JULY 10 | THURSDAY | 8:30 am – 9:45 am

Room: Catalina A1

Enhancing School Safety: Preparing Schools and Districts for Anonymized Threats

Anonymous threats continue to strain school and law enforcement resources, contributing to losses in instruction time and traumatizing school communities. Join a representative from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency School Safety Task Force to explore evidence-based practices and share research-informed strategies to address the evolving range of risks and threats that K-12 schools face.

This session will focus on CISA’s Anonymized Threat Response Guidance (ATRG), and other federal resources and tools designed to help support schools in identifying and implementing scalable response solutions to threats originating on anonymized platforms and mediums. Presenters will outline the steps that school leaders can take to work alongside law enforcement organizations to assess the level of concern posed by a threat, and how to respond in a balanced way to minimize stress on their communities. The ATRG is designed to help create tailored approaches to addressing anonymous threats, from assessment to response.

Participants will come away with an understanding of how they play a role in addressing anonymous threats and improving their school safety plans to promote preparedness and resilience in support of their educational mission. This session is highly interactive, with speakers soliciting input from the audience throughout the discussion.

Presenter: Andrew Dominic – Safety Task Force at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)

Mr. Andrew Dominic serves as the Engagement Manager for the School Safety Task Force at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). The School Safety Task Force was established to support the federal government’s efforts in strengthening the safety and security of kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) schools across the country. In this role, Mr. contributes to the advancement of the School Safety Task Force mission by managing the School Safety Task Force’s involvement in engagements and leading the development of program engagement materials. In addition, Mr. Dominic is currently managing the School Safety Task Force’s engagement pipeline, portfolio, and schedule, leading the creation of the engagement proposal and presentation materials, and managing staffing, correspondence, and travel. 

Prior to joining the School Safety Task Force, Mr. Dominic served as a consultant for the Department of Transportation working to support the aviation manufacturing industry in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic by providing funds to impacted businesses. Additionally, Mr. Dominic served as a consultant for the National Risk Management Center, a division of CISA whose mission is to provide critical analytical support to understand, manage, and reduce risk to the cyber and physical infrastructure of our nation, and was a Senior Project Manager for the Transformation Enablement Team at Capital One with a focus on directing deep systematic change and organizational development within the commercial bank, through the execution of strategic projects.Mr. Dominic holds a Project Management Professional (PMP) and a Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) certification. 

Room: Catalina A2

What Can Schools Do Today to Push Back Against the Drug Culture?

In the shocking and inexcusable absence of mandated and funded drug prevention education programs in schools, there is an ongoing and urgent need to give students basic information, understandings and warnings about the drug threat today.  Rocky has developed a single-session program called "I Choose My Future" which is a motivational talk he delivers in schools in the US and around the world to teach children the ways that substance abuse impacts the individual, the family, the community, our country and the wider world.  The assembly is supported by six no-cost educational videos produced by and available at the San Diego County Office of Education website, in English and Spanish, that are designed for use in classrooms and in homes by parents.  Rocky will explain the threat of drugs today and will explain the methodology he uses to engage student audiences as large as 2,000.

Presenter: Rockwell Herron, Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention Ambassador – San Diego County Office of Education

Room: Catalina A3

Narcissists: The Ultimate Bully

Narcissists are driven by the need for power and dominance. These volatile personality types poison relationships, communities, and corporations. They are ruthless at their mind games. They will publicly shame people, and pit people against each other. Using tactics such as dismissing other talents and victories while they thrive on gaining status by Initiating smear campaigns.

Raising awareness and identifying these parasitic personality types is vital for the communities’ growth and purpose.

Presenter: Azadeh Atzberger, Boundaries Coach and Narcissistic Abuse Educator

Room: Catalina C1

Behavioral Threat Assessment: What School-Based Practitioners and Law Enforcement Personnel Should Know

This presentation will discuss the value of law enforcement and mental health co-response teams as they relate to threats of targeted violence. Nationally, we have seen an uptick of persons, some with major mental health concerns, who intend to resolve their grievances by doing harm to others. These threats often occur without penal code violations and, consequently, patrol doesn’t always respond to the call or take the information from the reported party seriously. At the same time, changes in the legal system combined with political pressure have contributed to a culture of “hands off” for law enforcement with persons experiencing mental health crisis. This is a dangerous precedent to set and many professionals are scratching their heads wondering whose responsibility is it to assess and manage the person, and threat, we are concerned about? One anecdote to this zeitgeist is to join the clinical discipline with the law discipline under the co-responder model. This model pairs a clinician and law enforcement professional who respond as a team to mental health calls for service as well as carry a caseload. This presentation will highlight the value in utilizing these teams for threat management as well as provide a case review where the team intercepted and mitigated an active threat using the mental health system.

