How do schools prepare for emergencies in ways that protect 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 discuss the newly updated Best Practice Guidance for School Safety and Lockdown Drills: Preparing for Active Threats.

More than a decade after the original guidance was first released, this updated edition reflects years of research, lessons learned from schools across the country, and the collective expertise of educators, school psychologists, school resource officers, and safety professionals. Together, the panel explores how school safety practices have evolved, what the latest evidence tells us about lockdown drills, and why preparedness efforts must support both physical and psychological safety.

Whether you're a school leader, educator, school resource officer, mental health professional, or parent, this conversation offers practical insights into creating safer, more supportive learning environments for every student.

In this conversation:

• What's new in the 2026 Best Practice Guidance for School Safety and Lockdown Drills

• Why physical safety and psychological safety are inseparable

• What the latest research reveals about lockdown drills and student preparedness

• Why highly sensorial active shooter simulations should not be used in schools

• How schools can build readiness without increasing fear and anxiety

• New recommendations for schools and communities impacted by trauma or targeted violence

👉 Listen now to learn how evidence-based school safety practices can help schools prepare for emergencies while supporting the confidence, well-being, and resilience of students and staff.

Guest links:

Dr Melissa Reeveshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-a-louvar-reeves-388b97bb/Dr Stephen Brockhttps://www.safeandsoundschools.org/featured-speakers/dr.-stephen-brockMo Canadyhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/mo-canady-90b0b211/

Safe and Sound Speakers:https://www.safeandsoundschools.org/speakers

Show links & resources:

Connect with Michele: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/michele-gay/⁠

Safe and Sound Schools:⁠⁠https://safeandsoundschools.org⁠⁠

What if the most important shift in school safety is realizing we don’t have to wait for a crisis to prevent it?

In this episode of The Sound Off on School Safety, Michele Gay sits down with Dr. Kate Rahi, Associate Director of Projects and Training at Safe and Sound Schools, for a powerful conversation about prevention, early intervention, and the teams behind effective school safety.

Drawing from her experience in social work, mental health crisis response, school-based threat assessment, and national violence prevention efforts, Kate shares why prevention works best when schools stop thinking in silos and start working together.

This conversation moves beyond fear-based narratives around school violence and instead focuses on something hopeful: schools already have the tools to intervene earlier, support students better, and change trajectories before situations escalate.

From counselors and school social workers to SROs, teachers, parents, and students themselves, she makes the case that prevention is a shared responsibility.

And in one of the episode’s strongest moments, Kate leaves listeners with a simple but urgent reminder: we cannot afford to wait.

In this conversation:

• Why schools don’t have to wait for a weapon or major crisis to intervene

• How multidisciplinary teams make prevention more effective

• The difference between punishment-focused responses and support-focused intervention

• Why early warning signs matter — and how schools can respond sooner

• How schools can build cultures where students feel seen, supported, and helped

• What real prevention looks like in practice across mental health, counseling, threat assessment, and school safety

👉 Listen now to hear why prevention is possible — and why the best school safety work happens long before a crisis unfolds.

Guest links:

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-shaw-phd-lmsw/

Show links & resources:

Connect with Michele: ⁠⁠⁠

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michele-gay/⁠

Safe and Sound Schools:

⁠⁠https://safeandsoundschools.org⁠⁠

What does it mean to turn unimaginable loss into lasting change?

In this deeply personal episode of The Sound Off on School Safety, Michele Gay sits down with Lori Alhadeff — mother, advocate, and founder of Make Our Schools Safe — to talk about the life and legacy of her daughter Alyssa, who was killed in the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

Lori shares who Alyssa was beyond the headlines: a fierce soccer player, a loyal friend, and a joyful young woman whose spirit continues to guide her family’s mission every day. Together, Michele and Lori reflect on the painful realities that families carry after school violence, the responsibility to turn grief into action, and the urgent work still needed to protect students and educators.

From the passage of Alyssa’s Law to the human stories behind policy and prevention, this conversation is a powerful reminder that school safety is ultimately about people, connection, and protecting futures.

In this conversation:

• Lori shares the story of Alyssa’s life, personality, and lasting impact

• The emotional journey from personal tragedy to national advocacy

• Why Alyssa’s Law became a mission to improve emergency response in schools

• The importance of prevention, preparedness, and accountability in school safety

• How families and communities can channel grief into meaningful action

• The lasting human impact behind every school safety policy and conversation

👉 Listen now and hear how Lori Alhadeff continues to honor Alyssa’s legacy by fighting for safer schools and stronger communities.

