Safe and Sound Schools Launches National “Road to Prevent” School Safety Training Series
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Updated: 11 hours ago
Leading experts in behavioral threat assessment, violence prevention and school safety
to convene in Texas, New York and Phoenix.
SEPTEMBER 1, 2026 — Safe and Sound Schools, a leading national nonprofit dedicated to school crisis prevention, response and recovery, is bringing together leading experts and school safety professionals from across the country through its Road to Prevent series of training events.
Beginning this October, the series will provide school leaders, security professionals, educators, mental health professionals and law enforcement with practical training and strategies focused on behavioral threat assessment and management (BTAM), violence prevention, emerging technology, crisis preparedness and other pressing issues affecting school communities.
Summits and conference in the series will take place in the following cities:
Lone Star School Safety Summit on Threat Assessment | Dallas/Ft. Worth | October 21–22, 2026
BTAM Symposium at Lincoln Center | New York City | October 28–29, 2026
National School Safety and Security Summit | Phoenix | December 3–5, 2026
2nd Annual International PREVENT Conference | Dallas/Ft. Worth | January 6–8, 2027
“School safety is not a one-time conversation or a single solution. It takes ongoing learning, strong partnerships and a shared commitment to prevention. The Road to Prevent gives school communities an opportunity to learn from leading experts, strengthen their practices and connect with others who are working toward the same goal: creating safer schools for every student, every day” said Michele Gay, founder and executive director of Safe and Sound Schools.
The Road to Prevent brings together some of the nation’s leading voices in behavioral threat assessment, violence prevention and school safety, including:
Michele Gay, founder and executive director of Safe and Sound Schools and a nationally recognized school safety advocate who began this work after losing her daughter, Josephine Grace, in the 2012 Sandy Hook School tragedy.
Dewey Cornell, Ph.D., a nationally recognized expert in school safety, youth violence prevention and behavioral threat assessment who contributed to the FBI’s landmark study of school shootings and developed the Comprehensive School Threat Assessment Guidelines (CSTAG).
Dr. Marisa Randazzo, former Chief Research Psychologist for the U.S. Secret Service and co-director of the landmark Safe School Initiative conducted by the U.S. Secret Service and U.S. Department of Education.
John Van Dreal, developer of the Salem-Keizer Cascade Model, a multiagency student violence prevention and behavioral threat assessment system, with more than 30 years of experience in behavioral threat assessment and management.
Lt. Dave Okada, National President of the Association of Threat Assessment Professionals (ATAP) and co-author of Assessing Student Threats: Implementing the Salem-Keizer System.
Dr. Melissa Reeves, a nationally certified school psychologist, licensed special education teacher, licensed professional counselor, and former district coordinator of social/emotional/behavioral services. She recently served as President of the National Association of School Psychologists and is co-author of the NASP PREPaRE School Crisis Prevention and Intervention curriculum.
For detailed Road to Prevent information, registration for each event and media assets to include on your website, visit the Safe and Sound Schools Road to Prevent page. For interview requests, email media@safeandsoundschools.org.
About Safe and Sound Schools
Safe and Sound Schools is a national nonprofit dedicated to school crisis prevention, response and recovery and the protection of every student, every day. Founded by parents and educators following the tragedy at Sandy Hook School, the organization works with school communities across the country to provide research-based tools, training and resources that help create safer schools.
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