Tag Archive for: Quarterly Travels

2018 Year-End Review

Now that the new year has come and gone and students have settled back into their school routine, we’re rewinding the tape–just a bit–to bring you our 2018 year-end review. To those following Safe and Sound Schools, you may have noticed Safe and Sound’s more mainstream presence over the last year. While we’ve been quietly and successfully working around the clock since the loss of our children, 2018 brought our work into the forefront in many ways, offering us the opportunity to work in partnership with national groups like Alice’s Tea Cup, Shake Shack, Kellogg’s, and Door Security & Safety Foundation. It was also the year we launched our inaugural State of School Safety Report. With more than 2,170 media placements in 2018, Safe and Sound Schools is committed to elevating the national school safety conversation and effecting change globally.

During our last quarter, the Safe and Sound team sustained momentum from quarters one, two, and three, and collectively traveled to 16 states and 34 cities, with a mix of local and national engagements. Here’s quick look back at our fourth quarter.

October was the busiest month. Our team of speakers traveled to communities all across the country, while our in-house team focused on spreading our mission virtually, using social media to shed light on topics like Fire Prevention Week, Bullying Prevention Month, and Safe Schools Week.

In November, the Safe and Sound team presented for groups like the New York State PTA and the Maryland Association of School Business Officials. During the Maryland visit, co-founder Michele Gay was awarded the President’s Award for her work in school safety, both nationally and as part of our Safe and Sound Maryland initiative, sponsored by the Building for God Foundation of Maryland.  During this month, we also announced the National Summit on School Safety, an intensive and interactive two-day conference focused on the six key areas of comprehensive school safety. Note – this conference is scheduled for March 29-30, 2019 and there is still plenty of time to register!

December marked the 6th anniversary of the Sandy Hook School tragedy. Our team scaled back community visits as the Gay and Parker family focused on remembrances for Josephine Gay and Emilie Parker. To commemorate Joey and Emilie’s lives, Alissa Parker shared a sweet memory highlighting Joey and Emilie’s friendship.

Safe and Sound Schools concluded December with the exciting unveiling of an updated logo and a new website! We also filmed a new educational video about door safety, thanks to the generous support of the Door Security & Safety Foundation, and provided the media with a sneak peek at our new partnership with Bark.

As our team expands, so does our reach. And with every day, our work becomes increasingly important. Thank you to all the donors and supporters who made 2018 such a success.

For a detailed look at our fourth quarter travels and select media engagements, check out the lists below. And to keep up with all things Safe and Sound, make sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Look out for our 2019 first quarter recap in April!

Select Media Engagements and Featured Publications

Fourth Quarter Community Visits

October

  1. Oct. 4, UT – Alissa Parker presents in Lehi for the Utah Association of Secondary Principals, sharing School Safety: A Parent’s Perspective.

  2. Oct. 5, NY – Michele Gay keynotes for the Genesee Valley School Boards Institute in Rochester, New York.

  3. Oct. 8,  ID – Frank DeAngelis attends an educational conference in Boise, Colorado.

  4. Oct. 8, PA – Michele Gay presents at the Reading/Berks County School Nurses Association Conference in Reading.

  5. Oct. 9, PA – Michele Gay shares School Safety: A Parent’s Perspective with the Wilkes-Barre Area School District.

  6. Oct. 16, PA – Lisa Hamp presents at Uptown! Performing Arts in Westchester, Pennsylvania.

  7. Oct. 16, MO – Frank DeAngelis presents on workplace violence in St. Louis, Missouri.

  8. Oct. 19, CO – Frank DeAngelis presents for National Council of State Education Attorneys in Denver, Colorado.

  9. Oct. 19, DC – Michele Gay and Lisa Hamp attend the American Institute of Architects Conference for Safe School Design in Washington, DC.

  10. Oct. 21, MA – Natalie Hammond participates in a panel discussion, Gun Violence Prevention and Keeping Our Children Safe, for Common Street Spiritual Center in Natick, Massachusetts.

  11. Oct. 22, NV – Alissa Parker presents Engaging the Community in School Safety: Tools and Ideas for Safer Schools at Nevada Principal’s Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada.

  12. Oct. 23, NY – Michele Gay presents for GST BOCES in Painted Post, New York, focusing on a Parent’s Perspective, Beyond Tragedy, Reunification, and Engaging the Community.