Guest links:

Make Our Schools Safe:

https://makeourschoolssafe.org/board-of-directors/lori-alhadeff/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/lori.alhadeff.5/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/lorialhadeff8/

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lori-alhadeff-802b02179/

Show links & resources:

Connect with Michele: ⁠⁠⁠

⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/michele-gay/⁠

Safe and Sound Schools:

⁠⁠https://safeandsoundschools.org⁠⁠

What does it really take to turn a school safety plan into something that actually works when it matters most?

In this episode of The Sound Off on School Safety, Michele Gay sits down with Craig Straw, former Director of Security and School Safety, to explore what it means to move beyond planning and into real-world execution.

With a career spanning military service, district leadership, and system-wide emergency management, Craig brings a deeply operational perspective to school safety — one that emphasizes not just having a plan, but ensuring that plan works under pressure. Together, Michele and Craig unpack how safety is built through coordination, training, and continuous improvement — and why the difference between a document and a capability can shape outcomes in critical moments.

They also reflect on the human side of the work: the everyday school experiences worth protecting, and the responsibility that comes with safeguarding them.

In this conversation:

• Why school safety must go beyond planning into execution

• How large districts operationalize prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery

• The role of training, communication, and coordination in real-world readiness

• Why continuous improvement is essential to effective safety systems

• What separates a plan on paper from a capability in practice

• The human impact behind school safety decisions

👉 Listen now to learn how school safety becomes real — not just written — in the moments that matter most.

Show links & resources:

Connect with Michele: ⁠

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michele-gay/

Safe and Sound Schools:

⁠https://safeandsoundschools.org⁠

What happens after we identify a student in crisis—but don’t know what to do next?

In this episode of The Sound Off on School Safety, Michele Gay sits down with Sammie Wicks—nationally recognized practitioner and researcher in behavioral threat assessment and targeted violence prevention—to explore the gap between recognizing concerning behavior and actually preventing violence.

With experience spanning law enforcement, juvenile justice, and community-based intervention, Sammie brings a systems-level perspective to prevention. His work focuses not just on identifying concerning behavior early, but on what must follow: coordinated action, meaningful intervention, and shared responsibility across the systems that serve youth.

This conversation challenges a critical assumption in school safety—that identifying a concern is enough. Instead, Sammie makes the case that prevention depends on what happens next: how teams respond, how systems communicate, and whether there is real alignment between schools, justice, and mental health partners.

In this conversation:

• Why identifying concerning behavior is only the first step—not the solution

• What effective intervention actually looks like after a concern is raised

• How schools, juvenile justice, and community systems must work together

• The role of accountability alongside support in prevention efforts

• Why disconnected systems create risk—and alignment creates safety

• How early intervention can disrupt pathways toward violence

👉 Listen now to learn what it takes to move from awareness to action—and how stronger systems can change outcomes for students and communities.

Guest links:

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sammie-wicks-1ba244bb/

Show links & resources:

Connect with Michele: ⁠

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michele-gay/

Safe and Sound Schools:

⁠https://safeandsoundschools.org⁠

What if the warning signs are already there—but we’re not seeing them clearly enough?

In this episode of The Sound Off on School Safety, Michele Gay sits down with Bruno Dias, PhD, CTM—nationally recognized expert in behavioral threat assessment and management—to explore how schools can move from reacting to crises to preventing them.

Drawing on experience across law enforcement, federal service, and K–12 education, Bruno breaks down how behavioral threat assessment helps schools identify concerning behavior early, understand it in context, and respond in ways that support students before situations escalate.

This conversation challenges a common assumption: that safety starts in the moment of crisis. Instead, it shows how prevention lives in the everyday moments—what we notice, how we interpret it, and what we do next.

In this conversation:

• The 5 ways schools can identify threats before they escalate

• Why behavior is often the earliest and most important signal

• How context changes the meaning of concerning actions

• What a structured threat assessment process actually looks like

• Why early intervention is a form of support—not punishment

• How schools can build systems that prioritize prevention over reaction

👉 Listen now to learn how earlier awareness and better understanding can change the trajectory of safety in your school community.

Guest links: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brunodiaspci/

Show links & resources:

• Connect with Michele: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michele-gay/
  

• Safe and Sound Schools: https://safeandsoundschools.org

Leadership in school safety can feel heavy—especially when it feels like everything depends on you.

Katey McPherson, experienced school leader, former administrator, and advocate for community-centered leadership, joins this episode of The Sound Off on School Safety to explore what it really means to lead in today’s environment—and why no one should have to do it alone.

From navigating complex challenges to building cultures rooted in trust and belonging, Katey brings a deeply human perspective to leadership. Influenced by a lifetime of advocacy and service, she understands both the pressure leaders carry and the power of shared responsibility.

This conversation moves beyond strategy and into something more honest: the reality that leadership can feel isolating—and the reminder that meaningful change only happens when we build it together. Through community-centered leadership, coalition-building, and a commitment to people, Katey shows us what it looks like to shift from carrying the weight alone to leading alongside others.

