Mercer University
Crisis Preparedness for School Leaders:
Preemption, Negotiation, and Recovery
COURSE DESCRIPTION
EDEL 764 is an 8-week online course that provides school leaders, teachers, & staff with research-based knowledge and tools needed to anticipate, mitigate, and recover from crises.
The course covers six areas:
I. Mass Shootings
II. Child Suicides / Homicides
III. Hate Crimes
IV. Health Pandemics
V. Domestic Terrorism
VI. Severe Weather
As of May 1, 2025, there have been 117 mass shootings in the United States, resulting in 155 fatalities and 443 injuries.
Educational settings—especially K–12 schools and college campuses—are consistently among the top targeted locations for active shooter incidents, second only to commercial venues such as:shopping malls, movie theaters, restaurants and bars.
(Click below for regularly updated data)
Active Shooters
The Rise of Child
Suicides and Homicides
The rising rates of suicides and homicides among children and youth are deeply alarming to families, educators, and policymakers, all of whom are urgently seeking effective strategies to address and mitigate these troubling trends. These are the most recently available data from the CDC…
Suicide as a Leading Cause of Death Among Youth
(by Race/Ethnicity and Gender)
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Asian Females
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Leading cause of death (ages 15–24)
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Second leading cause of death (ages 10–14)
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Asian Males
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Second leading cause of death (ages 15–24)
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Black Males
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Third leading cause of death (ages 10–14 and 15–24)
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Black Females
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Third leading cause of death (ages 15–24)
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Latina Females
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Second leading cause of death (ages 15–24)
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Latino Males
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Third leading cause of death (ages 15–24)
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White Males
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Second leading cause of death (ages 10–14 and 15–24)
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White Females
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Second leading cause of death (ages 15–24)
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Homicide as a Leading Cause of Death Among Youth
(by Race/Ethnicity and Gender)
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Black Males
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Leading cause of death (ages 10–14 and 15–24)
-
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Black Females
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Second leading cause of death (ages 10–24)
-
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Latino Males
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Second leading cause of death (ages 15–24)
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Third leading cause of death (ages 10–14)
-
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Latina Females
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Third leading cause of death (ages 15–24)
-
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White Males
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Third leading cause of death (ages 15–24)
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White Females
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Fourth leading cause of death (ages 10–14 and 15–24)
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(WISQARS.cdc.gov)
Detailed Report
2025 Communicable Health Concerns
As of May 2025, the world is grappling with multiple communicable health issues. These challenges encompass both reemerging diseases due to declining vaccination rates and emerging threats influenced by environmental changes and global health dynamics.
These are a few of the major concern in 2025:
1. Measles Resurgence
2. Avian Influenza (H5N1)
3. Tick-Borne Diseases
4. Mosquito-Borne Illnesses
5. COVID-19 Variants
6. Mpox (Monkeypox)
7. Emerging Threats: "Disease X"
Click here for COVID-19 updates:
Crisis Research
This section is regularly updated with historical and current data, projections, and research from state and federal resources, academic journals, and trade publications.
Pandemic Lessons
Domestic Terrorism
The Federal Bureau of Investigation
defines domestic terrorism as ...
The unlawful use, or threatened use, of violence by a group or individual based and operating entirely within the United States (or its territories), committed against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives.
These groups are motivated by extremist ideology to threaten or commit acts of violence with the intention of spreading fear and disruption for political aims.
Click here for domestic terrorism updates:
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
The course seeks to empower school and non-profit leaders with information and tools needed to craft policies and procedures that reduce the deadly outcomes of chaotic events. The course uses a systems approach to provide leaders with the ability to access and coordinate national, local, district, community, and building resources. Further, the course provides students with theoretical and empirical explanations of the etiology of natural and human catastrophes.
Upon completion of the course, students are expected to:
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Explain occurrences, patterns, and outcomes of human-instigated traumas and natural disasters that affect K-12 schools, postsecondary institutions, and other public settings.
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Describe current best practices for mitigating, preventing, and resolving these events.
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Categorize emotional and physical reactions to trauma and identify responsive resources.
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Discuss the etiology of various acts of violence that occur in schools.
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Develop a crisis policy manual to sustain school and campus safety in times of crisis.
Course Syllabus
Important
Resources
Course Instructor
Dr. Olivia Boggs ----------->