safe spaces for students and staff during down-time (lunchroom, library, lounge, hangout spaces, etc.). 
• Schools provide access to physical and mental health services within the school building and during the school day.