Presenter: Dr. Cherylynn Lee, Police Psychologist – Santa Barbara Sheriff's Office

Room: Catalina C2

Tracing the Pathway to Violence: Assessing Threatening Behavior Through Digital Leakage

With nearly 90% of today's threats being communicated digitally, an accurate assessment of risk cannot be determined without understanding a threat maker’s digital behavioral baseline.

Safer Schools Together (SST)’s Digital Threat Assessment® (DTA®) training provides participants with direct skills and tools that can be utilized immediately by your Safety/Threat Assessment (S/TA) teams to identify if an individual is on the pathway to violence, homicide, suicide, radicalization, or gang associated behavior.

Through this interactive training, participants will learn how to utilize the skills and tools used by SST’s Threat Analysts when handling recent case scenarios. In walking through these scenarios, you will learn how to identify digital leakage, check to see if the individual has access to the means to carry out a threat, and proactively reduce the potential of violence within your community.

Objectives:
• To identify the digital behavioral baseline of individuals on the pathway to violence
• To assess the language of online threat-related behavior
• Key information for Safety/Threat Assessment teams - digital trends, language, and new ways that subjects of concern communicate online

Presenter: Colton Easton, Director of Program Development – Safer Schools Together 

Colton is an accomplished trainer, having presented to thousands of individuals from organizations across North America including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and numerous other law enforcement agencies and both K-12 school districts and higher education campuses.

Room: Catalina C3

Insights for California Safety Leaders from Lessons Learned at Uvalde and Apalachee: California Safety Directors' Discussion on New Technologies and Strategies to Ensure Rapid Accurate Response and Campus-wide Secure/Lockdown Notification

Join Chief of Security, Paul Garcia, of Lynwood USD  and Kymberlee Cochran, Safety Director of Lancaster SD in a fireside chat discussion about on-campus safety best practices for faster incident response from on-campu and 1st responders. New alert technologies, real-time location safety maps,  and 1st responder communication methods can empower staff to get much more rapid and  accurate response and,  when needed, engage on-campus notification and direct 1st responder notification.
The workshop will be hosted by Dr. Larry Hausner , School Safety Consultant, and former Principal/Safety Director of Orange USD. Dr. Hausner has worked directly with Uvalde, Apalachee , and Clark County Nevada. To help frame the discussion Larry will share published government data and insight from incidents at each of these districts.  Discussion topic will focus on the wearable alert badge transition considerations, protocol modifications,  and strategies to improve response , staff safety training, and 1st responder communication.


Presenters: Chief Paul Garcia, Kymberlee Cochran, and Dr. Larry Hausner

Room: Avalon 2

Required Components of Comprehensive School Safety Plans (CSSPs), Is There a Template, What Are All the New Laws?

Schools are required to have CSSP’s, which are a collection of procedures that schools use in the event of emergencies and to promote a safe learning environment. A California State Auditor report concerning schools’ readiness to respond to emergencies, especially active shooter threats and incidents in and around school sites found that districts, county offices, and state agencies have provided schools with weak oversight, resulting in an environment ripe for inadequate emergency responses that may put students and staff at risk. This class will discuss the components of a CSSP including methods to improve school climate and physical environment and answer frequently asked questions about items such as due dates, what year is the plan developed for and is there a recommended template. The class is based on the Educator’s Guide to Comprehensive School Safety Plans, 2022 Edition. It is the legislative intent that this guide is used in developing CSSP’s.

Presenters: Tom Steele, Director of School Safety and Eric Rosoff, Chief Executive Officer 

Tom and Eric are retired from law enforcement. Eric, a retired Lieutenant, founded Campus Safety Group. Tom a retired Sergeant, became a high school teacher, site administrator, Director of Student Services, and a Safe Schools and Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS), Consultant II at the Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE). Tom is the writer of the 2021 LACOE Educator’s Guide to Comprehensive School Safety Plans which was written with a team from LACOE, CA Dept. of Education (CDE), CA Office of Emergency Services, CA Dept. of Justice and CSG. It is the update of the CDE 2002 Safe School guide. 

Room: Avalon 3

The Whole Kit and Caboodle – What Teachers and Administrators Need in Their Classrooms/Schools to Be Positively Prepared for Critical Incidents

Teachers and school administrators are faced with the everyday challenge of keeping students, visitors and staff safe; when a disaster or other emergency occurs, this burden is elevated. The key to success during any critical incident, whether it occurs in an individual classroom or an entire school, is physical and mental mitigation, prevention and preparedness. This workshop will provide both teachers and administrators strategies on how to prepare for “X” disaster (earthquake, fire, active assailant, etc.), discussing tools/supplies/equipment to acquire along with physical actions and mental preparations to take before the incident happens. Taking steps, each day, week, month and year will enable school personnel to have more effective and efficient responses when disaster strikes.

Presenter: Sherry Colgan Stone, Ed.D., Emergency Preparedness, Security and Safety Specialist – Stone Campus Safety

Room: Anacapa

Building Safety Connections: Promoting Prevention in Our Schools and Community

An introduction to I CARE program's multi-tier system of support through evidence-based prevention education. The I CARE program equips PK to 12th grade students and their families with the knowledge and skills to make healthy lifestyle choices. I CARE advocates for students , community and district staff to facilities safe and drug free schools.

Presenters: Melvin Sanders Jr., LPP and Lori Anderson, LPP, TBRI Practitioner (Baton Rouge, Louisiana)

JULY 10 | THURSDAY | 10:00 am – 11:15 am

Room: Catalina A1

One Team, One Fight: Partnering with DHS & Fusion Centers

School safety and security budgets are constrained. The need for enhanced school safety and security is not.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and local Fusion Centers offer a host of free resources and services to enhance school safety and security, including:

  • Vulnerability assessments (e.g., Security at First Entry (SAFE) tool and vulnerability assessments for grant programs)
  • Visualization tools (e.g., Infrastructure Visualization Tool (IVT) and Virtual Walkthrough)
  • Sharing information (e.g., threat bulletins, best practices, and school threat reporting)
  • Training (e.g., pathway to violence, active shooter, bomb threats, and cyber threats)
  • Developing and facilitating exercises (e.g., workshop, table-top, functional and full-scale)

This presentation provides an overview of the free resources and services are offered by DHS CISA and Fusion Centers, and how partnering with DHS CISA and Fusion Centers can enhance school safety & security.

Presenter: Charles Kim, Program Manager, Public-Private Partnership & Exercise Program – San Diego Law Enforcement Coordination Center (SD-LECC)

Room: Catalina A2

Fostering Positive Character in a World Powered by AI

The pace of change in education today is unprecedented, reshaping classrooms faster than ever before. Yet, amidst this technological revolution, the core values we uphold—and strive to instill in our students—must remain steadfast, serving as a compass in this AI-driven world. This workshop offers participants a concise overview of the unique challenges AI presents to educators globally and demonstrates how the timeless practice of character development provides a powerful, guiding framework for navigating these complexities.
 
Presenter: Dr. Will Pulgarin – Los Angeles Institute for Restorative Practices – LAIRP (Colombia) 

Room: Catalina  A3

Is Your School Safe? A discussion on School Safety

What are the specific key indicators of a safe school? What does a safe school look and feel like?

A safe school isn’t just about physical security—it’s about creating an environment where everyone feels respected, supported, and able to thrive academically and personally. How can you ensure your school is safe for students to learn and thrive? Come join the California Department of Education to engage in a discussion of school safety. Hear about the latest legislation that has impacted Comprehensive School Safety Plans, and survey findings to promote not just physical safety, but emotional safety. Resources to address student emotional safety and mental health will be shared.

Presenters: Tom Herman, Ed.D., Education Administrator and Hilva Chan, Education Program Consultant  – California Department of Education

Room: Catalina C1

The Power of The Boundary

The Power of the Boundary talk explores the profound impact that boundaries have on personal and professional growth, relationships, and overall well-being.

Boundaries, whether physical, emotional, or psychological, serve as essential frameworks that define our interactions with others and ourselves. We examine the various types of boundaries—personal, professional, and digital—and provide practical strategies for setting and maintaining them effectively. Through real-life examples and case studies, we highlight how boundaries can prevent burnout, reduce stress, and foster a more balanced life.

Moreover, this presentation underscores the power of saying "no" without guilt, understanding the difference between healthy and unhealthy boundaries, and cultivating a sense of self-respect and empowerment. By the end of the session, participants will be equipped with the tools to create and uphold boundaries that align with their values and goals, ultimately leading to more meaningful connections and a more fulfilled life.

Presenter: Azadeh Atzberger, Boundaries Coach and Narcissistic Abuse Educator

Room: Catalina C2

Sex Trafficking of Minors

Sex trafficking is one of the fastest growing crimes in the U.S. that affects young people. The most likely targets are foster youth, homeless youth, unaccompanied minors from foreign countries, runaway youth and pregnant girls. Victims are often lured in through online dating sites and hook up sites, and chatrooms. Gangs and pimps will often use deceptive tactics to access and recruit their victims including using new female relationships to build the trust of unsuspecting young people.

During this break-out session, we will examine the grooming and recruiting process. We will discuss technologies used to access, groom, recruit, and exploit minors including artificial intelligence, deep fakes, geo-location software on dating/hookup sites, digital currency, the dark net, and “nudify” sites. We will look at multiple cases of sex trafficking in California involving young females with emphasis on cases where the victim was recruited in the school setting. We will look at sex trafficking as it takes place in the LBGTQI community including several case studies. We will also explore cases of familial trafficking.

Most important, we will discuss when and how to intervene and report if a minor is being groomed, recruited or trafficked. We will also identify possible approaches for prevention and intervention to keep kids from becoming involved
in an exploitative relationship.

