Safe and Sound Schools

From powerful keynotes to critical conversations, the 2025 Gangs, Guns, and School Violence Prevention Summit brought together experts dedicated to keeping schools and communities safe and sound. We were honored to collaborate with Safer Schools Together on this important event in February—thank you for leading the way in school safety, digital threat assessment, and violence prevention. Watch the highlights!?#ThrowbackThursday

?? ICYMI! Our co-founder and executive director, Michele Gay, recently joined Raptor Technologies’ School Safety Today podcast with Amy Grosso, PhD to discuss how learning from averted school violence incidents can shape stronger prevention strategies. In this conversation, Michele highlights the Averted School Violence (ASV) Project, a database that collects and analyzes real-world "saves" to help schools identify potential threats. If you missed the audio version, now’s your chance to watch the full discussion and gain key insights on school violence prevention efforts. Watch here:?https://lnkd.in/erbRNYSs

Our co-founder and executive director, Michele Gay, recently joined Raptor Technologies’?School Safety Today?podcast, hosted by Amy Grosso, PhD, to discuss the power of learning from averted school violence incidents. Tune into this insightful conversation on prevention and preparedness: https://lnkd.in/ek_B96qX #SchoolSafety #ViolencePrevention #ASVProject

#FlashbackFriday to #GGSVP25! Thank you to all of our presenters and attendees who joined Safer Schools Together (SST) & Safe and Sound Schools in our discussions on school safety and the emerging threat and gang landscape. We hope to see you at next year's summit!

#GGSVP25 Session Recap: See key takeaways from Savahanna Wagner DO, MS, MPH and Meg Soultz’s session, Beyond the Bandaids: Implementing a Bleeding Control Program in the K-12 Space, where they shared practical strategies for improving traumatic injury response in K-12 environments. Learn more about their efforts to empower individuals with life-saving skills:?https://rescueincolor.com/

#GGSVP25 Session Recap: Get key takeaways from the Emerging Threat Assessment Landscape panel, where experts explored advancements in the field, the power of multidisciplinary teams, and the rapid emeregnce of AI. Additionally, the session highlighted the importance of adult awareness and engagement in digital spaces, emphasizing how school staff can help foster safe, sound, and healthy digital environments. We invite you to download this resource to learn more:?https://lnkd.in/e8WMCvth

#GGSVP25 Session Recap: Dr. Joseph McKenna’s session on Especially Safe?: An Inclusive Approach to Safety Preparedness in Educational Settings offered practical tools to help schools plan for the diverse needs of students, staff, and visitors. Check out the highlights and learn more about our Especially Safe? program here: https://lnkd.in/e4yvg5xN

Last week, I had the incredible opportunity to share my story on an international stage at the Gangs, Guns, and School Violence Prevention Summit in #Vancouver! I’ll admit—I was a bit nervous at first. I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to make the same culture and climate connections with this audience as I have with audiences in the U.S.? I am thrilled to report that the community of individuals Safer Schools Together and Safe and Sound Schools brought together was simply amazing! Thank you Theresa Campbell and Michele Gay for giving me the honor of sharing how culture, climate, and community play a critical role in comprehensive school safety—and in the recovery process after a school shooting. Y’all know I talk a lot about “gifts,” and the greatest gift I received at #GGSVP25 was the realization that the heart of a teacher knows no boundaries. No matter where we live or teach, all educators love and care deeply for our school babies, and that is such a beautiful thing. To those who came up after my presentation to share your support—thank you. Your words were an incredible gift, and YOU are gifts to the kids you inspire every single day. ??

Weren't able to attend #GGSVP25? Here are a few key takeaways from Benjamin Fernandez's session, Pathways for Prevention: Changing the Trajectory. This session explored practical strategies for school violence prevention, intervention, and postvention. Check out the recap and learn more about the Pathways for Prevention program here:?https://lnkd.in/ez7yZy4v For those in our community attending the 2025 National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) Annual Convention in Seattle this week, you can also catch Ben there!

We were honored to be re-united with our Safe and Sound Schools family in Vancouver, British Columbia for the 17th Annual Gangs, Guns, and School Violence Prevention Summit - a partnership with Canadian-based Safer Schools Together. It was such a privilege to share the stage with my dear friend and school violence expert, Dr. Peter Langman to present "The Bio-Psycho-Social-Cultural Analysis of School Shooters before later sharing our 9/28/16 averted school shooting story. Jason and I enjoyed the beautiful views of the snow-covered landscape and spending Valentine's Day with the ten best Valentines (all part of our Safe and Sound family) as we toured the lights and bravely crossed the suspension bridges of Capilano Suspension Bridge Park which was beautifully decorated for the holiday. A treacherous return home through snowstorms in Denver and Kansas City still could not mar the joy of our experience or the gratitude we felt at being given the opportunity to be a part of #GGSVP25. We are grateful for God's protection of 5,059 miles of travel, and His continued blessing as we seek to follow His will. #savingsycamore #gobesomekidshero #safeandsoundschools #Psalm91 #mohstrong #SchoolSafety #ViolencePrevention