Tom's Blog

Something has shifted in the lives of young people. Over the past decade, teen depression has surged by more than 60%, while total screen media use has climbed to over eight hours daily. These

WSD plays a vital role in student learning and the development of our student’s social, emotional, and interpersonal skills. To ensure the academic success and emotional well-being of our students,

On Monday Night Football we were horrified to watch the collapse of Buffalo Bills safety Demar Hamlin. While sports injuries are common, it is not often we see a young vital person suddenly collapse

Mindful breathing can promote calm even in stressful circumstances. When we feel frightened – and especially if we are trying to be very quiet – we automatically hold our breath or take shallow

Safety drills are a necessary reality in schools today and most students and adults take them in stride as part of the usual school routine. Even when students know they are just participating in a

It has been my experience that most people feel some level of trepidation when calling 911, a reaction that would indicate there is more to calling 911 than just pushing three digits.  I will try to

Preparedness is a hard word to digest. It’s long and stuffy and leaves a stale taste in your mouth. As a word, it feels just a little too ambiguous or a little too overwhelming. Preparedness, by any

Every year, thousands of people visit our schools, and that’s a good thing. Sometimes, people can struggle with the notion of making our schools both welcoming spaces where all individuals are seen

  In her book on disaster survival, Amanda Ripley (2008) identifies the common response patterns of people in disaster situations and reveals that three phases of response are commonly seen -

Picture yourself as a basketball player trying to make the winning shot. The defender is taller and more athletic than you, but you know you can score on them. You quickly go through a series of

Microphones: Are imperfect reproducers of the human voice and will distort the voice in ways that make it unintelligible unless a set of techniques are used to avoid problems.  Hold the microphone

Since at least 66 percent of active shooter events end before law enforcement even arrives, teaching response strategies can help save many lives. Here, I will discuss the most common method taught