Presenter: Opal Singleton, President & CEO – Million Kids | Instructor: USC Sol Price Safe Communities Institute | Lecturer: UCLA: National Education Safety & Security Initiative 

Opal Singleton Hendershot is the President and CEO of Million Kids, a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to keeping kids safe from predators. She is one of the leading voices for combating human trafficking, social media exploitation and the impact of advanced technologies on child sex crimes. Million Kids serves as the Training and Outreach Coordinator for the Riverside County Anti Human Trafficking Task Force (RCAHT) and works with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department through a Department of Justice Grant. Opal has completed tens of thousands of hours of research over the past ten years on those subjects and dealt with real cases making her an expert on human trafficking crimes and online social media exploitation of minors. With her expertise, Opal has educated and trained more than 750,000 government and individual leaders as the keynote speaker and workshop presenter on labor trafficking, adult and child sex trafficking, foreign national trafficking, gang trafficking, advanced technologies used in sex crimes, sextortion and social media exploitation, crypto currency and money laundering, the Dark Net and bulletproof hosting, and CSAM (child sexual abuse materials). She often appears on television and radio talk shows across the United States.

Room: Catalina C3

Aligning Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management with a Multi-Tiered System of Support: Building a Continuum of Prevention and Intervention

Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management (BTAM) and multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) align in several ways. Both are behavior-based and emphasize student behavior as a form of communication and an indicator of well-being. Each also focuses on proactive and preventative supports and utilizes multidisciplinary teams to identify students in need, assess their behaviors in context, and provide appropriate interventions and supports. Moreover, both accentuate the value of supportive, trusted, caring relationships between students and staff and the importance of a safe, healthy school climate and culture. In schools, the MTSS framework provides the opportunity for a BTAM team to utilize existing school resources and work cooperatively with a broader system of prevention designed to provide equitable access to proactive, early intervention for students in need of support. Relatedly, BTAM supports MTSS implementation by expanding the continuum of interventions and supports available for students who are engaging in concerning or threatening behavior.  A collaborative approach such as this serves to strengthen a positive school climate and promote student emotional and physical well-being. While MTSS or BTAM can each be effectively implemented alone, for schools that are implementing either MTSS or BTAM, the integration of the two frameworks offers several possible advantages:

  •      Streamlined systems and processes
  •      More efficient resource utilization
  •      Enhanced communication and collaboration
  •      Improved data collection and analysis of implementation and effectiveness
  •      Better outcomes for students and staff
  •      More comprehensive prevention and intervention strategies

The National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) will discuss new operational guidance for aligning and integrating BTAM with MTSS and existing prevention-based frameworks (e.g., Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports).

Presenters: Dr. Kelsey Morris, NTAC Education Specialist, Kristy Domingues, Supervisory Social Science Research Specialist and Arlene Macias, Domestic Security Strategist – United States Secret Service | National Threat Assessment Center

Room: Avalon 2

Proactive Game Management: Ensuring Safety for Student Athletes, Coaches, and Officials

Jay has been involved in educational-based athletics as a player, coach, teacher, and athletic administrator at the high school, district, and collegiate levels. Nearly all school districts have security measures in place during the school day hours. However, similar risk management policies are too often overlooked or ignored for evening events. Safe Sport Zone has developed proactive game management plans to ensure safer environments for activities. The exercises include spectator supervision, screening the gate to the venue, providing perimeter security, and applications for almost any emergency. For interscholastic athletics to survive, kids’ games must be enjoyable, entertaining, safe, and educationally driven. Safe Sport Zone is committed to these principles.

Presenter: Jay Hammes, CMAA, National Faculty Instructor – NIAAA, President/Founder – Safe Sport Zone, LLC (Wisconsin)

Room: Avalon 3

Mental Detectors Over Metal Detectors: Mapping Pathways to Wellness in Secondary Schools

Why stop at metal detectors when what our students truly need are mental detectors? Learn how to shift from reaction to restoration by building a trauma-informed, student-centered wellness system.

In today’s climate, schools need more than just physical safety measures—they need “mental detectors” that recognize and respond to the emotional and psychological needs of students. This session will explore how to integrate mental wellness, trauma-informed practices, and the ten dimensions of well-being into existing MTSS, SEL, and PBIS frameworks.

We'll dive into strategies for addressing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and discuss how to move youth from trauma to resilience using evidence-based approaches. Participants will learn how Partners4Wellness built our concierge-style mental health support system designed to meet students where they are – providing accessible, tiered services that support the whole school community. We’ll share how we’ve incorporated life-skills education, a second responder model, and strategies to address Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) into our school-based programming.

This session will equip school teams with actionable strategies and practical tools to cultivate a culture of resilience, emotional safety, and holistic well-being, specifically tailored for junior high, high school, continuation, and alternative education settings.

