In December 2011, the Office of Safe Schools Advocate (OSSA) was reestablished under PCCD. The office provides assistance to victims of violence associated with schools in the School District of Philadelphia. The office reviews reported serious incidents and offers recommendations to improve school policies on safety and climate based on incident and trends. The office also provides funding support for programs and training that provide best practices to improve school climate and reduce victimization.
PROTECTING SCHOOL CHILDREN
OSSA works to ensure that all violent incidents in the Philadelphia school system are reported, and supports victims of such violence. In its first year of operation during the 2011-12 school year, PCCD’s Office of Safe School Advocate was responsible for:
- Reviewing 14,461 incident reports;
- Handling of approximately 200 phone calls for assistance; and
- Mailing of 2,794 victim outreach letters.