2018 Year-End Review

<img decoding="async" class="alignright wp-image-82796 lazyload" src="https://safeandsoundschools.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Michele-Gay-ASBO-Presidents-Award-100x300.png" alt="" width="302" height="906" srcset="https://safeandsoundschools.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Michele-Gay-ASBO-Presidents-Award-100x300.png 100w, https://safeandsoundschools.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Michele-Gay-ASBO-Presidents-Award-343x1030.png 343w, https://safeandsoundschools.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Michele-Gay-ASBO-Presidents-Award-235x705.png 235w, https://safeandsoundschools.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Michele-Gay-ASBO-Presidents-Award-333x999.png 333w, https://safeandsoundschools.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Michele-Gay-ASBO-Presidents-Award.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 302px) 100vw, 302px" />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

1. Final Report on the Federal Commision on School Safety

2. 6 Sandy Hook Survivors On Healing, Faith And Forgiveness, 6 Years Later

3. Sandy Hook Anniversary: Her Daughter was Killed During Shooting, Now She’s Empowering Schools to Stop the Next One

4. Schools Aren’t Preparing Students With Disabilities for Active Shooter Scenarios

5. Mom of Sandy Hook victim on mission to make schools Safe and Sound

6. Mother of Sandy Hook victim speaks in Sylvania

Fourth Quarter Community Visits

October

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

November

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

#2018 #communityvisits #QuarterlyTravels #quarterlyupdate