Presenters: Phillip Falcetti, MPH, Ashley Laurell, Lia Mayerski and Dr. Mohammed Forouzesh – Partners4Wellness

Room: Anacapa 

Collaborative Crisis Response: Empowering Student Support Teams to Prevent Burnout and Navigate School Crises

This session will equip student support professionals with actionable strategies to enhance team collaboration, prevent burnout, and effectively navigate school crises. Through interactive activities, case studies, and practical tools, attendees will learn to implement clear protocols, foster open communication, and prioritize trauma-informed care. Discover how shared workloads, regular team meetings, and strong crisis response protocols can empower your team to create a safer, more supportive school environment while mitigating professional burnout.

Presenters: Janie Bazargani, M.Ed., and Denise Ward, M.Ed., Lead Counselor – Seven Lakes High School (Katy, Texas)

JULY 10 | THURSDAY | 1:45 pm – 3:00 pm

Room: Catalina A1

One Team, One Fight: Partnering with DHS & Fusion Centers

School safety and security budgets are constrained. The need for enhanced school safety and security is not.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and local Fusion Centers offer a host of free resources and services to enhance school safety and security, including:

  • Vulnerability assessments (e.g., Security at First Entry (SAFE) tool and vulnerability assessments for grant programs)
  • Visualization tools (e.g., Infrastructure Visualization Tool (IVT) and Virtual Walkthrough)
  • Sharing information (e.g., threat bulletins, best practices, and school threat reporting)
  • Training (e.g., pathway to violence, active shooter, bomb threats, and cyber threats)
  • Developing and facilitating exercises (e.g., workshop, table-top, functional and full-scale)

This presentation provides an overview of the free resources and services are offered by DHS CISA and Fusion Centers, and how partnering with DHS CISA and Fusion Centers can enhance school safety & security.

Presenter: Charles Kim, Program Manager, Public-Private Partnership & Exercise Program – San Diego Law Enforcement Coordination Center (SD-LECC)

Room: Catalina A2

Threat Detection & Prevention: Prioritizing Early Detection, Intervention, and Universal Supports

In light of the alarming decline in the mental and emotional well-being of our youth, we are witnessing a distressing surge in challenging student behaviors, ranging from severe aggression to self-harm and violence. Within a comprehensive prevention framework, it is imperative for schools to prioritize equipping themselves with the necessary tools and supports for detecting, assessing, and implementing tailored early intervention plans that address the unique needs of students in crisis, ensuring they receive the support they require.
Navigating this responsibility becomes even more daunting with limited staff, constrained resources, and a growing number of students in need of support.
Join this session to discover:
  1. Best practices for early identification and intervention for students in crisis
  2. The invaluable role of integrated threat detection and prevention tools, designed to provide timely support to students while simultaneously elevating the standard of care and reducing liability
  3. The significance of adopting a whole-child approach encompassing Suicide Awareness & Prevention, Behavioral Threat Assessment, and Universal Student Support, which has never been more critical

Presenter: Thom Jones, Senior VP, Threat Detection & Prevention – Navigate360

A former middle school administrator with more than 19 years of experience, Thom has extensive knowledge in school operations and safety needs. He brings together district needs and industry expertise to help shape the direction and development of impactful solutions designed to help create safe learning environments — physically, socially and emotionally.

Room: Catalina A3

U.S. Secret Service Research, Analysis, and Key Findings of Averted and Targeted School Violence

For over 20 years, the U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) has conducted research on the thinking and behaviors of those who commit acts of targeted school violence, to prevent future acts from occurring. Key findings from this research indicate that establishing multidisciplinary threat assessment teams and encouraging school communities to report concerning behaviors are critical steps in the prevention of targeted violence.

This presentation will highlight case studies, key findings, and recommendations from NTAC’s latest research reports examining targeted school violence and averted attacks at K-12 schools in the United States. It will also focus on how communities can use a multidisciplinary behavioral threat assessment approach to identify and assess students exhibiting concerning or threatening behaviors and apply appropriate interventions to ensure safety and promote successful outcomes for the students.

Presenters: Dr. Kelsey Morris, NTAC Education Specialist, Kristy Domingues, Supervisory Social Science Research Specialist and Arlene Macias, Domestic Security Strategist – United States Secret Service | National Threat Assessment Center

Room: Catalina CI

Sextortion and Digital Exploitation

Sextortion and Social Media Exploitation are some of the fastest growing crimes in the world affecting students. This is technology driven. A.I (Artificial Intelligence) has opened a world of “deep fakes” which means no one will be safe from extortion. During this breakout session we will examine local cases where students and adult predators have used voice alteration, image manipulation, video editing and “Nudify” sites to exploit other students.

We will examine the many forms of sextortion, the motives behind the perpetrators, and where those nudes go when you hit “send”. We will look at the global financial motivations of organized crime in blackmailing students. We will discuss apps, hook up sites, dating sites and video game chat rooms and how they are used by predators to win the trust of young people.

We will examine cases that resulted in extreme violation, murder and death of the victim and their families. We will examine the trend of teen suicide related to financial sextortion. We will discuss what parents, teachers, etc. should look for and how to handle sextortion situations. We will discuss CSAM, (child sexual abuse materials) bulletproof hosting and large-scale dark web pedophile rings and their relationship to sextortion cases.

