2024 School Safety Summit – Learning Session Descriptions

Cybersecurity attacks on K12 continue but our response is improving. The newly formed MiSecure Operations Team is working closely with the Michigan State Police’s Cyber Command Center to help schools prepare for those attacks. This session will provide the who, why, and how of those attacks as well as State funding to better prepare your district.

What happens when the gendered security field meets the equally gendered education field? With a focus on enhancing safety measures in school communities, this discussion aims to shed light on the sometimes intricate and gender-related dynamics that arise. Join us to delve deeper into this timely and important conversation as we explore the evolving landscape of security in an educational setting.

Learn how proactive intervention strategies have decreased disciplinary issues, fosters inclusivity, and empowers students and staff alike. By addressing infractions such as bullying, respect, and conflict resolution through tailored interventions, schools can create an environment where students feel safe, supported, and motivated to learn. This session will offer practical insights, evidence-based approaches, and success stories to inspire attendees to prioritize intervention as a cornerstone in enhancing school safety and nurturing a thriving educational community.

Behavioral Threat Assessment Management (BTAM) teams play a pivotal in role enhancing the safety and well-being of students, staff, and the overall school community. BTAM is a process that focuses on early identification, assessment, and management of potential threats to prevent acts of targeted violence within schools. Participants will learn an overview of targeted violence and the role that BTAM plays in prevention, as well as the escalation to violence pathway with emphasis on identifying and reporting concerning behaviors in order to create secure learning environments.

In an educational climate increasingly focused on physical security measures, we invite you to join a conversation that explores why inclusion is the most critical component of your district’s safety infrastructure. Together, we’ll discuss how shifting the conversation to focus on the transformative power of psychological safety can create the conditions for school environments to be places where staff, students, and families feel safe, supported, and secure.

SROs and administrators can directly impact the safety response of their staff, providing simple commands, standardized responses, and instruction that is relatable, rather than traumatic. Whether through the limited time allotted for drills, the many meetings that happen throughout the day, or the packed professional development days, building leaders can reduce the stress their staff feel around emergencies by applying these principles. Participants will learn what Behavioral Analytics are showing about emergency training, including the need to avoid trauma and keeping training low key; using drills to reinforce training; and generalization by using the same 5 steps in every response.

Participants will learn about the Prevent 2 Protect: The Adolescent Targeted Violence Prevention Project a pilot intervention project funded by MDE aimed at the prevention of violence among high-risk, high-need adolescents in Michigan. This promising community-based intervention model is the first of its kind and is aimed at providing assessment, individualized care plans, intensive supports, mentoring and system navigation for adolescents who are deemed at high risk of committing acts of targeted violence within the school setting.

Schools are so desperate for help that they reach at anything which looks like it may give them a leg up. Participants will learn about Comprehensive School Safety Planning and discuss the challenges and successes of making school safety a district standard. Key areas of discussion include the pros and cons of dealing with vendors, involving safety experts; process before purchase; Safety Team discussions; and the Five-Year Plan.

Cybersecurity attacks on K12 continue but our response is improving. The newly formed MiSecure Operations Team is working closely with the Michigan State Police’s Cyber Command Center to help schools prepare for those attacks. This session will provide the who, why, and how of those attacks as well as State funding to better prepare your district.

What measures will improve the effectiveness of school safety planning? With a focus on making schools safer, comprehensive school safety planning experts will share research and their findings from the field. Emphasis will be on developing more comprehensive plans, forming multi-disciplinary safety teams, and considering gender issues in school safety.

In this session, participants will explore the crucial link between teacher well-being and school climate, and how investing in teacher self-care can significantly enhance the overall culture of schools, resulting in increasing student engagement, reducing behavior incidents, and improving teacher retention rates. Through interactive discussions and practical strategies, participants will explore how prioritizing self-care among educators can lead to a more positive and supportive school environment. From mindfulness techniques to fostering a culture of support, attendees will gain valuable insights into enhancing teacher resilience, job satisfaction, and ultimately, student success.

Take a deeper dive into how to revamp safety in schools at a district level with the goal of providing clear, efficient information that is consistent no matter what building you visit in the district. Participants will learn about a deeply thorough set of processes and protocols using technology like the RAVE app, more detailed and thought-out drills and exercises, the creation of a “mini EOP” flip chart, and opportunities to provide feedback. With training, drills, and bi-weekly meetings, Eaton Rapid’s safety team has begun to change the culture surrounding the conversation and practice of safety in schools.

Attendees will discuss what comprehensive school safety is, and why it is important. The conversation will be framed around a conceptual model that describes a positive youth development approach to school safety. Participants will work together to think about how they currently implement different approaches to school safety within their contexts. Building on that exercise, attendees will consider how to leverage what they learned in this session to develop approaches to school safety that are comprehensive.

Participants will learn about the Prevent 2 Protect: The Adolescent Targeted Violence Prevention Project a pilot intervention project funded by MDE aimed at the prevention of violence among high-risk, high-need adolescents in Michigan. This promising community-based intervention model is the first of its kind and is aimed at providing assessment, individualized care plans, intensive supports, mentoring and system navigation for adolescents who are deemed at high risk of committing acts of targeted violence within the school setting.

Participants will learn about the Prevent 2 Protect: The Adolescent Targeted Violence Prevention Project a pilot intervention project funded by MDE aimed at the prevention of violence among high-risk, high-need adolescents in Michigan. This promising community-based intervention model is the first of its kind and is aimed at providing assessment, individualized care plans, intensive supports, mentoring and system navigation for adolescents who are deemed at high risk of committing acts of targeted violence within the school setting.

Schools are so desperate for help that they reach at anything which looks like it may give them a leg up. Participants will learn about Comprehensive School Safety Planning and discuss the challenges and successes of making school safety a district standard. Key areas of discussion include the pros and cons of dealing with vendors, involving safety experts; process before purchase; Safety Team discussions; and the Five-Year Plan.