All Clear: Lessons from a Decade Managing School Crises - Hardcover

by Chris Joffe (Author)

An expert's guide to creating safety in educational environments and responding correctly when the unthinkable happens

In All Clear: Lessons from a Decade Managing School Crises, safety expert Chris Joffe shows district and school leaders how to create safety in school environments and develop a plan for responding effectively in the event of emergency--whether it be from an allergy attack or an active shooter. In our ever-changing educational and cultural landscape, this is a critical resource. A sought-after safety trainer and consultant for schools, Chris draws on decades of experience to guide and empower district and school leaders to prepare for and execute crucial next steps in the wake of a school emergency.

The techniques in this book are not just hypothetical. Chris Joffe has a substantive background in emergency and crisis response, and Joffe Emergency Services has been trusted to put preparedness plans into place across U.S. school districts, charter schools, private schools, and global companies. With this book, you'll learn how to prioritize the health and safety of your students in a way that considers the unique attributes of your school or district.

• Follow a thoughtful but realistic approach to planning for and responding to emergency situations and recovering from crises
• Gain the micro-level tools and confidence to help your community stay safer, including emergency response techniques and leadership strategies
• Address environmental, social, and other barriers to school safety, in partnership with community stakeholders
• Learn communication strategies that you can use to teach others how to respond in times of crisis, without generating panic

All Clear empowers district and school leaders, heads of school, and school security professionals--as well as teachers, parents, and other youth leaders--to create secure learning environments where students can feel safe.

Front Jacket

Educational leaders, from principals and superintendents to heads of school and youth organizers, need to know what effective crisis response looks like. With engaging anecdotes and real-world examples, All Clear: Lessons from a Decade Managing School Crises delivers that knowledge in an accessible and, most importantly, practical way.

No two schools are exactly alike, and emergency preparedness might look very different in an inner-city public school district than it does in private schools. Thankfully, author Chris Joffe does not profess to have a one-size-fits-all solution for safety and crisis management. Instead, he equips readers with concrete tools and strategies they can modify and implement regardless of the setting. This realistic approach enables leaders to plan for and respond to emergencies, and to navigate returning to "normal" in the aftermath. Joffe shows district and school leaders how to create safety in school environments and develop a plan for responding effectively in the event of emergency--whether it be from an allergy attack or an active shooter. In our ever-changing educational and cultural landscape, this is a critical resource.

We want our schools to be safe environments for teaching and learning, but they could. With the advice in this book, we can skew the odds in our favor, putting policies and practices in place that help students feel safe. When you read All Clear, you're making a commitment to all students, all teachers, and all members of the community. This commitment to security could make the difference between fear and real engagement. Our schools need leaders who can stand up for safety, before, during, and after crisis events.

Back Jacket

Praise for ALL CLEAR

"An impressive addition to the field of school safety and crisis management, All Clear offers invaluable insight and actionable information. With an incredible backstory, Chris Joffe incorporates his personal history with his professional experience to provide a powerful guide for emergency preparedness and crisis response. Written by a true leader in the field, I highly recommend this book."
--Nancy Zarse, Psy.D., Forensic Psychologist, and CEO and Founder of Zarse Psychological Services

"In the early days of Covid-19, Chris Joffe's unique insights and guidance helped school leaders plan weeks ahead. In All Clear, the tools and strategies he teaches will make it possible for school communities to anticipate and prepare for the unpredictable years in advance."
--Steven Lorch, Head of School, Kadima Day School, Los Angeles

"Chris Joffe's book is a tutorial on how to master panic and turn crisis into calm. The secrets he shares in All Clear focus on the real-life lessons he learned about the value of working with the people around you, not in spite of them."
--Katherine Schweit, Former agent and executive for the FBI and author of Stop the Killing

True learning comes from a foundation of safety, security, and preparedness

When crisis hits, how you respond in the first five minutes is crucial to limiting the damage and determining the outcome. Do you have the knowledge, skills, and confidence you need to respond to school emergencies? In All Clear, Chris Joffe, one of the nation's leading experts on school safety, equips you with those skills.

Inside, you'll discover how to develop, communicate, and implement an emergency preparedness plan, and you'll learn vital techniques that you can use to provide strong leadership in crisis situations. Even if the events we fear never occur, having these structures in place can contribute a sense of safety and security throughout a school. And that's no small matter--for learning to happen, staff and students must feel safe.

Author Biography

CHRIS JOFFE is a sought-after safety expert and founder and CEO of Joffe Emergency Services. Motivated by his experience growing up in foster care, Chris founded Joffe Emergency Services with a simple promise: to empower teams with the skills they need to keep people safe in an emergency.