January is a reset. It’s also a risk point. Planned touchpoints with students and student surveys for safety can help.
Every year, schools talk about the new year as a fresh start. New routines. New goals. A clean slate. But January is also when stress shows up differently for students, staff, and families.
Across schools nationwide, the weeks after winter break bring a noticeable increase in safety concerns, bullying, and student distress. It’s not something we want to think about in the midst of the festive holiday season. Yet they are patterns that we can plan against. So we should.
Surveys and The Data of the "Quiet Rise"
In a 2024 study conducted by Possip in partnership with the Nashville Police + Public Safety Alliance, feedback from more than 40,000 families showed a clear pattern: after winter break, safety-related comments increased.
Not dramatically. But consistently. And within those safety concerns, one issue stands out above the rest: bullying and fighting.
Why January is a Pressure Cooker
This data aligns with broader research on education and juvenile justice. The spike in conflict doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Student surveys and research show there are many factors at play, including:
Disrupted Routines: Long breaks break the “rhythm” of safety and expectations and students return with some of the stress that may have come to them over break.
Re-entry Stress: The sudden shift back to academic and social pressure creates friction.
Unresolved Conflict: Issues that started in December don’t disappear over break; they ferment. Without a clear way to report them, they escalate.
Seasonal Affective Disorder: SAD can peak in winter months like January when days are shorter, and light is scarce.
While students are dealing with these changes and stressors, adults are too. That’s why having systems in place before you return is important.
Solving for Safety and Bullying Supports Trust and Enrollment
In the new year, many schools are focused on making sure enrollment for the next school year is being supported. Solving for safety and bullying in advance is a key factor to enrollment.
The 2024 study found that families can raise concerns about many things- communication, logistics, even security measures- and still feel good about their school. But when families are worried about bullying or their child’s safety, they’re never happy.
Those concerns aren’t just “feedback.” They show a fracture in trust. The CDC and the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) have been clear: bullying and peer conflict are major risk factors for youth violence. Re-entry periods can bring spikes in behavioral referrals and mental health needs. So even if violence doesn’t peak, the early warning signs may.
Take Action Before the Return and Plan a Student Survey
Serious issues don’t start as emergencies. They start as students feeling sad, targeted, isolated, or invisible. They start small. And they start quietly.
That’s why January planning is less about new programs and more about touch points and student surveys that ask one question:
How will we hear from every student in the first weeks back through a conversation or student survey?
For some schools, that’s a student survey or a 1:1 check-in. For others, it’s an advisory conversation or a low-friction touch point at lunch. What matters isn’t the tool. It’s the intention.
Student Survey or Touch Point Conversation
As a leader, you don’t need to try to predict worst-case scenarios. Be present. Have a way to ask students:
How was your break?
Who were you excited to see when you came back to school?
What class were you excited about coming back to school for?
Do you need to talk to anyone to successfully transition back to school?
Any worries or concerns as you start the new school year?
If students don’t have much they’re looking forward to, that’s an opportunity to lean in. If students have worries or concerns, this is a good time to learn.
If people don’t know how to share concerns- or don’t believe anyone will respond- silence fills the gap. And silence is rarely neutral when it comes to safety. Listening early and acting on the “small” signals is where real prevention lives.
Sources & Further Reading
Childrens Hospital of California (CHOC): Post Holiday Blues: Depression and Returning from Winter Break Highlights challenges and solutions and ideas for post winter breka returns.
National Association of School Psychologists (NASP): Supporting Student Mental Health During Reentry to School. Using COVID re-entry learning, emphasizes that re-entry periods trigger spikes in peer conflict and recommends proactive check-ins over reactive discipline.
Possip & Nashville Police + Public Safety Alliance (2024): Nashville Alliance Research: Patterns of School Safety and Family Feedback. Analysis of 40,000+ family data points regarding post-break safety trends.