In this conversation:

• Why school leadership can feel isolating—and how that impacts decision-making

• The role of community-centered leadership in strengthening school safety

• How building coalitions creates momentum for meaningful change

• Why culture and connection are foundational to safety and belonging

• How leaders can stay grounded in purpose while sharing responsibility

👉 Listen now—and remember: the work of keeping schools safe was never meant to be carried alone.

Guest links:

https://kateymcpherson.com/

https://www.facebook.com/kateymcph/

Show links:

Connect with Michele:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michele-gay/

Donate:

https://safe-and-sound-schools.web.app/

Safe and Sound Schools website:

https://safeandsoundschools.org

When we think about school safety, the cafeteria isn’t usually the first place that comes to mind.

But maybe it should be.

In this episode of The Sound Off on School Safety, Michele Gay speaks with Patti Montague, CEO, and Liz Campbell, VP of Government Affairs and Media Relations at the School Nutrition Association, about the critical — and often overlooked — role school nutrition professionals play in prevention and connection.

The adults serving meals each day are also building trusted relationships, noticing subtle changes in behavior, and creating predictable, caring environments where students feel seen and supported. That daily presence matters more than many schools realize.

• How nutrition teams contribute to prevention and early identification
  

• Why everyday interactions are foundational to safety culture
  

• What leaders can do to better include nutrition staff in safety strategy
  

• How to empower teams without adding unrealistic expectations

Guest Links:

Patti Montague: 

SNA: https://schoolnutrition.org/person/patricia-montague-fasae-cae/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patti-montague-fasae-cae-2275ba2/

Liz Campbell: 

SNA: https://schoolnutrition.org/person/elizabeth-campbell/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethgiovannetticampbell/

School safety isn’t confined to policies or procedures. It’s built through people and relationships — every single day.

👉 Listen now and consider what your cafeteria can teach you about building safer schools.

Visit safeandsoundschools.org to explore resources and tools for your community.

What does it really mean to prepare people to think, decide, and act — not just follow rigid rules — when safety is on the line?

In this episode of The Sound Off on School Safety, Michele Gay is joined by Jason Cornwell, a nationally respected trainer in options-based safety and crisis response, and Ben Thompson, Assistant Superintendent in Frederick County Public Schools, Virginia.

Together, they unpack what options-based crisis response really looks like in schools — and why moving beyond compliance-driven training toward judgment, situational awareness, and decision-making is essential for real-world readiness. Jason shares lessons from his work supporting districts across the country, while Ben brings the leadership perspective on implementing and sustaining this approach at scale.

This conversation centers on empowerment over scripts — and on building a culture where adults and students are prepared to respond effectively when real life doesn’t follow the written plan.

In this conversation:

• What options-based crisis response actually means in school settings

• Why rigid, one-size-fits-all rules can fail in real emergencies

• How situational awareness and mindset shape effective response

• What district leaders need to consider when scaling options-based training

• How preparation becomes real capability through culture, not compliance

  
  

👉 Listen now to learn how options-based crisis response helps schools move from policies on paper to readiness in practice.

Visit https://www.safeandsoundschools.org to explore resources, tools, and more ways to take action in your school community.

What does the future of school safety look like when mission comes first — not tools, not checklists, not silos?

In this episode of The Sound Off on School Safety Podcast, host Michele Gay is joined by Antoinette King, a nationally recognized expert in the convergence of physical security, cybersecurity, and risk management — and a member of the Safe and Sound Schools Speakers Bureau.

Antoinette brings a rare, real-world perspective shaped by years of experience working at the intersection of people, technology, and physical environments. She’s seen how even the most sophisticated security systems can fall short when human behavior, daily school realities, and shared purpose aren’t part of the design.

Her strength — and the heart of this conversation — is bridge-building: translating complex security concepts into language educators and communities can understand, trust, and act on. Together, Michele and Antoinette explore why the future of school safety depends on listening, collaboration, and mission-driven thinking that keeps people — not systems — at the center.

In this conversation:

• Why mission must guide every school safety decision
  

• How listening and teamwork strengthen both physical and digital safety
  

• The risks of separating “tech safety” from “real-world” school life
  

• Why buy-in matters as much as investment
  

• What it looks like to build integrated, human-centered safety approaches
  

👉 Listen now to hear how Antoinette King is helping schools move toward a more connected, mission-driven future of safety — grounded in people, purpose, and trust.

Visit https://www.safeandsoundschools.org/ to explore resources, speaker programs, and ways to take action in your school community.

Guest links:

https://credocyber.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinette-king-cissp-psp/

Show links:Connect with Michele: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michele-gay/Donate: https://safe-and-sound-schools.web.app/Safe and Sound Schools website: https://safeandsoundschools.org