  13. Oct. 23, MI – Frank DeAngelis presents for the International Association of Emergency Managers in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

  14. Oct. 23, FL – Alissa Parker shares her personal story of faith, hope, and healing for the Children’s Healing Institute in West Palm Beach, Florida.

  15. Oct. 24, MA – Dan Jewiss presents Tragedy at Sandy Hook School:  Law Enforcement’s Perspective for Lee Public Schools in Lee, Massachusetts.

  16. Oct. 24, MA – Micheel Gay presents Tragedy at Sandy Hook School: A Parent’s Perspective for Lee Public Schools in Lee, Massachusetts.

  17. Oct. 24, MA – Natalie Hammond presents Tragedy at Sandy Hook School: A Survivor’s Perspective for Lee Public Schools in Lee, Massachusetts.

  18. Oct. 25, CA – Alissa Parker attends Guidepost Magazine’s Cabinet Gathering in Huntington Beach, California, discussing healing, faith, and her book An Unseen Angel.

  19. Oct. 26, NY – Lisa Hamp presents for the Monroe-Woodbury High School community in Woodbury, New York.

  20. Oct. 28, TX – Frank DeAngelis presents in Humble, Texas.

  21. Oct. 30, PA – Melissa Reeves hold a threat assessment workshop for LLIU13 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

  22. Oct. 31, PA – Melissa Reeves holds a threat assessment workshop for LLIU13 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

November

  1. Nov. 1, PA – Jin Kim presents Active Shooter Survival Strategies for PJM Interconnection in Audubon, Pennsylvania.

  2. Nov. 1 – Frank DeAngelis joins Raptor Technologies’ webinar and presents Leadership Lessons from Columbine and Beyond.

  3. Nov. 1, OH – Alissa Parker travels to Sylvania to present School Safety: A Parent’s Perspective for Sylvania Schools.

  4. Nov. 2, TX – Lisa Hamp presents for day-one of the  ALERRT Conference in Grapevine, Texas.

  5. Nov. 2, MD – Michele Gay presents a Parent’s Perspective for the Maryland Association of School Business Officials in Annapolis, Maryland. During this visit, Michele was awarded the President’s Award for her work to ensure safe and sound schools.

  6. Nov. 3, MD – Michele Gay presents School Safety: A Parent’s Perspective for the Association of School Business Officials in Linthicum Heights, Maryland.

  7. Nov. 4, TX – Lisa Hamp presents for day-two of the ALERRT Conference in Grapevine, Texas.

  8. Nov. 5, CA – Michele Gay presents for the Gavin de Becker Advanced Threat Assessment Academy in Lake Arrowhead, California.

  9. Nov. 7 , TX – Michele Gay presents Beyond Tragedy: Response and Recovery in a School Based Crisis for Region 7 Education Service Center in Kilgore, Texas.

  10. Nov. 9, Utah – Alissa Parker shares her story of hope and healing for Time Out for Women in St. George, Utah.

  11. Nov. 11, NY – Alissa Parker presents School Safety: A Parent’s Perspective for NYS PTA in Saratoga Springs, New York.

  12. Nov. 13, IL – Frank DeAngelis presents for Juvenile Justice Council Coordinator in Effingham, Illinois.

  13. Nov. 13, TX – Scott Poland presents Youth Suicide Prevention and Threat Assessment for the Midlothian Independent School District, in Midlothian, Texas.

  14. Nov. 14, TX – Frank DeAngelis presents at the Collin County Mental Health Symposium in Plano, Texas.

  15. Nov. 28, DC – Michele Gay presents for the ALEC Policy Summit in Washington, DC.

December

  • Dec. 3, MD – Michele Gay attends the NASRO Leadership Summit in Baltimore, Maryland.

  • Dec. 6, MD – Michele Gay visits John Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland.

  • Dec. 11, PA – Michele Gay presented Beyond Tragedy: Response and Recovery in a School Based Crisis for the Center for Safe Schools in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

 

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2018 Third Quarter Round Up

With the warm days of summer behind us (well, most of us!), we’re rounding up this quarter’s travels, talks, and noteworthy news.

In short, we were busy, covering nearly 50 cities, spanning 25 states, driving traffic to the web site, and reaching over 51,500 people from July through September. Check out the highlights!

