Like many school divisions across the Commonwealth, safety is one of the core values of the York County School Division.
Over the last several years, the division has seen an increase in injuries and workers’ compensation claims among teachers, particularly those working in special programs, who often work with children experiencing emotional dysregulation.
“In York County, we want to make sure we’re doing what’s best, what’s going to meet the student’s needs, and what’s going to be in support of teaching staff,” says York County Director of Special Education Termaine Brown. “We wanted to make sure we were prioritizing student safety as well as staff safety and that’s what really launched our work in finding an intervention that would help meet in the middle.”
The district implemented the Ukero training program earlier this year.
The program, says York County Lead Behavioral Analyst Katie Palmer, “looks critically at how to keep students and staff safe in behavioral situations” and “emphasizes staying away from that behavior and not getting there and using comfort vs. control.”
Part of the Ukero training involves the availability of custom-made, soft-cushioned blocking tools to assist in keeping professionals and students safe and comfortable when needed.
To purchase additional tools, the division utilized the VRSA Risk Management Grant program, which provides nearly $400,000 in funding to members each year to assist in preventing or reducing losses. Through the grant, the division was able to place more of these tools throughout their buildings and on division buses.
Learn more about how this program is making an impact on the school division and helping keep students, teachers, and staff safe in the video below.