Safe and Sound on the Road This Summer: Advancing School Safety Through Shared Learning

Safe and Sound on the Road

Throughout the summer, the Safe and Sound Schools team and our Speakers Bureau members have traveled across the country, joining educators, school administrators, first responders, mental health professionals, policymakers, and safety practitioners across more than 20 states, leading the conversations that matter most. Presenting and training at over 40 events – including national conferences, statewide summits, professional development events, virtual webinars, and more – each event has reinforced a truth we see every day:

Creating safer, more supportive schools happens when we come together to learn from one another.

While we prepare for the fall and our upcoming Road to Prevent, let’s take a look back at some of the highlights from a big summer.

Learning Together at the Summer Summit on School Safety

In July, we welcomed school safety professionals from across the country to the 2026 Summer Summit on School Safety in partnership with the Partner Alliance for Safer Schools (PASS).

Over two days, attendees explored comprehensive and interconnected layers of school safety through conversations on prevention, physical security, mental health, school climate, student support, and more. This summit created space for honest dialogue, shared experiences, and meaningful collaboration among professionals working toward the same goal.

As one attendee shared:

"I greatly appreciate the diversity of topics and speakers, which covered components from physical security, mental health, school climate and culture, emergency management, and technology. School safety is not a single issue, and a single approach to a safe school simply does not exist."

Another reflected on the lasting personal impact of the experience:

"Both days were incredibly impactful. Some presenters are so skilled at painting the picture of their experiences that it resonates differently. This seldom happens to me, but it happened multiple times over the two days of the conference."

These reflections are a powerful reminder that the work of school safety is both deeply practical and deeply human. When we create opportunities to learn together, we strengthen not only our knowledge and preparedness, but also our shared commitment to protecting every school community.

Strengthening Partnerships Through the Utah School Safety Center Conference 

This summer also marked another year of the annual Utah School Safety Center Conference presented by the Utah State Board of Education School Safety Center with host partners Utah Department of Public Safety (DPS), Utah Department of Health and Human Services, SafeUT, and Safe and Sound Schools.

For the third year in a row, we brought together hundreds of Utah educators, school administrators, public safety professionals, and state leaders, for a conference focused on advancing comprehensive school safety through collaboration, shared expertise, and practical strategies. These statewide partnerships are essential to creating sustainable improvements that reflect the unique needs of local communities while advancing a shared vision for safer schools.

Gatherings like the Utah School Safety Center Conference demonstrate what's possible when organizations and agencies work together — not only to share knowledge, but to strengthen relationships that continue long after the event concludes.

Bringing Lived Experience to Communities Nationwide

While Safe and Sound Schools hosted conferences and summits across the country, our Speakers Bureau members were also on the road, bringing powerful stories, practical expertise, and hope to audiences across the country. These keynotes and training sessions included:  

• In Louisiana and Mississippi, Missy Dodds presented "Choosing to Survive: Lessons from Red Lake" for the Louisiana Center for Safe Schools and the Mississippi Association of School Resource Officers. Drawing from her lived experience, Missy challenged audiences to think differently about preparedness, resilience, and the critical role every individual plays during a crisis. 

  
  

• Molly Bradley Hudgens shared "Saving Sycamore – The School Shooting That Never Happened" with Hillsborough County Public Schools, demonstrating how relationships, early intervention, and recognizing warning signs can change the course of a student's life and protect an entire community.

  
  

• At the Kentucky Center for School Safety, Michele Gay presented "School Safety: A Parent's Perspective," reminding audiences that the voices of students and families belong at the center of every school safety conversation and every decision we make.

  
  

• Frank DeAngelis brought his enduring message of resilience and leadership to the Illinois School Resource Officers Association through "Leadership Lessons From Columbine and Beyond," inspiring leaders to build strong school cultures rooted in compassion, preparedness, and connection.

  
  

• At the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO) National Conference, Madalena DeAndrea brought her unique perspectives and lived experience to a national audience. Madalena’s message of resilience, recovery, and post-traumatic growth offered a powerful perspective on the lasting impact of crisis, the importance of preparation and response, and the partnerships that matter when seconds count. 

  
  

Whether speaking to educators, school resource officers, administrators, or community leaders, our Speakers Bureau members continue to remind audiences that school safety is ultimately about people. Their lived experiences, professional expertise, and unwavering commitment help communities move beyond awareness toward meaningful action.

Looking Down the Road 

This Fall, we're bringing together an exciting lineup of learning and training opportunities focused on behavioral threat assessment, prevention, digital safety, and more. Each event is designed to strengthen your knowledge and help you build toward the 2nd Annual International Prevent Conference in January 2027, where you'll learn from some of the most trusted voices in threat assessment.

With opportunities taking place across the country, you can map your own professional learning journey and join us on the road to Prevent.

Map Your Journey Today