New Lockdown Drills and School Safety Guidance with Dr. Steven Brock, Dr. Melissa Reeves & Mo Canady
- 4 hours ago
- 2 min read
How can schools prepare for emergencies in ways that strengthen both physical safety and psychological well-being?
In this special episode of The Sound Off on School Safety, Michele Gay is joined by Dr. Steven Brock, Dr. Melissa Reeves, and Mo Canady to explore the newly updated Best Practice Guidance for School Safety and Lockdown Drills: Preparing for Active Threats and what it means for schools working to create safer, more supportive learning environments.
More than a decade after the original guidance was released, this updated edition reflects new research, lessons learned from schools across the country, and the collective expertise of educators, school psychologists, school resource officers, and safety professionals. Together, Dr. Brock, Dr. Reeves, and Mo Canady examine how school safety practices have evolved and why effective preparedness must consider the needs of the whole school community.
Throughout the episode, Michele and the panel discuss what the latest evidence reveals about lockdown drills, the importance of balancing readiness with reassurance, and why physical safety and psychological safety cannot be separated. They explore how schools can move away from fear-based approaches, including highly sensorial active threat simulations, and instead focus on practices that build confidence, resilience, and a shared understanding of how to respond during an emergency.
The conversation offers school leaders, educators, school resource officers, mental health professionals, and families practical guidance for strengthening emergency preparedness while supporting student and staff well-being. Above all, the episode reinforces that preparing for emergencies is not just about having a response plan — it is about creating environments where students and staff feel safe, supported, and empowered to act when it matters most.
Listen to the full episode below: