When Students Are Safe they Can Learn
Principles for Principals - Leading the Way to School Safety by Ada Rosario Dolch 
 Safe to Learn Leadership & Safety Series  | FREE

Principles for Principals – Leading the Way to School Safety is available FREE to every principal. 
Principals, please register, login and download your  free eBook on the Principals Community Page.
.  Ada Rosario Dolch's eBook is gift  to principals from her, her entire family and the Safe to Learn Team. 
Principles for Principals – Leading the Way to School Safety is also available for sale.
PictureAda Rosario Dolch
The first book to read in the Leadership and Safety Series is Principles for Principals – Leading the Way to School Safety by Ada Rosario Dolch.  Her primary message deals with the importance of leadership and trust, "We as school leaders are entrusted to the lives of children, whether babies attending pre-kindergarten or seniors in high school, our greatest daily task is to ensure that they return them home safely, the same way they arrived at the campus in the morning (perhaps a little bit smarter).” 

Principles for Principals – Leading the Way to School Safety was the first book provided to principals and assistant principals during the Pilot Project at Lamar Consolidated Independent School District (TX).  Their reflections illustrate the importance of leadership. Ada Rosario Dolch reinforces that message by reminding principals about the importance of leadership and keeping students safe and secure so they can learn! “Every single school staff member has to have the same commitment. ”When students are safe and secure they can learn; and it’s our job to keep students safe and secure while they are entrusted to our care.”
The evacuation of the eight public schools within a quarter of a mile of the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001 is one of the greatest “untold” success stories.  Despite her own personal pain; knowing that her sister was ever present on the 103rd floor of Tower 1 at the World Trade Center; she had to focus on the safety of the students and staff.  Even though all 9,000 children plus staff were safely evacuated on that tragic day this amazing story was never printed on a front page of a newspaper or featured on any TV News station.  In the midst of chaos students ranging in ages from three to eighteen years – grammar, middle and high schools were safely evacuated without injury from less than a quarter mile of Ground Zero.   Ada Rosario Dolch was one of those 8 principals.  “I knew I couldn't run. I had a bigger responsibility in my hands; to maintain calm, provide security, and fight to make sure that every individual in the school building would be safe.  Could I guarantee that?  No, but I was going to fight with all of my might to make sure I would.”

Her focus on planning and preparedness still applies today.  “What lessons did we learn from the 9/11 experience?  How can these lessons support the work of the school leader today?  How can these lessons be transferred to the safety and security of students and the entire school community in the event of any level of emergency?” Her reflections on leadership serve as a powerful learning tool for superintendents, principals, assistant principals, teachers, and students in the creation of each school and district's own safety plans.