SAFETY 1ST CONFERENCE:
MAKING SCHOOLS SAFE
Join us April 17 as we help school leaders and staff develop security solutions. We'll discuss threat assessment tools, mental health intervention, school marshals, human trafficking, and coordinating with law enforcement agencies, and funding for local education agencies. Participants will also have the chance to engage with subject-area specialists on topics such as facility construction and renovation for school safety, reacting to a crisis, communication surrounding school safety, and legal considerations when setting school safety policies.
Safety 1st Conference: Making Schools Safe
Wednesday, Apr 17, 2024, 09:00 AM
400 East Spring Valley Road, Richardson, TX, USA
Vendor Fair and Breakfast will be available from 8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
A.M. Keynote Speaker - Stefanie Turner
The Dangers of Fentanyl: Facts and Education - Texas Against Fentanyl
Join Stefanie in this session as she shares her journey of losing her son, Tucker, to Fentanyl poisoning. Explore the origins, risks, and daily presence of Fentanyl. Examine existing laws and the mission of Texas Against Fentanyl (TXAF) to educate, support, and advocate for legislative changes in the fight against the Fentanyl epidemic. Acquire knowledge and skills to raise awareness, prevent harm, and contribute to public health. Identify risks, recognize signs of poisoning, and learn effective responses for critical situations.
Email: stefanie@txaf.org
Website: txaf.org
Phone: N/A
LUNCH KEYNOTE SPEAKER - Toni McKinley
From Survivor to Advocate: Navigating Human Trafficking - A Personal Journey and Educational Insight
Embark on a transformative journey with me as I share my personal odyssey from surviving trafficking to becoming an advocate. Learn about the intricacies of human trafficking and its profound impact, exploring real-life experiences that shed light on this critical issue. Discover actionable insights and strategies, equipping educators to recognize, respond, and actively contribute to the fight against human trafficking in our communities.
Email: contact@tonimckinley.com
Website: https://www.tonimckinley.com/
Phone: N/A
P.M. KEYNOTE SPEAKER - Lieutenant Kris Wirstrom
Allen Premium Outlets Mass-Casualty Attack
The presentation will demonstrate the chaotic environment created by a spontaneous attack. Participants will be given context, and historical data that outlines methods for providing aid and restoring order to heavily populated areas.
Email: kwirstrom@cityofallen.org
Website: https://www.cityofallen.org/
Phone:214.509.4100
Breakout Session Offerings By STRAND
Legal Strand
(This strand provides legal awareness related to school safety)
Jasmine Wightman, Lead Attorney, Texas Association of School Boards
Session: Legal Perspectives in Student Health
Elevate student success by placing a spotlight on student well-being within your district. This session explores recent legislative efforts dedicated to addressing both the physical and mental health problems experienced by students. Join us for a discussion on important updates, including medication laws, SHAC (School Health Advisory Council) mandates, procedures for mental health and safety concerns, and more.
Joe Parks, Law Office of Joseph L. Parks, PLLC
Session: Steady as She Goes: Navigating the Intertwined Roles of School Boards and District Administration in School Safety and Security
School safety has eclipsed educational leadership to become the highest priority of parents, school districts and the community. In this session, we will discover a four-pillar framework for a robust safety and security strategy that every board trustee and district administrator should have a basic understanding of. We’ll then explore ways school boards and district administration can effectively promote safe and secure schools, foster public confidence and harmonize their respective responsibilities in district governance, resource allocation, administration and policy.
Rick Lambert and Trevor Hall, Powell Law Group, LLP
Session: Armed Security Personnel: New Requirements & Other Considerations for Schools
The 88th Legislature required all public schools to ensure the presence of armed security officers on all campuses. This presentation will explore the complexities of the legislation, as well as the formation of school police departments, School Marshalls, Guardians, and School Resource Officers.
Facilities Strand
(This strand provides facility and operational awareness related to school safety)
Dr. Tom Maglisceau, Superintendent, Celina ISD
Session: Student Safety by Design: Purposeful Planning for Mental and Physical Safety
Students cannot learn unless they feel safe. As Celina ISD experiences exponential growth, building multiple schools each year, we are purposefully designing schools that create a stronger sense of community while ensuring our campuses are physically secure. This session will help participants learn some of the lessons we have learned in designing new campuses where our students can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.
