All of the sessions below will be held on May 2 at the 2023 School Safety Summit.
Tuesday, June 27
1:15 –2:30 p.m. Learning Sessions
School Crisis Response – Be Prepared
Jason Russell, Founder/President, Secure Education Consultants
Secure Education Consultants Founder and President, Jason Russell, will share strategies that can help a district respond and recover after a significant crisis. Jason is often requested to serve as an advisor to schools following crisis situations, including many schools here in Michigan. Jason will share his experiences and discuss how districts can prepare and respond to crisis situations.
Get Your Staff Trained for Active Shooter Response
Richard Franklin, Superintendent, Barry ISD, Marti Horrmann, Jim Yarger, Kevin Callahan, Barry County Strategos Team
The presenters are all certified trainers for Strategos International, who will share the basic principles of Strategos Active Shooter/Intruder Response Training (ASIRT) and discuss the importance of finding appropriate training for your district’s staff. They will also share how to find training in your area, how often training is needed, and what to look for in ASIRT training for your district.
Threat Assessment: Training, Implementation and Case Management
Thom Jones, Senior Vice President, Threat Detection & Prevention and National Threat Assessment Trainer (CSTAG), Navigate 360
Behavioral Threat Assessment training is a vital, proactive approach to violence prevention, early intervention, universal student support and school safety. However, how can you ensure that once teams are trained, they have the tools and resources needed to implement with fidelity and manage every case? Join this valuable session to learn best practices, including how to stay up to date with Michigan School Safety Task Force recommendations. This presentation will also include information regarding FAQs around FERPA and FOIA as they relate to documentation through a case management platform.
The Threats in Threat Assessments
Jessica McNamara, Attorney, Thrun Law Firm, P.C.
Recently there has been a push across the State to use threat assessments to determine whether a student poses a threat. That tool, however, implicates a variety of other laws and violating those laws could expose your District to even more liability.
Run, Hide, Fight…now what? An All-Hazards Approach to Managing Active Threat Events in K-12 Environments
Joseph Wilson, Owner, Operator, JW Safety Group LLC; Arnold Wicker, LaMaurice Gardner and the Harper Woods School District
Before – Preparedness and Mitigation; During – Response; and After – Recovery. There are several phases within the lifecycle of an active threat. The key to successful management of an active threat event begins with the end in mind. Understanding the importance of implementing mitigation efforts, preparing for effective response and developing adequate recovery strategies to include mental health intervention are critical components to a successful plan.
Implementing a Threat Assessment Protocol
Liz Margolis, Executive Director, School Safety & District Operations, Ann Arbor Public Schools
School safety should be a critical priority and fundamental value in all school districts. As part of this commitment schools must take very seriously threats made by or to a student, staff member or a school. A safe learning environment allows for the critical mission of teaching, learning and student achievement. Trained school threat assessment teams should identify and use specific tools and protocols to fully investigate the threat and take action to ensure the protection of students, staff and schools. Partnership with families and local law enforcement are a critical element of this protocol.
Trained threat assessment teams should work diligently – day, night and weekends – to determine the threat origin to resolve the situation. An emphasis should be made to help the student who has made the threat with both support and minimize the use of disciplinary action. This session will describe the elements of a threat assessment protocol and make suggestions of vetted tools and implementation of threat assessment teams.
Creating Safe and Supportive Schools by Building Adult SEL
Amy Wassman, School District Consultant, Michigan Department of Education
As schools look to support the wellbeing of students, we cannot overlook the adults. This session will focus on understanding the link between staff social and emotional learning (SEL) and student success outcomes and educator retention/prevention of burnout. Session participants will learn about professional learning resources that center on strengthening and supporting staff SEL skills and will leave with strategies to implement back in their district.
Operationalizing District Threat Assessments: What We Have Learned and Lessons We Wish We Learned Earlier
Stacie Voskuil, Assistant Superintendent of Student Services, Cedar Springs Public Schools and Jen Haberling
In this session, we will review what the Cedar Springs Public Schools Student Threat Assessment Team looks like, how it started, the lessons we learned and ways to operationalize a robust, and helpful threat assessment within your district. Specific areas will include the strength and needs of a multidisciplinary team, easy to follow systems and screeners and what a robust threat assessment approach can do for school climate, safety and reporting to stop mass school violence.
Planning a Meaningful Safety Simulation Training with Engaged Community Partners
Kyle Corlett, Superintendent, Thom Danckaert, Liz Reimink, Ludington Area School District
Last summer, nearly 250 members from law enforcement, first responders, local community members, and staff from all school district’s in Mason County participated in an active shooter simulation at the new Ludington Elementary School. Three different drills were performed to test reaction time, establish a safe environment, and simulate helping the injured. This type of training proved the importance of testing an emergency response plan in conjunction with providing insight into any weaknesses or blind spots within the plan and building design. We will share how this exercise was planned and executed and the impact it has had on how the district and community approaches safety moving forward.
2:45 –4 p.m. Learning Sessions
Note: Several sessions from the first set of breakouts will be repeated.
