When parents talk about school safety these days, they’re usually referring to the increase in violence at schools. But research shows that school-age children are actually nine times more likely to suffer an injury while doing sports than to be the victim of violence while at school. Accidents can be prevented if parents are on the lookout for potential dangers. To help you keep your kids free from harm, here are some safety tips:

*Teach your child never to talk to strangers or accept rides or gifts from strangers. Remember, a stranger is anyone you or your child doesn’t know well or trust.

*Be sure that your child walks to and from school with a sibling, friend or neighbor.

*Teach your kid, whether walking, biking or riding a bus to school, to obey all traffic signals, signs and traffic officers. Remind him to be extra careful in bad weather.

*When driving your kid, deliver and pick them up as close to the school as possible. Don’t leave until they are in the schoolyard or building.

*If your child rides a bike to school, make sure he wears a standard helmet. Research shows that a helmet can reduce the risk of head injury by 85%.

*Teach your kid to arrive at the bus stop earlier, stay off the street, and wait for the bus to come to a complete stop.

*Be sure that your kid knows his or her home phone number and address, your work number, the number of another trusted adult and how to call for emergencies.

A Lecture on Campus Safety

Well today it happened. A day we never want to happen, but continually prepare for throughout the school year. We had a tornado (龙卷风) touch down near the school, and as expected, went into our emergency tornado procedures. I wasn’t even in the classroom when it happened. I had taken a student with me to the workroom to help gather items for a project. When the alarm went off, I immediately took my student’s hand and ran as fast as I could back to the classroom.

Never did I imagine needing to put our tornado drills (演习) to use. I never imagined actually needing to line my students up on the wall, have them crouch (蹲) down with their knees and heads touching the ground, hands on the backs of their heads. Their hearts beat so fast that they couldn’t catch their breath, or the fear filled eyes looking up at me as they asked if their mothers, fathers, grandmothers and friends were going to be okay. Never did I imagine the terrible silence that would come over the whole school, with hundreds of students lining up against the walls of one building. Never did I imagine the way I would feel, and other teachers along with me, as we tried our best to comfort our students, assure them of their safety, and promise them everything would be alright when we truly didn’t know what the outcome would be.

Today has taken a negative influence on me, as I am sure it has on the hundreds and thousands of teachers in the local areas and surrounding areas. But at the same time, I am beyond proud, surprised, and excited at how my students handled themselves today.

In the very scary, emotional and dangerous situation, my students handled themselves with the attitude and mindset of children much older than them. Never in my life have I seen my students follow directions so quickly, exactly, and without hesitation. Even though some tears were flowing, and some hearts were beating fast, my students were brave. They had such great trust in my assistant and me that they were able to be 100%calm.

The children looked at me with fear and hope.

Finally, when the tornado struck, each of us safely went through that terrible period of time.

9 . When a Houston dad found out his eight-year-old son was being bullied, he didn’t get mad at the classmate who teased him. Instead, he talked with the so-called bully and realized that the boy was struggling, too.

Aubrey Fontenot’s son, Jordan, told him a boy named Tamarion was teasing him. Fontenot decided to sit down with his son and Tamarion to understand what was going on, and something unexpected happened.

Tamarion told Fontenot he was being teased at school, too. “I asked, ‘By who? You are big. You are huge. Who is teasing you?’” the father said. “He said, ‘Just all the other kids, man. They are making fun of me.’” Fontenot learned that Tamarion was getting teased for his clothes and shoes — his clothes and shoes were old and dirty. Fontenot then spoke to the boy’s mother. “She kind of confirmed it,” Fontenot said. “And she said, ‘That’s the kind of situation.’”

He felt sympathetic to the young boy and wanted to help. So he asked Tamarion’s mom if he could take her son to do some shopping.

Fontenot posted videos of their trip to the mall on social media and they went viral. Tamarion eventually smiled, and then the two were laughing and singing together on their shopping trip. Just as if he were taking his own son to do some shopping, Fontenot got Tamarion new clothes and shoes, and shared words of wisdom with him.

Then, the dad united the two boys. He said it was awkward at first — just a day earlier, they didn’t get along well at school. But the two classmates started playing sports games together and soon became friends. It was not just about the clothes and shoes. Tamarion gained a friend in Jordan, and a mentor in his dad. Fontenot said he was also bullied when he was a child, so he knew it was important to listen to Tamarion’s story. He chose kindness instead of anger and brought the two boys together. “I wouldn’t say that was the goal, but that was the reward,” Fontenot said.

10 . It was a cold, wet day on June 6, when 14-year-old Wasana arrived at school. Waiting outside his classroom for his classmates to arrive, Wasana _________ aimlessly at the pouring rain. Then his _________ fell upon the hill that stand at the back of the classroom.

He _________ huge amounts of rainwater flowing down the hill, and water was also bubbling (冒泡) at the base of a large rock on the hill. For a few _________, Wasana fixed his eyes on the water, _________ why it looked so familiar (熟悉).

Then it _________ him — the scene was surprisingly _________ to the pictures he was shown during Disaster Management classes. _________ a disaster was about to happen, Wasana waved _________ at students, shouting “Run, run, don’t stay here! The rocks on the hill are going to __________ on us!”

All the students and teachers ran to the open area that had been __________ as an emergency gathering point. __________, they heard screams as the huge rock rolled down the hill, bringing sand, rock and mud. There was nothing they could do but watch the earth __________ an entire school.

Thanks to Wasana’s quick action and careful observation (观察), __________ was hurt in the incident. Wasana later __________ a Gold Star from the Foundation for Civilian Bravery, Sri Lanka.