Dr. Justin Terry, Superintendent, Forney ISD
Kerri Brady, Vice President of Educational Practice, Huckabee
Session: Navigating Safety + Security in Forney ISD at Keith Bell Opportunity Central
Forney ISD wanted to create a first of its kind learning facility that not only addressed their growing capacity needs at the high school level and a desire to expand CTE programming, but also provide immersive entrepreneurial experiences as well as learning opportunities for the entire Forney Family. The Keith Bell Opportunity Central provides learning for ages 3 to 103, higher education pathways for graduates and their families alike, spaces designed for ‘edutainment’, and a community resource for the entire district. The first floor is open to the public full time while the second and third floors are for high school students during the school day, and higher education and community access after-hours. Join us to learn about how the team integrated safety and security into the design of a facility with public use as a desired outcome.
Dr. Leigh Wall, Retired Superintendent, Santa Fe ISD
Session: Experiences and Learnings from a Texas School Tragedy
This presentation will review the Santa Fe High School shooting that occurred in 2018, with a focus on facility standards and best practices in ensuring a safe environment for students and staff. Integration of the multi-hazard crisis plan with critical layers of school safety will be examined through the lens of facilities, technology, and Texas HB 3 requirements as we come together to learn from experiences and practices and work to ensure a safer tomorrow for our schools, students, staff, and communities.
Mental Health/Prevention Strand
(This strand provides mental health awareness related to school safety)
Amy Grosso, Ed.D., Director, Expert in Residence, Former Round Rock ISD
Session: Early Intervention by Connecting the Dots
All educators have felt concerned for students from something big requiring immediate action, but often, it’s a small concern, we rationalize away as a student having a bad day. However, these smaller, low-level concerns provide the biggest opportunities to make a difference. In this session, we explore how we can apply proven strategies to collect and connect the dots for better outcomes.
Janice Miller, Arlana J. Miller Check On Your Strong Friends Foundation President, Mansfield ISD
Suzanne Potts, Chief Wellbeing Officer, Athletes for Hope
Joy Burke Le Couteur, Athletes for Hope
Session: Rethinking Strong
As the Founder and President of Arlana Janell Miller Check On Your Strong Friends Foundation, Janice will share her story of healing after losing her daughter, Arlana, to suicide when in college. She will share lessons learned and how to notice signs of stress, depression, and anxiety with your coworkers and students. Janice will also share how to transfer your pain to advocacy. Additionally, guests from Athletes for Hope will share stories of the impact on athlete mental health, share examples of resources for addressing athlete mental health, and lead a larger discussion about what schools and professionals can do to better support student mental health.
Jennifer Farley, Mental & Behavioral Health Program Coordinator, Region 10, Special Populations
Session: MTSS for School Mental Health: A Comprehensive Approach
Explore the integration of mental health support within the Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) framework in this informative session. Discover practical strategies for assessing, identifying, and implementing evidence-based practices at different tiers. Learn to foster collaborative partnerships and use data-driven decision-making for effective mental health interventions. Leave with actionable insights to create a positive and inclusive learning environment for all students. Join us to build a foundation for comprehensive student success.
Communications Strand
(This strand provides crisis response awareness related to school safety)
David Hicks, Chief Communications Officer and Brent Benningfield, Assistant Superintendent of Operations, Allen ISD
Session: Chaos Outside the Classroom: Lessons Learned from a Community Crisis
In the Spring of 2023, a gunman opened fire and killed eight people at the Allen Premium Outlets. The shooting occurred on a Saturday nowhere near a school campus, and none of the victims had a connection to Allen ISD. Despite the fact that this was a non-school event, learn how quickly a school district can become interwoven with a community crisis and how the Safe and Secure School Department and Communications Department worked together to handle the situation.
Jeremy Strickland, Superintendent, Trenton ISD
Session: Flood, Fire, and Fox 4: What is Protocol When There is No Manual
When one unfortunate event after another struck the same school district within three years, there was no precedent to follow, no step-by-step guide. Through firsthand account, explore how one superintendent responded to a myriad of crises while learning through trial and error. Discover ways to move forward and effectively unite a student body, a district, and a community.