Most important, we will determine what all of us can do for prevention and intervention to combat these horrific and life altering crimes to keep our kids safe from predators.

Presenter: Opal Singleton, President & CEO – Million Kids – Instructor: USC Sol Price Safe Communities Institute – Lecturer: UCLA: National Education Safety & Security Initiative 

Room: Catalina C2

Remaining Empathetic with Extreme Behaviors

Some youth have behaviors that are designed to push people away or, at the very least, test your limits.  From violence, suicidal behaviors, self-harm, destruction of property, substance use, theft, and sexual acting out, learn how to stay in a place of empathy while holding your boundaries.  Dr. Ashley Brown and Emily Aihara work in a Juvenile Hall with the most serious youth offenders.  Prior to this, Dr. Brown worked with federal sex offenders and Emily Aihara conducted emergency psychiatric evaluations for children and adolescents.  While no one has seen it all, they’ve seen a lot and want to engage you in a conversation about helping our youth with the most extreme presentations.

Presenters: Dr. Ashley Brown, Licensed Clinical Psychologist – Clinical Evaluation and Guidance Unit (CEGU) Probation, Juvenile Hall and Emily Aihara, LMFT, Behavioral Health Clinician II – OC Health Care Agency

Room: Catalina C3

From Brain to Behavior: Building a Right-Brain School

In today’s rapidly changing world, students are increasingly exposed to socio-political unrest, rising violence, and environmental crises, all of which erode their sense of safety in our schools. Research indicates that a compromised sense of security directly impacts brain function, emotional regulation, and learning capacity (Perry, 2009; Van der Kolk, 2014). Managing student behavior and fostering motivation now require more than traditional behavioral redirection. Instead, schools must shift towards brain-based strategies that support emotional regulation, social-emotional learning, and restorative practices.

This session, facilitated by The Los Angeles Institute for Right Brain Practices and Research (LAIRP), will explore the neurological foundations of student behavior, emphasizing how right-brain restorative practices can mitigate amygdala hyperreactivity—a key factor in dysregulated emotional responses (Schore, 2001; Cozolino, 2014). Participants will gain insights into how trauma-informed, brain-based interventions can improve school climate and culture by reinforcing safety, connection, and emotional intelligence.

Session Objectives:

  • Understand how brain-based restorative strategies influence student behavior and well-being.

  • Explore the role of right-brain processing in emotional regulation and conflict resolution.

  • Identify practical interventions that foster a restorative and trauma-responsive school environment.

Session is designed for school administrators, educators, and mental health professionals seeking evidence-based strategies to create a more resilient, emotionally supportive, and restorative school culture.

Presenter: Carlos Alvarez President/Founder – The Los Angeles Institute for Restorative Practices (LAIRP)

Room: Avalon 2

The Coordination Between Workplace Violence Prevention Plans and Title IX Requirements

This session will provide an overview of the legal requirements implemented by Senate Bill 553 and the 2024 Title IX regulations. We will discuss how these statutory schemes overlap, including the specific notice, reporting, training, investigation, and record keeping requirements, and the potential liability for lack of compliance. We will also discuss best practices when incidents of sexual violence or threats of sexual violence arise and fall under the Workplace Violence Prevention Plan and Title IX regulations.

Presenters: Brooke Jimenez, Attorney and Kayleigh Chevrier, Attorney  – Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo (AALRR)

Room: Avalon 3

Rebuilding Resilience: Programs, Tools, and Design Strategies to Restore School Sites After Disaster Strikes

This presentation will start with CalOES Planning updates such as the Preparedness Ambassadors (PA) Activity Book, an additional tool for teaching the PA Program followed by recent legislation, particularly Assembling Bills AB 1858 and AB 2968 which both require updates on Comprehensive School Safety Plans.

We will then address the Safety Assessment Program, how schools fit into and benefit from this state program, how to navigate requesting an assessor for their damaged school site, and other helpful tips regarding safety assessments after a disaster. This topic is particularly relevant for schools and school sites due to the devastating fires that recently occurred in Southern California.

Since the workshop will address damaged schools, it will be a smooth transition in discussing how schools can rebuild their school sites with physical security in mind, specifically, environmental design. Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) is a way of enhancing physical security through structural changes that support safety while maintaining an open and welcoming environment. Emphasis will be placed on CPTED principles, which guide schools in creating secure and adaptable spaces that promote safety for students and staff.

This session will provide valuable insights into best practices for post-disaster recovery and proactive school safety planning.

