From Vancouver to the Midwest: Strengthening School Safety Together

From Vancouver to Midwest: Strengthening School Safety Together

This past February, Safe and Sound Schools had the privilege of partnering with Safer Schools Together on the Gangs, Guns, and School Violence Prevention Summit (#GGSVP25) in Vancouver, BC. It was a deeply impactful event—an invaluable opportunity to lead the international conversation on school violence prevention and strengthen the connections that help keep our students, schools, and communities safe and sound. 

We were especially honored to have the Ministry of Education present, supporting the hard work of all the practitioners in attendance—not to mention the special appearance from Vancouver’s own Royal Mounted Police Unit! Truly special to share in this work across our borders!   

The two-day experience exceeded our expectations, thanks to the incredible panels, deep-dive breakout sessions, and thought-provoking discussions with our Canadian counterparts. We are deeply grateful to everyone who attended and to our speakers who provided such valuable insights on topics including:   

• Grooming 101 – A Predator’s Playbook – Michele Denault  

• Behavioral and Digital Threat Assessment®: Identifying Threats of Violence Through Digital Leakage – Melissa Reeves and Steven MacDonald 

• Especially Safe®: An Inclusive Approach to Safety Preparedness in Educational Settings – Dr. Joe McKenna 

• Pathways for Prevention: Changing the Trajectory – Ben Fernandez 

• A Bio-Psycho-Social-Cultural Analysis of School Shooters – Dr. Peter Langman and Molly Hudgens 

• The Emerging Threat Assessment Landscape – Jim Murray (Snap Inc.), Theresa Campbell, Dr. Peter Langman, Steven MacDonald and Dr Melissa Reeves 

  
  

There was so much to take in over the course of GGSVP25, and while we couldn’t capture everything, we did our best to highlight key moments in our recap video. Watch it below! 

Looking Ahead: The Midwest School Safety Summit

Building on the impact of GGSVP, we’re thrilled to continue this momentum with the Midwest School Safety Summit, taking place May 13-14 in Plymouth, MN. This regional summit is an exciting opportunity to bring together school safety stakeholders and practitioners to share resources, expertise, and strategies for preventing school violence. 

One of the most special aspects of this event is the community collaboration that has made it possible—and that deserves a special shout-out! 

Meg Soultz and Dr. Savahanna Wagner, co-founders of Rescue in Color and longtime Safe and Sound Schools community members, had attended many of our previous summits but didn’t realize there was an opportunity to team up with local police departments to bring these events to life. After seeing this collaboration firsthand at our Northeast School Safety Summit with the Burlington Police Department, Meg and Savahanna were inspired to bring a summit to their own town. Meg, who serves on the Plymouth police force, immediately reached out to her Chief to pitch the idea, and planning began soon after. 

Beyond this local collaboration with the Meg, Savahanna and the Plymouth Police Department, the Minnesota School Safety Center will be joining us as well! Additionally, this event will honor another of our own, Missy Dodds, survivor of the Red Lake High School shooting, by bringing this year’s Midwest Summit to her home state. 

Honoring 20 Years Since the Red Lake Tragedy

This Friday, March 21, 2025, marks the 20th Day of Remembrance of the Red Lake tragedy. At the Midwest School Safety Summit, Missy will share her personal journey, offering a powerful and deeply personal perspective on life after the Red Lake tragedy. 

Her moving presentation will provide an open and candid account of both her struggles and successes, as well as the valuable lessons she’s learned along the way. Missy’s story is one of hope, courage, and resilience, demonstrating that through perseverance, determination, and self-reflection, it is possible to transform from a victim to a survivor—and ultimately become a powerful advocate for others. 

We invite you to join us for this inspiring message and to take part in the many engaging sessions planned for the event. Additional topics include:  

• Rethinking School Safety with Safe and Sound’s Comprehensive School Safety Planning and Development Framework 

• Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management (BTAM) for K-12 Schools 

• Mental Health’s Essential Role in Creating Safe and Supportive Schools  

• Inclusive School Safety: Addressing the Needs of Disabled, Vulnerable, and Underserved Students  

• Preventing and Responding to Violent Student Behaviors with Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) 

• Options-Based Safety for Staff and Students  

• Trends and Technology Shaping the School Safety Landscape 

  
  

Thank you for being part of our community and supporting the mission of safe and sound schools. We hope to see in you in Minnesota this May!