Risk Management Workshops and K-12 School Consulting

The New Realities of Risk and Learning

Off-campus travel at most K-12 schools used to be limited to sporting events, field trips, and the occasional study abroad trip. But over the last two decades, off-campus learning has exploded with a growing number of global programs, community partnerships, service days, internships, mentorships, and more. At some schools, getting off campus involves every student, every week.

The increase in off-campus learning presents risk management challenges — and opportunities. Schools need administrative leaders who can manage risks effectively and lead community-wide conversations around the balance between learning and risk. It also requires teachers to become experiential educators who can create seamless learning experiences between the classroom and the world.

Since our beginning in 2007, World Leadership School has worked with dozens of schools to offer risk management workshops. Each year, World Leadership School manages over 1,500 students and faculty on travel programs across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the U.S. We continuously refine and improve our risk management approach, and help our partner schools do the same.

“I was deeply impressed by Erin’s approach, expertise, and recommendations throughout our risk management coaching. Her guidance was invaluable in strengthening our overall risk management protocols and fostering a culture of safety. Most importantly, the coaching and trip leader workshop initiated a crucial conversation about risk management that will have a lasting impact on all our off-campus programs.”
Matt Glendinning, Head of School, Hopkins School

World Leadership School’s unique approach to risk and learning (See “Our Risk Approach” below) allows schools to become unstuck and move into a new era of world-connected, purposeful learning. We focus on helping schools structure risk management conversations, simplify risk, and build powerful learning into every off-campus program. We work with schools on risk management through workshops with administrators & trip leaders and provide coaching to administrator teams on fine-tuning their policies and procedures.

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Did you know the two biggest risks of student travel are highway accidents and drowning? Or that there is a proven relationship between learning and risk management? World Leadership School is now offering yearlong coaching for global education directors seeking to improve risk management for off-campus programs. Through a series of 1:1 meetings with Executive Director Erin Hawk, who has led global travel programs at WLS for 15 years, we will evaluate and improve your off-campus programs through the lenses of risk management and learning. We use our “Analyze-Manage-Prepare” framework to understand risks, create “Accepted Practices” for managing hazards, and design an emergency response system. Together we create the building blocks of effective risk management. The culminating moment is a training that we help you host for your trip leaders. If the task of overhauling your school’s risk management approach feels overwhelming, this program will help you make small steps in a yearlong work plan.

“Erin and her team bring decades of experience to risk management and experiential learning. This coaching program helped me holistically approach our experiential learning program by organizing administrative tasks into manageable chunks, developing and implementing simple tools, and training our trip leaders., I learned a great deal, had fun, and gained skills in deepening both the impact and purpose of our programs. I highly recommend this program for school administrators who are looking to do the same!”
Sara Graham, Assistant Director for Global Outreach, Sage Hill School (Newport Beach, CA)

The half-day administrator intensive includes a review of the theory and science of risk management. Before meeting, we review your school’s risk management policies in order to give you feedback on student application and screening, insurance, third-party vendors, incident tracking and review, employee policies, faculty training, and risk protocols. This intensive ideally takes place before the Trip Leader Workshop.

We help admin establish the basic building blocks for risk management by exploring the right questions: Are we structuring our global programs to avoid unnecessary risk? Do we have school-wide “accepted practices” for handling each risk? Are we properly disclosing both the risks, and related strategies, with parents? Are we using data, debriefs, and evaluation feedback to mitigate risks and deepen learning? What are the consequences for our school if an accident happens, and how do we respond?

“Erin and her team bring decades of experience to risk management and experiential learning. This coaching program helped me holistically approach our experiential learning program by organizing administrative tasks into manageable chunks, developing and implementing simple tools, and training our trip leaders., I learned a great deal, had fun, and gained skills in deepening both the impact and purpose of our programs. I highly recommend this program for school administrators who are looking to do the same!”
-Sara Graham, Assistant Director for Global Outreach, Sage Hill School

This workshop integrates trip design and structure, risk assessment tools, group dynamics, and curricular integration strategies. We end the day with an emergency response and crisis management scenario. This is an immersive experience that challenges faculty to think in new ways, engage in tough conversations, and experience the unexpected.

We help teachers structure the risk management conversation with AMP (Analyze, Manage, Prepare). Student leader teams run an AMP conversation each morning during our travel programs; faculty use AMP as they design a program; global ed directors use AMP as they manage a changing portfolio of off-campus programs; and the AMP sequence is used to help parents understand the risks and learning goals of their child’s off-campus experience.

The content during the Trip Leader Workshop can be customized to the unique needs of the school. Below are some areas of content that can be explored during the workshop:

Use WLS’ risk management tools to analyze data, examine tools for managing risks, and discuss ways to prepare ourselves and others for these risks.

Practice your field emergency response plan and crisis management plan in real-life scenarios for off-campus programs.

Begin to co-create a portfolio of accepted practices for key risks on off-campus programs. This will serve as the foundation for how the trip leaders approach risks from a shared viewpoint.

Explore theories of community engagement and evaluate existing programs. Practice interrupting common narratives that undermine effective community engagement.

We will explore and experience group dynamics, the art of helping groups moving through the stages of group development (forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning).

Explore World Leadership School’s “Phases of World Connected Learning” in order to quickly audit your off-campus programs. Identify bright spots and growth areas as we use lenses of equity, program design, and risk management.

Our Risk Approach

Explore Ross Wehner’s article in Independent School magazine that sums up our approach to risk management.

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The Phases of World Connected Learning

World Leadership School’s approach to risk and learning helps schools move from what we call “Phase 1” to “Phase 3”. Where is your school?

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*World Leadership School does not take responsibility for legal guidance around waivers and other paperwork, as legal requirements vary between states and should be determined by the school’s legal counsel.