On Monday, April 15th, 2024, Sylvia Uriegas of Uvlade CISD was named 2023-2024 Statewide Bus Driver of the Year by PCAT in recognition of her service.

As custodians of educational institutions, administrators shoulder the responsibility of maintaining a safe and secure campus environment conducive to learning. One of the primary challenges they face is preventing vandalism and property damage, which not only tarnishes the aesthetics of the campus but also compromises the safety and well-being of students, staff, and visitors.

Ensuring the safety of school bus drivers is paramount, given the vital role they play in transporting students to and from school each day. While sprains, strains, and muscle tears are common injuries among bus drivers, the most costly incidents in schools often stem from motor vehicle accidents. To foster a positive atmosphere on the bus and set the tone for students’ days, bus drivers must prioritize their own safety and well-being.

As spring ushers in warmer weather, it also brings the potential for severe weather events that can impact school communities. Understanding and preparing for floods, hailstorms, and tornadoes are crucial responsibilities for school administrators. Let’s explore practical tips to safeguard your school community from these hazards.

Ensuring the safety of students during their school commute is a collective effort involving school bus drivers, motorists, and the entire community. While school bus drivers go to great lengths to protect children, it is equally crucial for all road users to play their part in managing transportation risks effectively.

Protecting your K-12 community from potential threats – active shooters, severe weather, health outbreaks, and more – is always a top priority. The right school alert systems can provide effective communication to your community during emergencies.

We want to do all we can to prevent our students, parents and community from falls that might result in injury. Most falls (67%) happen on a level surface resulting from slips and trips. Fortunately, most slip, trip and fall incidents are avoidable.

Begin the New Year on the right foot with a thorough review of your insurance policies. An insurance review might not be the first thing on your New Year’s checklist, but it’s a wise move that can yield substantial benefits.

As temperatures drop and winter approaches, safeguarding your school facilities becomes crucial. The following tips by HSB, a Munich Re company, provides essential insights and strategies to prevent cold-weather damage.

Financial fraud can be a significant threat to educational institutions, siphoning off funds meant for crucial programs and services. To safeguard against these risks, it's essential for school districts to be proactive in their approach. Here are five valuable tips for preventing fraud in educational institutions:

The holiday season brings cheer and well-deserved respite to both students and school staff. However, the vacant campuses during these breaks can become targets for vandalism and unauthorized entry.

In today's digitally driven world, educational institutions rely heavily on technology and connectivity to enhance the learning experience. The integration of computers, tablets, and smartphones into the classroom has revolutionized education, but it has also brought forth new challenges, particularly in terms of cybersecurity.

In Part Three, this final segment in the series, we discuss what to do when your computer is acting sluggish.

In "Ask Jack: Part One: What Are Signs My Computer Is Hacked?" we discussed some red flags that may mean you have been hacked - specifically, "clandestine programs" in your directory and indiscriminate pop-ups. 

The short answer is no, you cannot prohibit your employees from discussing their wages. Employers may not like all topics workers are discussing but they cannot ban or restrict all employee speech.

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, each year, more than 200,000 children go to U.S. hospital emergency departments with injuries associated with playground equipment.

Fire emergencies can be devastating events, posing serious risks to the safety of students, faculty, and school property. Schools have a responsibility to proactively prepare for such incidents to ensure the well-being of their community members and the protection of valuable assets.

Schools must provide safe learning environments for students. Having policies and procedures in place to prevent bullying and harassment can help.

According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, in 2020, adolescents and young adults ages 15 to 24 had a suicide rate of 14.24. According to a March 2022 report by UCLA Health, suicide is the second leading cause of death among children and young adults, 15 to 24 in the U.S.

Even though your employee is most likely an at-will employee who can be terminated at any time, with or without notice, for any reason, so long as it is not an illegal reason, you would be wise to consider all the facts before terminating a poor performer, so that you have the best defense to a wrongful termination claim.