Parallel Planning™ is based, in part, on the concept of Parallel Play by Mildred Parten. One thing that Parten noticed was that children of a certain age played next to each other but didn’t play together. They chose to play independently. They may look over to see what the other child was doing but went back to what they were doing.
Parallel Planning was developed to create a space for students, parents/guardians and others in the school community to prepare for emergencies in schools in parallel – or near – schools/school districts independently, autonomously and without disruption to school emergency planning.
Parallel planning extends school safety beyond the boundaries of school campuses and into the community. Their focus is on planning with and for the school community and rather than the school. The goals are to develop emergency response protocols for school community members, build safety nets around schools and compliment school emergency operations plans.
This structure of Parallel Planning is no different than a PTA, PTSO or Booster Club. All three groups work in parallel with the school they are supporting. They work independently and autonomously to shape public policy, host after school activities and/or raise money for the school. They don’t make school policies or direct school staff or administrators.
Parallel Planning is especially important for parents/guardians of kids who might more help in an emergency because parents/guardians and students can educate people in the community on how to help them or their kids in an emergency at school or in the community.
Parallel Planning also gives school community members a chance to get to know each other by working together on a shared goal. Parallel Planning is not political, not ideological and does not include politics or ideology in planning.
Each person who wants to make the school safer is welcome as long as they are respectful and focused planning and preparing the community.
Please contact me for more information.