The Urgency of Prevention The U.S. Secret Service report, “Averting Targeted School Violence” (2021), presents a clear and urgent message: school violence is preventable when communities identify warning signs and intervene early​. One of the most striking takeaways is that students themselves are often the first to recognize distress signals in their peers. Yet, they may hesitate to report concerns due to fear, uncertainty, or lack of a trusted system. The report calls for multi-tiered intervention strategies, early detection, and a proactive approach to mental health and student support. At iWellness Center, we believe that giving students a voice and equipping schools with real-time data is one of the most powerful ways to implement these recommendations effectively. Our platform serves as an Early Warning System, ensuring that schools can identify concerns before they escalate while also empowering students with a safe and accessible way to express their emotional well-being. The Role of Early Intervention & Data-Driven Support The U.S. Secret Service report outlines clear strategies for preventing school violence, including: Early detection of concerning behaviors Encouraging student reporting and intervention Building a strong school climate with support systems in place iWellness Center seamlessly aligns with these goals by providing: A Safe, Confidential Platform for Student Check-Ins Students can regularly report their emotional well-being, stress levels, and overall mental health through simple, consistent check-ins. This approach normalizes discussions about emotions and makes it easier for students to seek and receive support before they reach a crisis point. Data-Driven Insights for Early Intervention iWellness Center’s system collects and analyzes student wellness trends, helping schools recognize patterns of distress, disengagement, or crisis risk. Truancy officers, school counselors, and administrators can use real-time data to intervene before concerning behaviors escalate. Multi-Tiered Support for Students at Different Levels of Need Schools can implement personalized intervention strategies based on student wellness trends. iWellness Center enables educators to proactively provide targeted resources—whether it’s peer support, counseling, or referrals to specialized services. Empowering Students: Creating a Culture of Connection A core theme of the U.S. Secret Service report is that students must feel empowered to speak up when they notice concerning behaviors in their peers. However, many students fear being perceived as “tattling” or worry that their concerns won’t be taken seriously. iWellness Center transforms the way schools approach student voice by: Providing a non-intimidating, digital check-in process where students feel comfortable expressing themselves. Encouraging self-awareness and emotional literacy, helping students recognize when they need support. Creating an easy and structured way for students to report concerns about their peers in a way that feels safe and supported. By fostering a culture of connection, trust, and emotional resilience, schools can intervene before crises develop—aligning directly with the recommendations from national threat assessment experts. Taking Action to Create Safer Schools The U.S. Secret Service’s findings reaffirm what educators and mental health professionals have long known—prevention is key, and every student deserves to feel safe, heard, and supported. By integrating iWellness Center’s Early Warning System, schools can: Proactively identify students in distress Empower students with a voice in their well-being Prevent crises before they escalate Creating a culture of early intervention and proactive support is not just a recommendation—it’s a necessity. Schools that take action now to implement these strategies can make a lasting impact on student safety, mental health, and overall success. U.S. Secret Service, National Threat Assessment Center. (2021). Averting Targeted School Violence: A U.S. Secret Service Analysis of Plots Against Schools.

Over the past couple of decades, we have seen a dramatic shift in what we have come to expect from our educators (i.e., teachers, counselors, administrators, social workers, etc.). For many years, the best educators were those who could truly make decisions “on the fly,” using gut instincts. I have referred to this as the art of teaching. However, in this age of accountability, the art of teaching is no longer enough. For some time, we have observed a comprehensive shift to an equally important skill set, which I like to call the science of teaching. The art of teaching is essential ; the science of teaching is critical . The science of teaching centers around decision making based on evidence (i.e., data). The art of teaching versus the science of teaching is no longer an “either-or” proposition; the concepts of educating the whole child as an art form and educating as a science must work in unison with one another. The science of teaching is a much more systematic, scientific approach to decision making; it isn’t just trial-and-error but a more systematic process of trial-and-error . When you truly adopt such an approach to your professional work, I believe that you have developed a mindset of data-driven education decision making. Generically speaking, this more scientific approach looks like this: Generate a new innovative idea or approach ↓ Implement the idea ↓ Assess its effectiveness ↓ Reflect on the process Some readers of this post might be familiar with this process because it very closely parallels the process of action research . Action research is best described as a process of educational research conducted by practitioners to provide immediate answers to questions or solutions to problems of practice. I typically talk about action research as a cyclical four-step process (Mertler, 2025): Planning for your action research ↓ Acting on the plan ↓ Developing an action plan for future cycles ↓ Reflecting on the process It is critical for you to see the similarities in the process of conducting action research with those of a more generic process for data-driven education decision making . In each of the above processes, the second and third steps involve two critical activities on the parts of educators: The second step involves the collection of data; and The third step involves making decisions based on those data. At iWellness Center , we advocate for the integration of action research into the process of a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) in fostering student success through a proactive and data-driven framework. Engaging in real-time data collection —in the form of student check-ins —provides educators with the essential tools to monitor and proactively support all students effectively. Once students’ areas of need are identified in real-time through the iWellness Center platform, schools can start planning and implementing targeted interventions immediately. By tracking the progress of these interventions in real time, educators can quickly assess what’s working and make necessary adjustments to better support each student’s unique mental wellness needs. The iWellness weekly check-ins provide up-to-date data, fostering a coordinated and data-informed approach to student support. At iWellness Center , we understand the vital role of building a cohesive team, establishing an effective system, and maintaining a solid foundation for data collection, analysis, and informed decision-making. When schools prioritize these core elements, they unlock the full potential to understand and address students' wellness needs, ultimately enhancing their overall success. The process advocated by iWellness Center closely parallels the process of conducting action research: