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Wednesday, July 30
 

8:30am EDT

Bomb Threat Assessment for Decision Makers
Wednesday July 30, 2025 8:30am - 9:30am EDT
Room 108/109
The Bomb Threat Assessment for Decision Makers Course introduces the participant to types of threats, the threat assessment process, and the implementation of a Bomb Threat Management (BTM) plan. It provides activities for participants to apply specific portions of the risk management process and their newly acquired knowledge about BTM procedures to develop a risk assessment of a bomb threat.

Attendees will need to have a FEMA SID, further registration information will be sent out before the conference.

Please bring a smart device with internet capabilities, this will be used for the end course assessment.
Speakers
avatar for Al Bunaugh

Al Bunaugh

Security Training and Assessment Specialist II, Fairfax County Public Schools
I've been a security professional for almost two decades.  I use everyday as a new opportunity to gain more knowledge and expertise to help teach and train my comrades and new generations.  I am a Fusion Liaison Officer, VA-DCJS School Security Officer Instructor, DCJS Crime Prevention... Read More →
Wednesday July 30, 2025 8:30am - 9:30am EDT
Room 108/109
  Breakout

8:30am EDT

Building Resilient Schools Through Unified Leadership
Wednesday July 30, 2025 8:30am - 9:30am EDT
Conference Room B
This breakout session will have participants examine the ways in which discipline, policies, and systems interact with students. Participants will gain a greater understanding of how having unified leadership at both the school and division levels can contribute to the overall school climate and resiliency of the schools. This session will provide opportunities to reflect on current practices while incorporating strategies for improvement.
Speakers
avatar for Matthew Woods, Ed.D.

Matthew Woods, Ed.D.

District Administrator and Educational Consultant, Leading Out The Woods LLC
Dr. Matthew Woods has served for more than 13 years assisting students, educators, and schools in a variety of roles. His professional experience includes being a high school social studies teacher, middle and high school assistant principal, middle school principal, director of student... Read More →
Wednesday July 30, 2025 8:30am - 9:30am EDT
Conference Room B
  Breakout

8:30am EDT

Communicating Through Crisis: Key Tips for Schools
Wednesday July 30, 2025 8:30am - 9:30am EDT
Room 106/107
In this session, attendees will explore effective critical incident response strategies for school safety leaders.  School leaders often find themselves at the center of a crisis and are responsible for communicating with staff, students, parents, and others about the situation. The form and scope of an incident can vary, but there are some key strategies you can use to effectively and quickly communicate with different audiences. By understanding these strategies, you can ensure that you are sharing the appropriate information in the most effective and timely way. Topics include: Examples of communication through various scenarios; Important content to include in key messages such as direction, status, actions, and compassion; Cautions in communication; Post-incident communication example; and Best practices of communication for public safety on threat-related incidents. Templates and an interactive resource guide will be provided.
Speakers
avatar for Steven MacDonald

Steven MacDonald

Senior Threat Analyst and Trainer, Safer Schools Together
After receiving a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Victoria, Steven specialized in language analytics and artificial intelligence for major media corporations in the tech industry. As a member of the Safer Schools Together team, Steven specializes in... Read More →
LL
TC
Wednesday July 30, 2025 8:30am - 9:30am EDT
Room 106/107
  Breakout

8:30am EDT

Legal: Virginia Rules
Wednesday July 30, 2025 8:30am - 9:30am EDT
Room 104/105
The focus of “Virginia Rules” is on the criminal justice system, with particular emphasis on how Virginia laws apply to youth under 18. Virginia Rules will educate young Virginians about the law and help them develop skills needed to make sound decisions, to avoid breaking laws, and to become active citizens of their schools and communities. These Standards of Learning (SOL)-correlated lessons are designed for middle and high school students. Virginia Rules offers a comprehensive website with law-related resources and tools geared for students, parents, and instructors. From the website, instructors can access and download lessons with student worksheets, student topical handouts, and supplemental materials. This training is intended for teachers, school administrators, school resource officers (SROs), and school security officers (SSOs) serving middle and high school age youth.
Speakers
avatar for Mark Fero

Mark Fero

Programs Director, Virginia Office of Attorney General
"The Office of the Attorney General is the Commonwealth's law firm. In addition to representing the interests of the people of Virginia, our clients are Virginia state government and the state agencies, boards and commissions that compose it."
Wednesday July 30, 2025 8:30am - 9:30am EDT
Room 104/105
  Breakout

8:30am EDT

School-Based Prevention of Behavior Problems
Wednesday July 30, 2025 8:30am - 9:30am EDT
Conference Room C
When dealing with misbehaving students, tensions often run high, and it is easy to forget to focus on the needs of the students. This workshop offers real strategies to keep a trauma-informed lens in working with students in these situations to lower tensions and realistically de-escalate and regulate emotions.
Speakers
avatar for Lori Wood

Lori Wood

Senior Director of Emergency & Short-term Stabilization Services, Region Ten Community Services Board
Lori Wood is a Senior Director at Region Ten Community Services Board in Charlottesville, VA. She is a graduate of Emory & Henry College and the University of Virginia and is a Licensed Professional Counselor. She is a master instructor with the Thomas Jefferson Area CIT program and... Read More →
Wednesday July 30, 2025 8:30am - 9:30am EDT
Conference Room C
  Breakout

8:30am EDT

The Value of Relationships/Mentoring for SSO/SROs 
Wednesday July 30, 2025 8:30am - 9:30am EDT
Room 102/103
This training highlights the importance of building positive relationships and mentoring students as a key role of School Security Officers (SSOs) and School Resource Officers (SROs). Participants will learn how strong connections can foster trust, improve school safety, and support student well-being. Through real-life examples and interactive discussions, this session provides practical strategies for effective mentorship and relationship-building within the school community.
Speakers
JB
Wednesday July 30, 2025 8:30am - 9:30am EDT
Room 102/103
  Breakout

8:30am EDT

Active Attack incident Management
Wednesday July 30, 2025 8:30am - 10:45am EDT
Grand Ballroom
A coordinated effort through a "whole community approach" to establish stakeholders within the community and empower citizens to become "Immediate Responders" who do what they can, where they are, with what they have to work with until "First Responders" arrive. Using the basics of Avoid, Deny, and Defend against an active attack and aiding in the solution to stop the dying with basic medical treatment from the "Stop the Bleed" program.
Speakers
avatar for Adam Keene

Adam Keene

Active Attack Program Manager, Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services
Adam began his career in public safety in 2005 serving in various capacities that began with the Virginia Department of Corrections (VDOC), the Virginia Department of State Police (VSP) and now the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS). He has served as an adjunct... Read More →
Wednesday July 30, 2025 8:30am - 10:45am EDT
Grand Ballroom
  Double Breakout (2 Hour Session)

8:30am EDT

DARE Updates
Wednesday July 30, 2025 8:30am - 10:45am EDT
Conference Room D
This session of D.A.R.E. updates will include Virginia D.A.R.E. Association business and updates in training available from D.A.R.E. America including new elementary vaping and social media lessons.
Speakers
RH
Wednesday July 30, 2025 8:30am - 10:45am EDT
Conference Room D
  Double Breakout (2 Hour Session)

8:30am EDT

Social Media and Open Source Investigations
Wednesday July 30, 2025 8:30am - 10:45pm EDT
Conference Room A
Speakers
SK
Wednesday July 30, 2025 8:30am - 10:45pm EDT
Conference Room A
  Double Breakout (2 Hour Session)

9:45am EDT

Bomb Threat Assessment for Decision Makers
Wednesday July 30, 2025 9:45am - 10:45am EDT
Room 108/109
The Bomb Threat Assessment for Decision Makers Course introduces the participant to types of threats, the threat assessment process, and the implementation of a Bomb Threat Management (BTM) plan. It provides activities for participants to apply specific portions of the risk management process and their newly acquired knowledge about BTM procedures to develop a risk assessment of a bomb threat.

Attendees will need to have a FEMA SID, further registration information will be sent out before the conference.

Please bring a smart device with internet capabilities, this will be used for the end course assessment.
Speakers
avatar for Al Bunaugh

Al Bunaugh

Security Training and Assessment Specialist II, Fairfax County Public Schools
I've been a security professional for almost two decades.  I use everyday as a new opportunity to gain more knowledge and expertise to help teach and train my comrades and new generations.  I am a Fusion Liaison Officer, VA-DCJS School Security Officer Instructor, DCJS Crime Prevention... Read More →
Wednesday July 30, 2025 9:45am - 10:45am EDT
Room 108/109
  Breakout

9:45am EDT

Building Resilient Schools Through Unified Leadership
Wednesday July 30, 2025 9:45am - 10:45am EDT
Conference Room B
This breakout session will have participants examine the ways in which discipline, policies, and systems interact with students. Participants will gain a greater understanding of how having unified leadership at both the school and division levels can contribute to the overall school climate and resiliency of the schools. This session will provide opportunities to reflect on current practices while incorporating strategies for improvement.
Speakers
avatar for Matthew Woods, Ed.D.

Matthew Woods, Ed.D.

District Administrator and Educational Consultant, Leading Out The Woods LLC
Dr. Matthew Woods has served for more than 13 years assisting students, educators, and schools in a variety of roles. His professional experience includes being a high school social studies teacher, middle and high school assistant principal, middle school principal, director of student... Read More →
Wednesday July 30, 2025 9:45am - 10:45am EDT
Conference Room B
  Breakout

9:45am EDT

Communicating Through Crisis: Key Tips for Schools
Wednesday July 30, 2025 9:45am - 10:45am EDT
Room 106/107
In this session, attendees will explore effective critical incident response strategies for school safety leaders.  School leaders often find themselves at the center of a crisis and are responsible for communicating with staff, students, parents, and others about the situation. The form and scope of an incident can vary, but there are some key strategies you can use to effectively and quickly communicate with different audiences. By understanding these strategies, you can ensure that you are sharing the appropriate information in the most effective and timely way. Topics include: Examples of communication through various scenarios; Important content to include in key messages such as direction, status, actions, and compassion; Cautions in communication; Post-incident communication example; and Best practices of communication for public safety on threat-related incidents. Templates and an interactive resource guide will be provided.
Speakers
avatar for Steven MacDonald

Steven MacDonald

Senior Threat Analyst and Trainer, Safer Schools Together
After receiving a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Victoria, Steven specialized in language analytics and artificial intelligence for major media corporations in the tech industry. As a member of the Safer Schools Together team, Steven specializes in... Read More →
LL
TC
Wednesday July 30, 2025 9:45am - 10:45am EDT
Room 106/107
  Breakout

9:45am EDT

Legal: Virginia Rules
Wednesday July 30, 2025 9:45am - 10:45am EDT
Room 104/105
The focus of “Virginia Rules” is on the criminal justice system, with particular emphasis on how Virginia laws apply to youth under 18. Virginia Rules will educate young Virginians about the law and help them develop skills needed to make sound decisions, to avoid breaking laws, and to become active citizens of their schools and communities. These Standards of Learning (SOL)-correlated lessons are designed for middle and high school students. Virginia Rules offers a comprehensive website with law-related resources and tools geared for students, parents, and instructors. From the website, instructors can access and download lessons with student worksheets, student topical handouts, and supplemental materials. This training is intended for teachers, school administrators, school resource officers (SROs), and school security officers (SSOs) serving middle and high school age youth.
Speakers
avatar for Mark Fero

Mark Fero

Programs Director, Virginia Office of Attorney General
"The Office of the Attorney General is the Commonwealth's law firm. In addition to representing the interests of the people of Virginia, our clients are Virginia state government and the state agencies, boards and commissions that compose it."
Wednesday July 30, 2025 9:45am - 10:45am EDT
Room 104/105
  Breakout

9:45am EDT

School-Based Prevention of Behavior Problems
Wednesday July 30, 2025 9:45am - 10:45am EDT
Conference Room C
When dealing with misbehaving students, tensions often run high, and it is easy to forget to focus on the needs of the students. This workshop offers real strategies to keep a trauma-informed lens in working with students in these situations to lower tensions and realistically de-escalate and regulate emotions.
Speakers
avatar for Lori Wood

Lori Wood

Senior Director of Emergency & Short-term Stabilization Services, Region Ten Community Services Board
Lori Wood is a Senior Director at Region Ten Community Services Board in Charlottesville, VA. She is a graduate of Emory & Henry College and the University of Virginia and is a Licensed Professional Counselor. She is a master instructor with the Thomas Jefferson Area CIT program and... Read More →
Wednesday July 30, 2025 9:45am - 10:45am EDT
Conference Room C
  Breakout

9:45am EDT

The Value of Relationships/Mentoring for SSO/SROs 
Wednesday July 30, 2025 9:45am - 10:45am EDT
Room 102/103
This training highlights the importance of building positive relationships and mentoring students as a key role of School Security Officers (SSOs) and School Resource Officers (SROs). Participants will learn how strong connections can foster trust, improve school safety, and support student well-being. Through real-life examples and interactive discussions, this session provides practical strategies for effective mentorship and relationship-building within the school community.
Speakers
JB
Wednesday July 30, 2025 9:45am - 10:45am EDT
Room 102/103
  Breakout

11:00am EDT

Be Safe Virginia
Wednesday July 30, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm EDT
Room 104/105
This workshop introduces the dynamic public health and safety program called “Be Safe Virginia” designed for students in Pre-K through 5th grade. This program covers essential topics such as bus safety, personal safety in both in-person and online interactions, and the impacts of substance abuse and bullying. Participants will explore a wealth of ready-to-use materials, including Learning Ready Visuals, lesson plans, slideshows, and more. We’ll walk through how to access and navigate these resources on our website and demonstrate effective teaching strategies tailored to young learners.
Speakers
avatar for Denae Griffin

Denae Griffin

Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services
Wednesday July 30, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm EDT
Room 104/105
  Breakout

11:00am EDT

Bomb Threat Assessment for Decision Makers
Wednesday July 30, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm EDT
Room 108/109
The Bomb Threat Assessment for Decision Makers Course introduces the participant to types of threats, the threat assessment process, and the implementation of a Bomb Threat Management (BTM) plan. It provides activities for participants to apply specific portions of the risk management process and their newly acquired knowledge about BTM procedures to develop a risk assessment of a bomb threat.

Attendees will need to have a FEMA SID, further registration information will be sent out before the conference.

Please bring a smart device with internet capabilities, this will be used for the end course assessment.
Speakers
avatar for Al Bunaugh

Al Bunaugh

Security Training and Assessment Specialist II, Fairfax County Public Schools
I've been a security professional for almost two decades.  I use everyday as a new opportunity to gain more knowledge and expertise to help teach and train my comrades and new generations.  I am a Fusion Liaison Officer, VA-DCJS School Security Officer Instructor, DCJS Crime Prevention... Read More →
Wednesday July 30, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm EDT
Room 108/109
  Breakout

11:00am EDT

Building Resilient Schools Through Unified Leadership
Wednesday July 30, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm EDT
Conference Room B
This breakout session will have participants examine the ways in which discipline, policies, and systems interact with students. Participants will gain a greater understanding of how having unified leadership at both the school and division levels can contribute to the overall school climate and resiliency of the schools. This session will provide opportunities to reflect on current practices while incorporating strategies for improvement.
Speakers
avatar for Matthew Woods, Ed.D.

Matthew Woods, Ed.D.

District Administrator and Educational Consultant, Leading Out The Woods LLC
Dr. Matthew Woods has served for more than 13 years assisting students, educators, and schools in a variety of roles. His professional experience includes being a high school social studies teacher, middle and high school assistant principal, middle school principal, director of student... Read More →
Wednesday July 30, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm EDT
Conference Room B
  Breakout

11:00am EDT

Collaborating on Mental Health Support for Safer Schools 
Wednesday July 30, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm EDT
Conference Room D
Division and school leadership, teachers, staff, school counselors, SROs, and psychologists all play an important role in the safety and well-being of students. However, they cannot work in silos. This session will explore how these vital roles align efforts to improve school climate, encourage student engagement, decrease truancy, and keep our youth safe during the school day. Useable strategies in the multi-tiered systems of support will be discussed.
Speakers
avatar for Sarah Ritchie

Sarah Ritchie

School Counselor and Division SEL Coordinator
Sarah Ritchie is a passionate and innovative school counselor with extensive experience supporting student mental health and fostering safe, inclusive school environments. As the 2023 Virginia School Counselor of the Year and a current board member with the Virginia School Counselor... Read More →
Wednesday July 30, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm EDT
Conference Room D
  Breakout

11:00am EDT

Communicating Through Crisis: Key Tips for Schools
Wednesday July 30, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm EDT
Room 106/107
In this session, attendees will explore effective critical incident response strategies for school safety leaders.  School leaders often find themselves at the center of a crisis and are responsible for communicating with staff, students, parents, and others about the situation. The form and scope of an incident can vary, but there are some key strategies you can use to effectively and quickly communicate with different audiences. By understanding these strategies, you can ensure that you are sharing the appropriate information in the most effective and timely way. Topics include: Examples of communication through various scenarios; Important content to include in key messages such as direction, status, actions, and compassion; Cautions in communication; Post-incident communication example; and Best practices of communication for public safety on threat-related incidents. Templates and an interactive resource guide will be provided.
Speakers
avatar for Steven MacDonald

Steven MacDonald

Senior Threat Analyst and Trainer, Safer Schools Together
After receiving a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Victoria, Steven specialized in language analytics and artificial intelligence for major media corporations in the tech industry. As a member of the Safer Schools Together team, Steven specializes in... Read More →
LL
TC
Wednesday July 30, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm EDT
Room 106/107
  Breakout

11:00am EDT

Safety in Numbers: Exploring the Relationship between Perceptions of Safety and Academic Achievement in Virginia Schools
Wednesday July 30, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm EDT
Conference Room A
Do people perform better when they feel safe? Using data from the DCJS School Survey of Climate and Working Conditions and Virginia Department of Education Standards of Learning Test Results, this presentation demonstrates an observable relationship between the perceptions of safety reported by students, classroom instructors, and staff in Virginia schools and the academic performance of students at those schools.
Speakers
avatar for Jared Hagenow, CTM

Jared Hagenow, CTM

Threat Assessment Specialist, Arlington Public Schools
A Certified Threat Manager through the Association of Threat Assessment Professionals, Jared is a subject matter expert in Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management now supporting the Arlington Public Schools (APS) Office of Safety, Security & Emergency Management as a Threat Assessment... Read More →
Wednesday July 30, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm EDT
Conference Room A
  Breakout

11:00am EDT

School-Based Prevention of Behavior Problems
Wednesday July 30, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm EDT
Conference Room C
When dealing with misbehaving students, tensions often run high, and it is easy to forget to focus on the needs of the students. This workshop offers real strategies to keep a trauma-informed lens in working with students in these situations to lower tensions and realistically de-escalate and regulate emotions.
Speakers
avatar for Lori Wood

Lori Wood

Senior Director of Emergency & Short-term Stabilization Services, Region Ten Community Services Board
Lori Wood is a Senior Director at Region Ten Community Services Board in Charlottesville, VA. She is a graduate of Emory & Henry College and the University of Virginia and is a Licensed Professional Counselor. She is a master instructor with the Thomas Jefferson Area CIT program and... Read More →
Wednesday July 30, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm EDT
Conference Room C
  Breakout

11:00am EDT

The Value of Relationships/Mentoring for SSO/SROs 
Wednesday July 30, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm EDT
Room 102/103
This training highlights the importance of building positive relationships and mentoring students as a key role of School Security Officers (SSOs) and School Resource Officers (SROs). Participants will learn how strong connections can foster trust, improve school safety, and support student well-being. Through real-life examples and interactive discussions, this session provides practical strategies for effective mentorship and relationship-building within the school community.
Speakers
JB
Wednesday July 30, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm EDT
Room 102/103
  Breakout

1:00pm EDT

Day 2 - Main Session Kickoff and DARE Awards
Wednesday July 30, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT
Grand Ballroom
- DARE Awards 
- Day 2 Announcements 
- Highlights from the Field 

Speakers
avatar for Donna Michaelis

Donna Michaelis

Division Director, DCJS
Wednesday July 30, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT
Grand Ballroom
  Keynote

2:00pm EDT

The Link Between School Culture, Climate, and Safety 
Wednesday July 30, 2025 2:00pm - 3:00pm EDT
Grand Ballroom
In this powerful keynote, author and educator Stephanie Malia Krauss draws from her bestselling book Whole Child, Whole Life to describe how today's challenging times affect young people's sense of safety, resilience, and academic success. This talk explores what it takes to navigate uncertainty and thrive now and in the future. Through research-backed insights and practical strategies, participants will learn to identify warning signs that students need support and discover effective ways to balance school expectations with young people’s fundamental needs to feel protected, prepared, and cared for. 
Speakers
SM
Wednesday July 30, 2025 2:00pm - 3:00pm EDT
Grand Ballroom
  Keynote

3:15pm EDT

CONFLICT TO CONNECTION: Build Positive Relationships with Students to Increase Outcomes
Wednesday July 30, 2025 3:15pm - 4:30pm EDT
Grand Ballroom
TBD
Speakers
avatar for Fabian Ramirez

Fabian Ramirez

Speaker | Author | Leadership Strategist
David is the only 5-language-speaking-motivational-comedian on the planet! David empathizes with diverse students who face challenges because he was once considered an “at-risk student” himself before defying the odds and graduating with a bachelor’s degree and then earning... Read More →
Wednesday July 30, 2025 3:15pm - 4:30pm EDT
Grand Ballroom
  Keynote
 
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