Is Your District Prepared for Moments that Matter? A Guide to Closing Gaps and Securing Your Campus
Matt Young, Regional Vice President – Midwest, CENTEGIX; Jeffrey Drayton, Director of Operations; North Branch Area Schools, and Tara Heaton, Regional Director, Business & Partnership Development
When it comes to school safety, teachers, students, staff, and administrators want to know their community is prepared and protected, not only in the event of an extreme scenario but also for everyday incidents and medical emergencies. Whether you’re a superintendent, school resource officer, principal, teacher, staff member or school board representative, you want to feel confident in your school safety decisions. You want to strengthen your response to any incident on campus, reduce the time spent worrying about security and deliver peace of mind to the entire community.
Get Your Staff Trained for Active Shooter Response
Richard Franklin, Superintendent, Barry ISD, Marti Horrmann, Jim Yarger, Kevin Callahan, Barry County Strategos Team
The presenters are all certified trainers for Strategos International, who will share the basic principles of Strategos Active Shooter/Intruder Response Training (ASIRT) and discuss the importance of finding appropriate training for your district’s staff. They will also share how to find training in your area, how often training is needed, and what to look for in ASIRT training for your district.
A Model Going Forward from Safety and Security Assessments
Leslie Hainrihar Chretien, Education Consultant, ACAP-solutions.com Solutions for School Safety; Andy Shaw, Monroe Public Schools and Anthony Beattie, CEO, ACAP
Comprehensive Safety and Security Assessments (Section 97c of PA 93 of 2022) found significant issues that were common across school districts, regardless of size and demographic. Concerns include incomplete EOPs, Board of Education safety policies approved but not fully implemented, insufficient safety training for all personnel, and inconsistent application of safety policy and practice. Superintendents are not school safety experts nor should they need to be. Yet the experience of administrators verifies the findings of these assessments and, more importantly, emphasizes a gap in school operations. Monroe Public Schools Superintendent Andy Shaw shares the top concerns from their assessment and how Comprehensive School Safety Planning, with a qualified team, provides solutions.
Cybersecurity Risk Management
Wayne Pierce, Information Security Officer for Wayne Pierce, Information Security Officer, Cyberforceq
This engaging educational session has received top feedback from superintendents and administrators across the country. We will discuss cybersecurity risk paradigms and how they can be optimized in the education sector. You will leave with a comprehensive understanding of cyber risk management and how to best work with internal management and insurance carriers to prevent loss.
Run, Hide, Fight…now what? An All-Hazards Approach to Managing Active Threat Events in K-12 Environments
Joseph Wilson, Owner, Operator, JW Safety Group LLC; Arnold Wicker, LaMaurice Gardner and the Harper Woods School District
Before – Preparedness and Mitigation; During – Response; and After – Recovery. There are several phases within the lifecycle of an active threat. The key to successful management of an active threat event begins with the end in mind. Understanding the importance of implementing mitigation efforts, preparing for effective response and developing adequate recovery strategies to include mental health intervention are critical components to a successful plan.
Implementing a Threat Assessment Protocol
Liz Margolis, Executive Director, School Safety & District Operations, Ann Arbor Public Schools
School safety should be a critical priority and fundamental value in all school districts. As part of this commitment schools must take very seriously threats made by or to a student, staff member or a school. A safe learning environment allows for the critical mission of teaching, learning and student achievement. Trained school threat assessment teams should identify and use specific tools and protocols to fully investigate the threat and take action to ensure the protection of students, staff and schools. Partnership with families and local law enforcement are a critical element of this protocol.
Trained threat assessment teams should work diligently – day, night and weekends – to determine the threat origin to resolve the situation. An emphasis should be made to help the student who has made the threat with both support and minimize the use of disciplinary action. This session will describe the elements of a threat assessment protocol and make suggestions of vetted tools and implementation of threat assessment teams.
Equipping School Safety Teams with the Power & Resources to Impact Student Mental Health
Angela Shields, Michigan Cares Program Manager, Michigan Virtual
Our students are calling for help, and we have a window of opportunity to make a positive, lifelong impact on their mental health. In this engaging and practical session, you will explore social and emotional learning supports available to your district (many at no cost). You will discover life skills and mental health resources, including expert-curated online lessons for students and educator courses designed in partnership with statewide leadership organizations. Join us as we dive into the critical importance of this work and identify ways you can equip your school safety team with the power to make a positive impact across your buildings.
Operationalizing District Threat Assessments: What We Have Learned and Lessons We Wish We Learned Earlier
Stacie Voskuil, Assistant Superintendent of Student Services, Cedar Springs Public Schools and Jen Haberling
In this session, we will review what the Cedar Springs Public Schools Student Threat Assessment Team looks like, how it started, the lessons we learned and ways to operationalize a robust, and helpful threat assessment within your district. Specific areas will include the strength and needs of a multidisciplinary team, easy to follow systems and screeners and what a robust threat assessment approach can do for school climate, safety and reporting to stop mass school violence.
Planning a Meaningful Safety Simulation Training with Engaged Community Partners
Kyle Corlett, Superintendent, Thom Danckaert, Liz Reimink, Ludington Area School District
Last summer, nearly 250 members from law enforcement, first responders, local community members, and staff from all school district’s in Mason County participated in an active shooter simulation at the new Ludington Elementary School. Three different drills were performed to test reaction time, establish a safe environment, and simulate helping the injured. This type of training proved the importance of testing an emergency response plan in conjunction with providing insight into any weaknesses or blind spots within the plan and building design. We will share how this exercise was planned and executed and the impact it has had on how the district and community approaches safety moving forward.