A recent conversation at the education-centered Leader Talk blog by Greg Farr speaks to the underlying opportunities to foster truly safe - and welcoming - school environments.

Might be worth a consideration. Especially if you agree with the power of eye contact in greeting ‘visitors’ and honoring all community members in an age of reactive ‘bunker’ mentalities that fuel school design solutions. A snippet from the blog post:

Watch Get out of the office and watch your students. Please don’t do this with a “prison guard” stance and attitude; focus on individuals and clusters even as you “sheppard the whole flock”. I try to watch my students whenever they gather in groups – before and after school, in the Commons Area during passing periods, and especially at lunch. I make it a point to watch for students who always eat alone, stand off from the crowds, and appear to avoid others. I try to “gravitate” toward them and say hello and ask how their day is going.

Listen As you walk the campus and spend time with your students, listen – really listen - to them. Establish personal relationships with as many of your students as you can. It doesn’t have to be extended periods of time, but it MUST BE SINCERE. Also establish ways that your students can communicate with campus authorities anonymously (i.e. Crime Stoppers, Safe-To-Tell programs, etc.).

Be a Friend / Mentor / Brother / Sister Yes, I know we need to maintain a “professional distance”. No, I’m not saying to become their BMF…I don’t “pal around” with the kids, but they are friends as well as students. As one young lady said, “Sheesh, Mr. Farr is just like a dad!”

Be Visible This is related to “Watching”. While I’m out watching the students, you can rest assured they are watching me. And the kids themselves have told me how much they appreciate seeing me in the halls, outside in the parking lot, in the cafeteria, etc. And I am willing to bet that most principals have heard this same thing from their teachers: “When you’re here, the kids just behave better…they definitely know when you’re out of the building.”

Encourage As you spend time with your students offer encouragement. Be a cheerleader. Congratulate kids for accomplishments, find reasons to praise or say something positive to every student.

Prevent Bullying Make it a firm and consistent rule that no bullying or harassment will be tolerated. This is such an important issue on my campus that we include it on our daily campus dashboard within the Campus Safety indicator. We also have posters in the halls. We have had student focus groups discuss it. It is an issue that receives regular attention and is closely monitored.

Learn Student Names and Interests I knew we were on the right track with this issue when the senior class from a few years ago voted on this slogan for that year’s Senior T-Shirt, “Shannon – Where Everyone Knows My Name”. I am convinced that this ONE THING is the MOST IMPORTANT thing on this list. I have seen the most withdrawn students respond with enthusiasm when I’ve sat down next to them at breakfast and asked them how their weekend was, or stopped them in the hall and asked them a question about their hobby.

Be Available The proverbial open door. I just asked my secretary how many students come by to see me on average every day – just to say ‘hi’, or show me their work, or tell me some news…her response was, “at least 10 – 15.” I hear about their plans for the weekend, how the prom went, how their boyfriend is doing, how a sick parent is recovering, etc. I also hear about who might be holding, who got high over the weekend, who has a new warrant…It all adds up to feeling the pulse of the school.

Tune In Related closely to watching, listening, and being available, but with a subtle difference. As I discussed in a recent posting, iPod, Do You?, it’s important to be relevant. You can’t fake it, and I am not talking about moving to the same level of students in actions, language, or fashions, etc. No, this is more about being aware of their culture enough that students don’t regard me as disinterested or downright “stupid” when it comes to knowledge of new trends. I won’t disrespect a student by laughing at a new fashion, but I sure won’t follow it either. I may “get” why they don’t, but I will always wear my baseball caps with the bill facing forward.

Be Involved Finally, be there for them. At games, dances, events, etc. I make hospital and home visits. Show you care by being involved enough to show up when and where you should.

In this day and age, it is tempting to buck the ’small learning community’ or ‘kid-scale’ design solution for ‘fortresses’ filled with ‘gates’, ‘video cameras’, airline-quality ’security gates’, and scanning technologies that make schools seem like ’safe prisons’ to those who call them home.