Book excerpt: "When it comes to student and staff safety, there are no excuses. The authors have created a handbook that is comprehensive, explicit, and relevant to educational environments." —Darlene R. Jones, Principal Francis Howell North High School, St. Charles, MO "Brunner and Lewis have done an outstanding job creating a series of commonsense reminders that will guide school leaders in creating and enhancing safety in their school and community." —Ronald Stephens, Executive Director National School Safety Center Make a difference in school safety and security with these practical, realistic strategies! This timely resource for new, veteran, and aspiring school administrators offers cost-effective techniques for creating a safe environment for students, staff, and the community. The authors use their experience in education and law enforcement to show how administrators can combine the need for a secure campus with the desire to maintain an open, welcoming environment. Succinct and user-friendly, this handbook offers practical, realistic methods for designing general and event-specific safety plans, forming safety committees, and creating security checklists and visitor screening procedures. Sections on staff training include methods for handling harassment and bullying as well as recommendations for: Helping prevent or minimize a potential crisis Facilitating a stronger, more informed response when needed Aiding in school recovery and a return to normalcy For easy reference, readers will find strategies organized by categories and concluding with a top ten list of security recommendations.