Presenters: Danielle Chapman, Senior Emergency Services Coordinator and Christina DeRungs, Comprehensive School Security Coordinator – Cal OES

Room: Anacapa

Preventing Violence through Human Threat Intelligence and AI Threat Intelligences

The prevention of violence hinges significantly on the utilization of threat intelligence gathered from human sources. Statistics reveal that in 86% of cases, at least one individual is aware of a potential act of violence, while in 68% of instances, two or more people possess such knowledge. Establishing a mechanism for these individuals to report suspicious activities anonymously could mitigate the risk of violence.
A few case studies will be presented where threat Intelligence has prevented active shooters, suicides and much more.

Presenter: Cyril Rayan – Resiligence INC.

JULY 10 | THURSDAY | 3:15 pm – 4:30 pm

Room: Catalina A1

Youth Violence Prevention: Interrupting the Pathway to Violence through Meaningful Assessment, Connection, and Inclusion

This presentation will review the importance of providing an educational environment where students and education staff feel safe.  Specifically, the presenters will use two case studies  as examples of leading practice behavioral threat assessment and management and highlight the fundamentals of reducing school violence using the Salem-Keizer Cascade Model—a collaborative, multi-agency system that employs trauma informed care, equity, restorative practice, inclusion, and bias checks within its assessment structure to address and manage threats of violence, improve psychological safety, and decrease expulsions and arrests.

Presenter: John Van Dreal 

John Van Dreal is a school psychologist and the retired director of Safety and Risk Management Services for the Salem-Keizer School District. He continues his career consulting with school districts and communities on behavioral threat assessment systems and violence prevention. He has over 35 years of experience in threat assessment and management, psycho-educational evaluation, crisis intervention, behavioral intervention, and security systems. He is the recipient of the 2024 Association of Threat Assessment Professional’s Lifetime Achievement Award and is recognized internationally as an expert in threat assessment and as a pioneer of multidisciplinary threat assessment. He is the editor and principal author of the book Assessing Student Threats: Implementing The Salem-Keizer System, Second Edition and has advised on, or contributed to, a number of threat assessment guides, publications, articles, and documentaries. His third book (authored with Courtenay McCarthy and Coleen Van Dreal), Preventing Youth Violence: The Pathway Back through Inclusion and Connection, was released in March of 2022.

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Room: Catalina A2

Systemic Approach to Suicide Prevention in Today's Schools: The Hidden Student Struggle

Students today experience a myriad of emotional experiences across their educational career.  Most will engage well-being strategies to cope successfully with challenges, yet many will experience intense emotional pain so great they consider suicide. Currently, suicide is the leading cause of death among our nations youth. Educators, legislators, and community members have attempted to address the mental health pandemic through collective efforts around prevention, intervention and postvention.
This workshop will provide participants with a systemic MTSS approach and concrete actionable steps to suicide prevention through identifying risk and protectdive factors and warnign signs of suicide.  They will learn how schools and communities can best support students at risk of suicide by understanding safe language, engaging youth in mental health literacy, conducting risk screening and assessment, safety planning and return to school intervention supports, and postvention efforts.
Dr. Sedor a national expert in MTSS, suicide prevention, intervention and postvention, mental well-being, and crisis management and response.  She has served as a school psychologist for over 35 years and currently supports teams at the district, state and national level to ensure psychological safety and well-being.

 Presenter: Margaret A. Sedor, Ph.D., NCSP, LEP

Room: Catalina A3

What Can Schools Do Today to Push Back Against the Drug Culture?

In the shocking and inexcusable absence of mandated and funded drug prevention education programs in schools, there is an ongoing and urgent need to give students basic information, understandings and warnings about the drug threat today.  Rocky has developed a single-session program called "I Choose My Future" which is a motivational talk he delivers in schools in the US and around the world to teach children the ways that substance abuse impacts the individual, the family, the community, our country and the wider world.  The assembly is supported by six no-cost educational videos produced by and available at the San Diego County Office of Education website, in English and Spanish, that are designed for use in classrooms and in homes by parents.  Rocky will explain the threat of drugs today and will explain the methodology he uses to engage student audiences as large as 2,000.

Presenter: Rockwell Herron, Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention Ambassador – San Diego County Office of Education

Room: Catalina C1

Behavioral Threat Assessment: What School-Based Practitioners and Law Enforcement Personnel Should Know

This presentation will discuss the value of law enforcement and mental health co-response teams as they relate to threats of targeted violence. Nationally, we have seen an uptick of persons, some with major mental health concerns, who intend to resolve their grievances by doing harm to others. These threats often occur without penal code violations and, consequently, patrol doesn’t always respond to the call or take the information from the reported party seriously. At the same time, changes in the legal system combined with political pressure have contributed to a culture of “hands off” for law enforcement with persons experiencing mental health crisis. This is a dangerous precedent to set and many professionals are scratching their heads wondering whose responsibility is it to assess and manage the person, and threat, we are concerned about? One anecdote to this zeitgeist is to join the clinical discipline with the law discipline under the co-responder model. This model pairs a clinician and law enforcement professional who respond as a team to mental health calls for service as well as carry a caseload. This presentation will highlight the value in utilizing these teams for threat management as well as provide a case review where the team intercepted and mitigated an active threat using the mental health system.

