SS-SARS Say Something
Say Something Anonymous Reporting System
UPDATED INFORMATION: LAUNCH DATE: Dec. 8 and Dec 9 (Make up date)
Hello Teachers: Please click on the following Link for the Training on Dec. 8th:
https://www.sandyhookpromiselearning.org/quick_activity_link/225359/29
For any student that is absent, please allow them time on the 9th or whenever they come back to school to view the video.
Extended Homeroom for Dec. 8th
Check out this Student Activity Guide!
Who comprises the Administrative Team at Rippon for the SS-SARS Program?
- Aida Hernandez-Team Lead
- Doug Herritt
- Scott Bergquist
- Kristan Donahue
- Kim McGee
- Becky Tassa
- Jeremy Davison
- Vilmarie Ramos
- Officer Troy Hance
Teacher Introduction to the SS-SARS, Say Something Anonymous Reporting System
I wanted to take a moment to share with you a program that will be implemented across the county. It is the Say Something Anonymous Reporting System (SS-SARS). Starting Dec. 1st, the system will be Live. As a school, we will be launching on Dec. 8th and Dec. 9th will be a make up day for any student absent.
VERY IMPORTANT: STUDENTS AND TEACHERS WILL BE TRAINING AT THE SAME TIME ACROSS ALL GRADE LEVELS. If there are tests set up for those dates (Dec. 8th and 9th), please move them around the Launch date. Please be flexible. The county is mandating this program and we will be adhering to their designated timeline as well.
What should I do as a Teacher? Read the Intro, Read over the Communicator, Check out the Videos, Read over the other sections. Check back for UPDATES.
From the Communicator: November 30, 2021 - Vol. 17, No. 32
Say Something Tip Line app gives PWCS students, staff new method for education, reporting, and response
The School Division has adopted the Sandy Hook Promise Say Something Anonymous Reporting System (SS-ARS) for grade 6-12 students and staff to report concerns of unsafe behavior or threats of harm to self or others. Beginning in December, this system will replace the PWCS tip line, although the current tip line will remain in effect through the end of the school year. Through the SS-ARS app, hotline, or website, all tips submitted receive an immediate response by one of the highly skilled crisis counselors at the Sandy Hook Promise National Crisis Center, who then determines the necessary support steps. Each PWCS middle and high school, as well as the Risk Management and Security Services Department, has identified a SS-ARS team to receive tips from the center and provides a response or intervention 24-hours a day.
Sandy Hook Promise provides education and training to support all components of the program, including the tip reporting technology, education, training, and activities for introducing and building a culture of prevention. Information has already been sent to the school administrative teams about training and launch schedule. Consider how you can support this important initiative to identify and prevent violence and harmful acts in schools.
Questions? Contact the Department of Risk Management and Security Services at 703-791-7206.
What should you report? (From Sandy Hook Website)
- Acts of violence, with or without weapons
- Verbal or physical abuse, assault or harassment
- Sexual abuse, assault or harassment
- Threats seen on social media
- Bullying, fighting, harassment or intimidating behaviors
- Bragging about weapons or a planned attack
- Depression, anxiety or loss of self-control
- Hopelessness, excessive guilt or worthlessness
- Reckless behavior, theft and petty crimes
- Social isolation or withdrawal
- Substance or alcohol abuse
- Suicide threats, cutting or other self-harm
- Any other troubling situation or behavior
What does it look like when a Tip is submitted?
What happens after you submit a tip?
After you provide as much information you have about a safety or mental health concern, here are the next steps:
- A Crisis Counselor reviews your information and replies to your tip with a private chat message.
- You chat anonymously with the Crisis Counselor and answer any follow-up questions.
- The Crisis Counselor lets you know once they’ve gathered all the information they need.
- If you learn any new information, you can come back to your tip’s chat later and update your Crisis Counselor.
Most Common Event Types: Life Safety vs. Non-Life Safety
Anger Issues
Physical Abuse
Animal Cruelty
Planned Fight / Assault
Bullying / Cyber Bullying
Planned School Attack
Concern about an Adult
Reckless / Dangerous Behavior
Cutting / Self-Harm
Sexual Assault / Rape
Depression / Anxiety
Sexual Exploitation / Abuse
Domestic Violence / Child Abuse
Sexual Harassment
Drug Use / Distribution
Sharing Inappropriate Photos
Eating Disorder
Social Isolation / Withdrawal
Gang Violence / Activity
Substance Abuse
Harassment / Intimidation
Suicide / Suicide Ideation
Hate Crime / Hate Speech
Theft
Hazing
Toxic / Abusive Relationship
Homeless / Runaway Student
Vandalism
Inappropriate Relationship
Verbal Abuse
Intent to Harm Someone
Weapon(s)
The above section is a list of event types that Tipsters can choose from the dropdown when submitting a tip. When a Crisis Counselor receives, vets, and triages a tip, it is categorized as Life Safety or Non-Life Safety based on the criteria below.
For a tip to be designated by a Crisis Center Crisis Counselor as “Life Safety,” the tip must articulate a threat of substantial bodily harm or death, and it must have at least one of the following characteristics:
- Actionability: Enough information is available for a welfare check/intervention to immediately take place;
- Timeliness: Reported concern is imminent, in-progress, or just happened;
- Credibility: Information is clear, consistent, convincing, and supported by evidence; an
- Probability: Subject has the means, intent, and opportunity to carry out the threat.
Based on their intuition and the totality of the circumstances, Crisis Counselors have the discretion to err on the side of caution and make a Life Safety designation.