Rachael Freeman, Executive Director of Safety & Security , Carrollton-Farmers Branch
Jo Gillen , Chief of SEL and Postsecondary, Carrollton-Farmers Branch
Lyn Torres, Director of Mental Health & Behavioral Services, Carrollton-Farmers Branch
Session: One Pill Can Kill - Navigating Through a Fentanyl Crisis
In the spring of 2023, the Carrollton-Farmers Branch Independent School District (CFBISD) faced a heartbreaking reality: the loss of three young lives to fentanyl overdoses. This devastating event sent shockwaves through the community, sparking a collective resolve to fight back. Fueled by grief and determination, CFBISD launched the "One Pill Can Kill" campaign – an aggressive initiative aimed at empowering the entire community to combat the national opioid crisis.
Programs Strand
(This strand provides program awareness related to school safety)
Brody Burks, Assistant Attorney General with the Office of the Attorney General of Texas
Session: It Happens in Your Hometown: Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking in Texas
Human trafficking is a pervasive and complex issue that often intersects with schools and affecting vulnerable populations. Delve into the intricacies of human trafficking, its connection to schools and the vital role school personnel play in addressing this issue. Attendees will gain valuable knowledge, tools, and awareness necessary to identify and respond to human trafficking within their community.
Dr. Kathy Martinez-Prather, Executive Director, The Texas School Safety Center
Session: School Safety Updates
The Texas School Safety Center (TxSSC) is an official, university-level research center at Texas State University. Tasked by the Texas Education Code and the Governor's Homeland Security Strategic Plan with key school safety initiatives and mandates. TxSSC serves as a clearinghouse for the dissemination of safety and security information through research, training, and technical assistance for K-12 schools and junior colleges throughout the state of Texas. This session will review safety mandates and updates for all public school and charter districts and discuss current and upcoming compliance safety measures.
James "Jay" Finley, Deputy Chief Office of School Safety and Security, Texas Education Agency
Session: TEA Office of School Safety Four-Year Districtwide Vulnerability Assessment Updates
The District Vulnerability Assessment required by HB3 in the 88th legislative session is an assessment and improvement tool for both the Texas Education Agency, Office of School Safety and Security and for Superintendents designed to evaluate a district’s current safety posture aligned with statutory requirements. The assessment will evaluate how a district puts their safety plans and objectives into action through training of staff and students, internal evaluation of facilities, as well as the integration of technology with the goal of providing districts with technical expertise to assist every school district to achieve compliance with established safety standards. This evaluation tool will provide district leadership with information, guidance and technical assistance to prioritize safety requirements and leverage district resources to maximize education outcomes for students and staff.
Lieutenant Paul Smith, Retired North Texas Threat Management Coordinator, Texas Department of Public Safety
Session: School Threat Trends and Mitigation
During this session, we will delve real-world examples of threats made toward schools in the North Texas area. Explore the intricacies of each situation, from the nature of the threats to the comprehensive strategies implemented for mitigation. Gain an understanding of the challenges faced and the proactive measures taken to ensure the safety of students, staff, and the school community as a whole.
Craig Miller, Former Police Chief, Dallas ISD, Dr. Leigh Wall, Former Superintendent, Santa Fe ISD, Dr. Shelley Garrett, Assistant Superintendent of Safety & Operations, Garland ISD, and James "Jay" Finley, Deputy Chief Office of School Safety and Security, Texas Education Agency
Session: Interactive School Safety Panel Discussion on the state of School Security
This panel discussion will explore perspectives and experiences from panelists to focus on current topics of Texas HB3, Guardians, Marshals and school security options, staffing, funding and the critical components of coordination between school administrators and law enforcement in school environments.
Janina Flores, Risk Solutions Division Director, Texas Association of School Boards
Joanie Arrott, Assistant Director of Risk Solutions, Texas Association of School Boards
Session: School Based Law Enforcement from a Risk Manager's Lens
School districts are increasingly taking action to provide school-based law enforcement (SBLE) services to enhance their safety & security programs and meet legislative requirements outlined in HB 3. Have you considered the impact to your worker’s compensation and liability programs? The rules apply differently for law enforcement officers, meaning school district exposure is also different.
Karen Barnes
Email: karen.barnes@region10.org
Website: www.region10.org
Location: 400 East Spring Valley Road, Richardson, TX, USA
Phone: 972-348-1024
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Region10ESC/