2 min read

Student Loan Repayment Plans Under The CARES Act

By Whitney Trent on Apr 8, 2020 3:00:00 PM

Landmark legislation was passed by U.S. Congress which includes exciting news regarding student loan contributions.

Topics: Schools Employee Benefits
4 min read

School Transportation: How To Keep Students Safe

By Gibson on Aug 14, 2019 6:30:00 AM

The greatest risk students face is getting to and from school every day.

According to The “Relative Risks of Death in U.S. Schools” report, school transportation-related incidents are the leading cause of fatalities. This includes riding school transportation, being struck by a school bus or other school vehicle, or being killed by a non-school vehicle on school property.

Topics: Risk Management Schools
2 min read

Youth Sports Safety

By Gibson on Apr 3, 2019 6:30:00 AM

Spring has sprung and for many that means outdoor sports are about to begin! April is National Youth Sports Safety Month and a great opportunity to bring awareness to keeping our kids safe when playing sports.

Topics: ESOP Schools Education & Public Entities Risk Management Services
3 min read

School Risk Management: Field Trips

By Gibson on Jan 16, 2017 6:30:00 AM

Nothing ever becomes real till it is experienced. - John Keats

Books and lectures can only get students so far. The best education for students of all ages incorporates experience outside the classroom—experience that makes what they’re learning “real.” And field trips are one of the best ways to get students out of the classroom.

Field trips also expose students to increased risk. Students must be transported and monitored in environments teachers don’t and can’t control in the same way they control their classrooms. To assure these risks don't become bad experiences, schools must be committed to risk management around field trips. Here are a few risk management strategies that can help make field trips a positive learning experience for students.

Topics: Commercial Insurance Risk Management Schools
3 min read

School Risk Management: Playground Paradise?

By Gibson on Oct 17, 2016 6:30:00 AM

The true object of all human life is play. Earth is a task garden; heaven is a playground. - G.K. Chesterton

Ask most any kid and they’ll say recess is their favorite thing about school. Unconstrained by desks and chairs and any agenda, they can swing, slide, climb, run, and just be kids!

Perhaps surprisingly, many adults would sort of agree with those kids. In 2013, the American Academy of Pediatrics released a policy statement noting the cognitive and academic benefits of recess. As one researcher put it, “[I]t really affects social, emotional, and cognitive development in a much deeper way than we’d expected. It helps children practice conflict resolution if we allow them unstructured play, and it lets them come back to class more ready to learn and less fidgety.”

Topics: Commercial Insurance Risk Management Schools
3 min read

School Risk Management: Monitoring Student Social Networks

By Gibson on Sep 12, 2016 6:30:00 AM

Teenagers spend an average of nine hours each day “consuming” media, including social networking. The internet is a vast place, allowing students to say anything seemingly without consequences. This online activity often carries over into the physical world. In the past ten years, 9 out of 10 students who made online threats carried through with them—often at school.

So wouldn’t it make sense for schools to monitor students’ social media accounts? As with most things these days, the answer may not be as simple as you think. Is it ethical? Is it legal? Is it even effective? Those questions are beyond the scope of this blog. But we can address some foundational questions to further the conversation if your school is considering implementing a monitoring program.

Topics: Risk Management Schools Social Media
2 min read

School Risk Management: 9 Classroom Safety Tips

By Gibson on Jul 25, 2016 6:30:00 AM

Students and teachers spend most of their school day in classrooms. And thanks to hardworking and creative teachers, these rooms are transformed into welcoming educational environments. They can bring life to an otherwise bland space with decorations and inspire students with innovative lesson plans.

Topics: Risk Management Schools
1 min read

School Risk Management: A Preliminary Checklist For A Safe & Secure Environment

By Gibson on Jul 11, 2016 6:30:00 AM

A school’s primary function is to educate children. That sounds easy enough, but in practice, it requires a complexity of operations few organizations can match. Schools prepare and serve food, maintain play equipment and athletic facilities, welcome the public to sporting events and shows, provide basic mental and physical health care. And they do all this while caring for children and teenagers.

Topics: Risk Management Schools
4 min read

School Risk Management: Special Events

By Gibson on May 16, 2016 6:30:00 AM

Planning school-sponsored functions is no easy feat. From fundraisers to carnivals to award ceremonies, special events have many items to coordinate. The checklist can include food, activities, volunteers, venue, performances—it goes on and on. But when making a list, check it twice: are insurance and risk management on there?

Topics: Commercial Insurance Risk Management Schools
2 min read

School Risk Management: How To Safely Promote Community Fitness

By Gibson on Mar 2, 2016 6:30:00 AM

Schools, as community assets, open their doors to the public for sporting events, plays and concerts, meetings, voting, even gardening. They help entertain, enrich, and advance our communities.

Topics: Risk Management Schools