We recently posted about the new Office of School Safety (OSS) Speak Up, Speak Out (SUSO) website going live. See below for how to get your school connected with SUSO and the resources they provide (the following information is from the OSS):
WHAT IS SPEAK UP, SPEAK OUT?
Created by the Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of School Safety (OSS), the Speak Up, Speak Out Resource Center (SUSO) is a comprehensive, one-stop place to turn with important concerns currently offering: threat assessment consultation, critical incident response, and general school safety guidance. Please visit the SUSO website for additional information on these three services as well as resources on school safety best practices.
The Speak Up, Speak Out 24/7 threat reporting system will launch in fall 2020. When Wisconsin youth think there’s a threat to themselves, their classmates or their school, the threat reporting system will be a single, statewide resource to voice their concerns-with complete confidentiality – and they can trust that adults are ready to respond to the threat. No one knows more about what is going on at school than students themselves, and they will be able to inform an adult online, via an app, or by calling a tip line.
WHAT DOES SUSO NEED FROM SCHOOL DISTRICTS?
- Complete and submit the SUSO contact information form for each school building in your district. A resource center analyst will enter this information into the threat reporting system. You will then receive an email with instructions to enable login, and short training modules which will assist you in learning the user-friendly SUSO platform. (Please fill out the form completely to include your office phone number, cell phone number and email address. When this information changes, update your information using this form or via the website https://speakup.widoj.gov at “Update Your Contact Information.”)
- Send SUSO a list of your local mental health or school safety specific resources. This will assist us with providing all the available resources to students, staff, and families.
- Have a few of your team members attend a SUSO train-the-trainer webinar hosted by OSS beginning in July 2020. Find training opportunities on the OSS website to see available dates and registration. This webinar will provide your staff with the tools to promote SUSO to all your students. Once staff has completed this webinar you will receive a complete train-the-trainer package as well as a virtual toolkit to further assist in implementing SUSO in your school buildings.
- Purchase SUSO promotional items for your students, staff and/or school buildings. SUSO has created an online store for you use, and there is a $500 reimbursement grant available. Subscribe to the SUSO list serv to ensure you do not miss important information about this opportunity.
HOW CAN YOUR SCHOOL PREPARE?
For SUSO to work in your school it’s important that you educate both students and staff on the system’s availability. Educating school staff provides them with the tools to communicate with students on the role of the bystander and the importance of reporting concerns.
- Share the information about SUSO with your students’ parents. The toolkit will provide you with a letter to parents about SUSO and the benefits of this program in your school.
- Share the information about SUSO with your teachers and other staff.
- Make sure staff is aware of the SUSO website and all the resources available for students and staff.
- Train your staff on how to use the threat reporting application.
- Print the SUSO logo on the back of student IDs.
- Incorporating messages about SUSO in bullying or healthy and safety curriculum.
- Include links to the SUSO app on your district websites, student handbooks, and as a standard application on their school-issued laptops, Chromebooks etc.
- Most importantly, support your staff’s efforts to be a trusted adult for students.
Information and material to complete the above list will be made available once member of your team have completed the SUSO train-the-trainer webinars, available in July 2020. Find these training opportunities on the OSS website to see available dates and registration.
