Threat Assessments

A threat encompasses any expression of intent to harm, whether spoken or written. Identifying and responding to these expressions is crucial to our school community's safety.

Blue Valley Schools follows the Comprehensive School Threat Assessment Guidelines (CSTAG), an evidence-based program used nationwide. The district is not just preventing violence; we're supporting individuals in need. Our comprehensive threat assessment process has two main goals:

• Preventing violence: We aim to intervene before potential threats escalate into harm.
• Resolving underlying issues: Understanding why someone made a threat helps us address their conflicts and offer support.

During summer 2023, building administrators and members of building crisis teams participated in extensive threat assessment training. This training provided practical guidelines for school-based teams to conduct threat assessments when an individual demonstrates potentially dangerous behavior. Those trained included:

• Building administrators

• Crisis team members, including counselors and psychologists

• School resource officers, campus police officers and security personnel

• District administrators as necessary

• Local law enforcement when required

Throughout the threat assessment process, the focus is on supporting individuals while ensuring safety. The threat assessment process involves:

• Evaluating threats: We carefully assess all threats, distinguishing between harmless comments or momentary frustrations and serious, substantive threats with lasting intent.
• Resolving non-serious threats: Transient threats, or threats that are not genuine, are addressed to prevent escalation. Examples could include:
  • Rhetorical remarks, not genuine expressions of intent to harm
  • Expressions of temporary feelings of anger or frustration
  • Situation that can usually be resolved on the scene or in the office; therefore, a threat no longer exists
  • Situation that usually ends with an apology or clarification
• Responding to serious threats: Substantive threats are acted upon promptly. Substantive threats are:
  • Expressions of intent to physically injure someone beyond the immediate situation
  • Threats with some risk the student will carry out the threat
  • Situations that require protective action, including warning the intended victim and family
  • Threats that may be legal violations and require police consultation
• Safety evaluation: In cases of extreme threats involving severe harm, we conduct comprehensive safety evaluations.
• Implementing and monitoring safety plans: When needed, administrators will create safety plans for students. These plans develop conditions to assist the school personnel in maintaining a safe and orderly environment for all students in the building.

Effective communication plays a vital role in ensuring the safety of our school community. When it comes to threat assessments and emergency situations, timeliness and accuracy of information are paramount. Blue Valley understands that peace of mind for families is essential.

In most, but not all, cases of transient threats, are handled as teachable moments/corrective actions around behavior and are communicated in a similar manner to how other behavior issues would be.

When an administrator determines that a school is unsafe or a threat is deemed substantive with a continuing intent to harm, we will initiate communication with staff and families. This communication will provide essential information about the situation, the steps being taken to address it and any necessary instructions to ensure the safety of our students and staff.

In some cases, threats may be specific to an individual or multiple individuals, impacting these families more directly. In such situations, we will communicate with those families promptly and provide any additional support they may need.