Larkspur Corte-Madera School District Preventing School Violence Program

Larkspur Corte-Madera School District’s (LCMSD) Preventing School Violence Grant Project will address the prevalence of violence and risk within LCMSD and in the broader community through an array of focused trainings, systems alignment, and coordination with local law enforcement and first responder agencies.    

The proposed project will be guided by one overarching goal and two supporting objectives.  The project’s overarching goal will be to create an environment within Larkspur Corte-Madera School District that fully promotes the safety of students, teachers and staff.  Objective 1 will seek “To increase the knowledge of teachers and staff on issues related to school safety including identification and response to threats, their roles in the event of a crisis, and strategies to prevent violence,” and Objective 2 will seek “To strengthen coordination between Larkspur Corte-Madera School District and local agencies, including first responders, in order to respond appropriately and timely in the event of an emergency. 

Specific activities to be implemented through the grant include: (1) Active shooter training will be provided annually to all LCMSD staff and teachers. (2) Training in the administration of first aid will be provided to all members of the district’s rescue/first aid teams.  (3) Training to enhance the identification of students who are at-risk of aggressive and violent behaviors.  (4) A one-day Safety Summit will be offered each summer, to be attended by all LCMSD teachers and staff, to cover in-depth various topics related to school safety.  (6) Tabletop trainings will be held annually each spring in conjunction with the Central Marin Police Department and the Central Marin Fire Department. The tabletop trainings will engage 100% of LCMSD teachers and staff in targeted conversations with police and fire to talk through and fully understand each person’s and agency’s role during various emergency events.  (7) Six LCMSD staff and administrators will attend a Mental Health Conference annually.  The conference will help targeted staff gain a stronger understanding of best practices and trends in mental health.

Collectively, these strategies will address gaps and weaknesses in LCMSD’s school safety response system, providing teachers and staff with the knowledge, guidance and supports needed to effectively respond in a variety of emergency situations.  One of the key features of the grant is its strong focus on sustainability.  The training, partnerships and other reforms developed through the grant are either low-cost reforms or involve expenses which can realize cost-efficiencies over time, such as training.