Travel & Talks:

  • In July, FEMA shared a PrepTalk featuring Co-founder Michele Gay. In her presentation, “Rethinking School Safety,” Michele relayed her personal experience, highlighting lessons learned from the tragedy at Sandy Hook. She also presented Safe and Sound Schools’ Framework for Comprehensive School Safety Planning and Development.
  • Later in July, Co-founder Alissa Parker presented with Safe and Sound speaker and Virginia Tech survivor Lisa Hamp, joining Mandi and Harris Jaffe from Parkland at the “Community Preparedness in an Era of School Shootings” symposium in Indiana.
  • In August, Michele Gay joined national school safety leaders to participate in school safety workgroups, facilitated by the Department of Homeland Security in DC.
  • In September, Alissa Parker attended two Time Out for Women events, where she shared her story of resilience and recovery.
  • Early in September, Michele Gay was invited to keynote for the National Fire Prevention Association’s  Massachusetts School Active Shooter Symposium with Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker. During her presentation, Michele shared school safety concerns and challenges, stressing the need for community-wide collaboration.
  • Also in September, Alissa Parker traveled to Columbus, Ohio to deliver a keynote presentation for The Ohio School Board Association. During the school security and safety summit, Alissa shared the lessons she learned in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook tragedy and emphasized the need to address the “It can’t happen here mentality.”

Fundraising & Grants:

  • St. George Men’s Group hosted a charity golf tournament to benefit Safe and Sound Schools, raising $3,100.
  • H&H Medical hosted a summer fundraiser to benefit Safe and Sound Schools in preparation for back to school, raising $1,550.
  • Report it® awarded Safe and Sound Schools a $25,000 grant to support the development of our free programs and resources.
  • Dandelion Bakery Bistro in Glenelg, MD, hosted Safe and Sound Schools and friends for a night of food, live music, and fundraising, raising over $1,110 to support our mission of safe schools.

Thank you to all the donors whose generous donations make our work and mission possible!

Spreading Our Mission:

  • Safe and Sound Schools partnered with Raptor Technologies to conduct a parent and student survey. The survey found that a majority of students and parents have anxiety over school shootings, with 75% of parents citing that they are willing pay out of their own pockets to do something about it. In fact, when asked about prioritizing funding, both parent and student survey respondents ranked improved school security as the top priority for additional funding over academics, arts and athletics. Learn more about the findings here.
  • Safe and Sound Schools also furthered the school safety discussion with several key in media engagements. Here are are just a few: Popular Mechanics Magazine, Huffington Post, Campus Safety, Sanctuary Magazine, Security Info Watch, and WebMD.

To keep up with all things Safe and Sound, connect with us on social media and subscribe to our blog.

Want the detailed view of our community visits? Look below!

For more information regarding our speakers and presentations/workshops/trainings, contact Brian Regan at brian@kirklandproductions.com.

July

  • Frank DeAngelis – Columbine Safety Conference in Colorado, July 7-9
  • Michele Gay – Reunification presentation and workshop for the School Safety Conference of the Old Bridge Township Public Schools in Matawan, NJ, July 11
  • Alissa Parker – Delivered keynote presentation for the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs, July 11
  • John Baker – Situation Awareness presentation for Allegion in Renton, WA, July 11
  • Frank DeAngelis – Columbine Safety Conference in Colorado, July 12-14
  • Frank DeAngelis – Lead speaker for the School Safety Symposium in Delaware, July 16
  • John McDonald – Presented “The world isn’t a scary place…but it is uncertain” for the New York Association for Pupil transportation in Albany, NY, July 18
  • Michele Gay – Represented Safe and Sound Schools at the Campus Safety Conference in Herndon, VA, July 19
  • Frank DeAngelis – Delivered keynote presentation for NHA in Grand Rapids, MI, July 19
  • Jin Kim – National School Safety Conference in Orlando, FL, July 23-24
  • Frank DeAngelis – Delivered keynote presentation at the 2018 University of Wisconsin Collegiate Conference in Madison, WI, July 24-25
  • Alissa Parker & Lisa Hamp – Delivered keynote presentations on “Lessons Learned: Community Preparedness in an Era of School Shootings” for inHealth, Valparaiso, IN, July 26
  • John McDonald – Delivered custom presentation for Synovia Solutions in Indianapolis, IN, July 26
  • Michele & Dan Jewiss – Presentation for the Annual SRO Conference in West Virginia
  • Jin Kim – National School Safety Conference in Orlando, FL, July 26-29
  • Frank DeAngelis – Presented for Logan County High School, Bowling Green, KY, July

