My Birthday Reflection: Teamwork is the Ultimate Gift
- Michele Gay
- 6 minutes ago
- 4 min read
For the past few years on my birthday, I’ve taken a moment to pause and reflect on the work we’ve done together through Safe and Sound Schools and to share a wish for the year ahead.
It’s a small tradition, but one that has become deeply meaningful to me. In 2023, my wish was to learn something new – to keep growing, asking questions, and listening to the voices of our students, educators, safety professionals, and families.
Last year, my wish was to build upon what we’ve learned, to turn lessons into action, and continue refining the ways we support schools across the country.
As we enter Safe and Sound Schools’ annual Season of Thanks and Giving, I am reminded of how much our progress depends on community, partnership, and shared purpose. That is why this year, my wish is about perseverance, about not giving up on the belief that school safety is the ultimate team sport.
Learning, Growing, and Showing Up for the Team
When we first started Safe and Sound Schools, I had no idea just how much teamwork this mission would require. Over the years, I’ve watched an incredible community take shape – one built on collaboration, trust, and a shared commitment to keeping students and educators safe.
The progress we’ve made together continues to inspire me.
This past year, I’ve been especially proud to see several of our key programs grow, evolve, and expand their impact:
Especially Safe
Created in honor of my daughter, Joesphine Grace, Especially Safe continues to empower school safety teams to create inclusive safety plans, ensuring that every student is prepared and protected in an emergency. This year, we made major strides by releasing a new fillable template for developing Individual Safety Plans. This small but powerful step will simplify the process of inclusive safety in schools across the country.
"The Especially Safe training was a huge success, and my staff really embraced it. By having Ben Fernandez here to explain the [depth of everything covered in inclusive safety planning], it took us to a different level. As a result, the majority of my schools and the school board office made significant changes in that portion of their crisis management plan based on what he taught us.” -Beth Williamson, Safety and Security Analyst, Fredrick County Public Schools
Staying Safe
What began as a program piloted in Texas, which through collaboration with the Texas School Safety Center and ALERRT has been used to train over 2,000 people across 20 ESCs, is now available to schools nationwide. The Staying Safe curriculum was developed to help educators teach readiness and response in developmentally appropriate ways, equipping students and staff to think, communicate, and act safely in an emergency. Seeing this program go from development to implementation, and now significant expansion, has been one of my proudest journeys.
“Staying Safe helped take our safety preparedness levels from 0 to 10. We implemented what we learned in training right away, and it made a huge difference. Our students and staff now have the skills they need to be ready in case of an emergency." -Chiqui Fey, Director of Operations, Faith Academy of Belleville
Averted School Violence (ASV) Project
With the continued support of our partners at Motorola Solutions and NASRO, we’ve enhanced and expanded the ASV database, giving school leaders and law enforcement professionals access to real-world cases of both completed and averted acts of violence.
These averted cases are powerful reminders that prevention is possible. They show us that when teams communicate, prepare, and respond together, lives are saved. We’re now calling for the submission of new cases from practitioners nationwide because we believe that this resource has the power to save lives. So, join us in the expansion of this project and the celebration of our success stories! If we can learn as much from averted incidents as we do from tragedies, imagine the impact we can have.
To learn more about the ASV Project, the power of the database, and hear real life cases examples, join us on December 10th as we partner with NASRO for a free webinar.
A Year of Impact and Gratitude
As I reflect on all that we have accomplished together this year and look forward to all that lies ahead, I am grateful for a community that understands the power of standing together with our time, our expertise, and our resources.
Through your generosity and the support of our partners at Verkada, who are for the second year matching all donations up to $15,000, Safe and Sound Schools continues to strengthen and expand our mission. Every dollar, every conversation, and every act of collaboration helps us equip schools with the training, tools, and resources they need to keep students safe and sound.
My Birthday Wish
As I celebrate another year, my wish is simple:
That we keep showing up for this work.
That we keep learning, listening, and working as a team.
That we never lose sight of the fact that school safety isn’t a solo pursuit. It’s a shared mission, and it’s worth every ounce of our effort.
And that we never give up.
If you’ve ever joined one of our trainings, attended one of our summits, utilized one of our programs or resources, or supported our mission through a donation, thank you. You are a part of this team.
As we move through this season of gratitude and giving, I invite you to stay in the game with us. With your help, we can continue to grow, innovate, and make schools across the country safe and sound – together.
With gratitude,
Michele