Presenter: Dr. Cherylynn Lee, Police Psychologist – Santa Barbara Sheriffs Office

Room: Catalina C2

Managing the Complex Dynamics of School Safety

A subject matter expert will lead a discussion on strategies to mitigate administrator liabilities associated with with school safety. The session will delve into California Ed Code, Federal laws, and industry best practices relevant to reduction of liability.

Presenters: Brian Erdelyi, Director and Jason Vickery, Senior Advisor – IMReady

Room: Catalina C3

The Coordination Between Workplace Violence Prevention Plans and Title IX Requirements

This session will provide an overview of the legal requirements implemented by Senate Bill 553 and the 2024 Title IX regulations. We will discuss how these statutory schemes overlap, including the specific notice, reporting, training, investigation, and record keeping requirements, and the potential liability for lack of compliance. We will also discuss best practices when incidents of sexual violence or threats of sexual violence arise and fall under the Workplace Violence Prevention Plan and Title IX regulations.

Presenters: Brooke Jimenez, Attorney and Kayleigh Chevrier, Attorney  – Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo (AALRR)

Room: Avalon 2

Admin 911

In today’s ever changing world, school administrators are sometimes thrust into different leadership roles when an emergency or disaster occurs. Whether it is an active killer event, a severe earthquake, a student/staff suicide or sudden death (on or off campus), a campus fire or gas leak, or bomb threat, administrators need to be prepared.

First Responders, local, state and federal agencies are going to expect district leadership to follow the ICS (Incident Command Systems) which is required in the district Emergency Operations Plan and be prepared to act within a unified command structure. This seminar gives a quick summary of the ICS structure, as well as changing leadership roles at the district office and on the campus. This seminar will also cover being prepared, having the proper response, applying the appropriate recovery plan and how to be effective with continuity of operations.

The workshop is led by Brent Hull who has thirty years of experience in school administration and operations. He is a certified EMT in the state of California, an active member in the federal and state medical strike teams. He has also worked at FEMA in the disaster response unit, as well as served at fire departments. He is a graduate of the San Francisco Police Academy. Presenting alongside Brent is Dr. Monica Nagy, assistant principal at Westmoor High School, with over 25 years of school administrative experience.

Presenters: Brent Hull, MPA, EMT, CSRM and Dr. Monica Nagy, Assistant Principal at Westmoor High School

Room: Avalon 3

The Hidden Dangers: Understanding the Harms of Social Media on Teens

Social media is integral to teens' lives, but behind the screens, it can harm their mental health, self-esteem, and well-being. This presentation explores the hidden dangers of social media and how it can sometimes do more harm than good.

We will dive into the many ways social media affects teens, from the pressure to look perfect online to the feelings of loneliness and anxiety that come with comparing themselves to others. We’ll talk about how social media fuels bullying, spreads unrealistic expectations, and exposes teens to harmful content like dangerous trends or drug use. For many young people, the digital world isn’t just a place for fun—it’s a place where stress, insecurity, and negative emotions can thrive.

This session will give parents, educators, and anyone who works with teens the tools to create healthier conversations around social media, teach digital boundaries, and empower teens to take control of their online lives.

Key Takeaways:

  • How social media impacts teen mental health, including anxiety, depression, and body image issues.
  • The role of social media in bullying, peer pressure, and risky behavior.
  • Practical tips for helping teens develop a healthier relationship with social media and setting boundaries.

Presenter: Amy Neville, President – Alexander Neville Foundation (Arizona) 

Room: Anacapa

Smart Phones, Substances and Social Media: And Risks for the Teen Brain

A look at how today's culture of smart phones are connecting teens to inappropriate content. They can meet strangers, buys drugs, see pornographic material, be lured by predators and be exposed to cyber bullying and crimes.

Smart phones are in the hands of 95% of US teens. One in four teens use an e-cigarette every day. Fentanyl deaths among 10-19 year olds are increasing, while deaths decline in other age groups. Mental health status was stable with teens in the 1990s to 2000s, but has been plummeting since 2010. Smart phones, substances and social media have been colliding; resulting in negative effects for Gen Z and the upcoming Alpha Generation.

In this workshop we will discuss the dangerous and inappropriate content the developing brain is being exposed to. We will look at the impact of teen girls spending 20 hours a week on social media. We will talk about the likelihood of kids being exposed to pornography at an early age. We will identify how easy it is to use smart phones to connect with strangers and use apps to buy poisons like vapes, counterfeit pills, fentanyl and more. Information on the popularity and prevalence of vapes will be shared, as well as facts on fentanyl becoming the deadliest drug in the world.

We are living in an ever-changing world of drugs and technology that are affecting everyone. Attend this presentation to learn and discuss this constant evolution. Walk away with information, resources, and connections.

Presenter: Stephanie Siete, Educational Advocate – Neon Blue, LLC (Arizona) 

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