The Halloween season is here, and children across the country will put on their best costume and trick-or-treat around their neighborhoods. While it is important for educators to encourage their students to have fun, it is also crucial to remind them to stay safe.

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and Honeywell Inc. are teaming up with Nickelodeon actress Tia Mowry to launch KidSmartz, a new program that aims to keep kids safe on Halloween and all year-round, said a press release.

KidSmartz, the release said, is a "personal safety program that educates parents, teachers and other trusted adults and law enforcement about preventing abduction." The program, "empowers kids in grades K-5 to practice safer behaviors in ways that are fun, innovative and easy-to-implement."

According to the FBI, the release said, "police received more than 400,000 reports of missing children last year in the United States."

"We have been analyzing attempted abductions for almost a decade and have learned a lot about the risks kids face and the strategies they can use to stay safe," said John Ryan, president and CEO of NCMEC, in the release. "Thanks to Honeywell, its employees and the support of Tia, we have an opportunity to share this potentially life-saving knowledge through the KidSmartz program."

KidSmartz uses videos and engaging animations, the article said, to "teach critical safety information to children" and focuses on "four rules of personal safety:"

• Check First
• Take a Friend
• Say "No" and Find Help
• Tell a Trusted Adult

"Halloween presents a great opportunity to discuss safety with our kids," said Tia Mowry in the release. "KidSmartz provides the tools that parents, teachers and law enforcement need to address a scary topic, but in a way that's fun and entertaining for kids. As a mom, I know that preparing for a night of trick-or-treating can be hectic, but taking a few minutes to talk with our kids about the four rules can make a difference in keeping them safe on Halloween — and every day of the year."

With KidSmartz, "parents, educators and other trusted adults can find instructional resources such as free classroom lesson plans, take-home printable materials for families, safety checklists and engaging and animated videos to empower kids to practice safer behaviors and reinforce the four rules of personal safety."

"For 10 years we've partnered with NCMEC to keep a watch over our nation's children and supply them with resources that can help them recognize and avoid dangerous situations," said Tom Buckmaster, President of Honeywell Hometown Solutions in the release. "I'm proud of what we have already accomplished with Got2Bsafe! and hope to continue that success with the KidSmartz program by reaching more children, parents and teachers."

The KidSmartz curriculum and related materials are available for download at www.KidSmartz.org. For more information, check out KidSmartz on Facebook and Twitter.

Article by Kassondra Granata, Education World Contributor