August

  • Lisa Hamp  – Shared “Lessons from a Virginia Tech Survivor” for the Johnston Community College Annual Faculty & Staff Conference in Smithfield, NC, August 1
  • Michele Gay – Participated in the Department of Homeland Security Roundtable in DC, August 1-2
  • Alissa Parker – Shared “A Parent’s Perspective” and “Beyond Tragedy” for the Belton ISD Leadership Retreat in Belton, TX, July 3
  • Michele Gay – Delivered presentation on community engagement for ROE Schoolworks in Danville, IL, August 3
  • Michele Gay & Melissa Reeves – Provided reunification trainings for the Wisconsin Police Leadership Foundation’s Summer Conference in Green Bay, WI,  August 6
  • Michele Gay – Delivered keynote on reunification for the NaviGate Prepare Summer Safety Academy in Canton, OH, August 9
  • Michele Gay – Presented a reunification and community engagement keynote for the Axis Schools Safety Symposium in Lowell, MI, August 14
  • Michele Gay – Delivered a keynote presentation for the Rockhill Schools’ Family Reunification Drill in Rock Hill, SC, August 16
  • Michele Gay, CJ Huff & John McDonald – Presentations for the Southern Berkshire Regional School District in Sheffield, MA, August 27-28

September

  • Michele Gay – Police Foundation Webinar, September 6
  • Michele Gay – Shared “A Parent’s Perspective” for the National Fire Protection Agency’s Active Shooter Summit in Quincy, MA, September 6
  • Frank DeAngelis – Presentation for the Uplift International Gala in Denver, CO, September 8
  • Michele Gay – NASRO Summit in Baltimore, MD, September 10-11
  • Alissa Parker – Delivered presentation at a Time Out for Women event in Sacramento, California, September 9-10
  • Melissa Reeves – Delivered keynote on threat assessment for the Indiana Department of Education in Indianapolis, IN, September 11
  • Alissa Parker – Presented at the School Security and Safety Solutions Summit for the Ohio School Boards Association in Columbus, OH, September 12
  • Lisa Hamp – Indiana Emergency Response, Indianapolis, IN, September 13
  • Alissa Parker – Keynote presentation at the Partnering for Safe Schools: A Safety and Security Summit, hosted the Texas Association of School Boards in Austin, TX, September 13
  • Alissa Parker – Presented at a Time Out for Women event in Des Moines, Iowa, September 14-15
  • Todd Savage – Presented at PREPaRE2 in Midlothian, TX, September 17-18
  • Michele Gay – Johnson Controls Webinar, September 18
  • Michele Gay – Delivered keynote on response and recovery efforts for Mount Vernon, IN & Poseyville, IN
  • Alissa Parker – Participated in a panel discussion and delivered a presentation for the Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) in Napa, CA, September 19
  • Michele Gay – Shared “A Parent’s Perspective” for the National Fire Protection Agency’s Active Shooter Summit in Easton and Worcester, MA, September 20-21
  • Alissa Parker  – Provided a Safe and Sound Youth Council and Straight-A Safety Toolkit training workshop for the Oregon PTA, in Portland, OR, September 22
  • Frank DeAngelis – Shared “Leadership Lessons from Columbine and Beyond” for the The Chancellor Summit on Teacher Education at Texas A&M International University, September 23.
  • Alissa Parker – Presented on response and recovery for the Olympic Educational Service District 114 in Bremerton, WA, September 24.
  • Michele Gay – Attended and presented at the Maryland Association of Nonpublic Special Education Facilities (MANSEF) event, September 24.
  • Michele Gay – Shared “A Parent’s Perspective” for the Monroe County Board of Education in Georgia, September 26.
  • Frank DeAngelis – Delivered a presentation to Weedsport High School community members in NY, September 25-27.
  • Scott Poland – Discussed suicide prevention and intervention for the Capital Area Intermediate Unit in Summerdale, PA, September 28.
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