Welcome to the Region 10 Safety 1st Conference: Making Schools Safe!
Region 10’s ESC Safety 1st Conference: Making Schools Safe will mirror our regional focus on students by providing this service to help lead school staff to solutions that focus upon greater safety on school campuses.
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Join Stefanie in this session as she shares her journey of losing her son, Tucker, to Fentanyl poisoning. Explore the origins, risks, and daily presence of Fentanyl. Examine existing laws and the mission of Texas Against Fentanyl (TXAF) to educate, support, and advocate for legislative changes in the fight against the Fentanyl epidemic. Acquire knowledge and skills to raise awareness, prevent harm, and contribute to public health. Identify risks, recognize signs of poisoning, and learn effective responses for critical situations.
In the Spring of 2023, a gunman opened fire and killed eight people at the Allen Premium Outlets. The shooting occurred on a Saturday nowhere near a school campus, and none of the victims had a connection to Allen ISD. Despite the fact that this was a non-school event, learn how quickly a school district can become interwoven with a community crisis and how the Safe and Secure School Department and Communications Department worked together to handle the situation.
Students cannot learn unless they feel safe. As Celina ISD experiences exponential growth, building multiple schools each year, we are purposefully designing schools that create a stronger sense of community while ensuring our campuses are physically secure. This session will help participants learn some of the lessons we have learned in designing new campuses where our students can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.
Saturday March 22, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am CDT
Bowie Room
Elevate student success by placing a spotlight on student well-being within your district. This session explores recent legislative efforts dedicated to addressing both the physical and mental health problems experienced by students. Join us for a discussion on important updates, including medication laws, SHAC (School Health Advisory Council) mandates, procedures for mental health and safety concerns, and more.
Managing the volume of students needing support requires a team effort. With staff—which should include all school personnel, like bus drivers, food services, and maintenance in addition to teachers, SROs and administrators—trained to recognize these concerns and share them with guidance, students can be paired with the appropriate services and supports more quickly. In this session, we explore how we can apply proven strategies to collect and connect the dots for better outcomes. We will review the impact of the student mental health crisis and the information silos that block our view. And we will uncover the upstream opportunities for school staff, SROs and administrators to intervene well before acts of violence to self and others occur on our campuses. Just as much as the whole school community needs to support and enact safety initiatives to keep staff and students physically safe, they must also work together to support our student’s social and emotional safety. The content of this presentation includes how one district utilized documenting low-level concerns of current and previous students to improve safety across all campuses.
Saturday March 22, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am CDT
Austin Room
Human trafficking is a pervasive and complex issue that often intersects with schools and affecting vulnerable populations. Delve into the intricacies of human trafficking, its connection to schools and the vital role school personnel play in addressing this issue. Attendees will gain valuable knowledge, tools, and awareness necessary to identify and respond to human trafficking within their community.
During this session, we will examine real-world examples of threats made toward schools in the North Texas area. We will explore the intricacies of each situation, from the nature of the threats to the comprehensive mitigation strategies implemented. We will gain an understanding of the challenges faced and the proactive measures taken to ensure the safety of students, staff, and the school community as a whole.
When one unfortunate event after another struck the same school district within three years, there was no precedent to follow, no step-by-step guide. Through firsthand account, explore how one superintendent responded to a myriad of crises while learning through trial and error. Discover ways to move forward and effectively unite a student body, a district, and a community.
Saturday March 22, 2025 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT
Crockett Room
Forney ISD wanted to create a first of its kind learning facility that not only addressed their growing capacity needs at the high school level and a desire to expand CTE programming, but also provide immersive entrepreneurial experiences as well as learning opportunities for the entire Forney Family. The Keith Bell Opportunity Central provides learning for ages 3 to 103, higher education pathways for graduates and their families alike, spaces designed for ‘edutainment’, and a community resource for the entire district. The first floor is open to the public full time while the second and third floors are for high school students during the school day, and higher education and community access after-hours. Join us to learn about how the team integrated safety and security into the design of a facility with public use as a desired outcome.
School safety has eclipsed educational leadership to become the highest priority of parents, school districts, and the community. In this session, we will discover a four-pillar framework for a robust safety and security strategy that every board trustee and district administrator should have a basic understanding of. We’ll then explore ways school boards and district administration can effectively promote safe and secure schools, foster public confidence and harmonize their respective responsibilities in district governance, resource allocation, administration and policy.
Attorney / Consultant, Law Office of Joseph L. Parks, PLLC
Joseph (Joe) Parks is a Texas attorney and consultant whose practice focuses on school safety, workplace investigations and training. A licensed attorney since 2004, he has experience in employment law, commercial litigation, school law and open government law. Joe previously... Read More →
Saturday March 22, 2025 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT
Collin Room
Explore the integration of mental health support within the Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) framework in this informative session. Discover practical strategies for assessing, identifying, and implementing evidence-based practices at different tiers. Learn to foster collaborative partnerships and use data-driven decision-making for effective mental health interventions. Leave with actionable insights to create a positive and inclusive learning environment for all students. Join us to build a foundation for comprehensive student success.
Mental and Behavioral Health Program Coordinator, Region 10 Special Populations, Region 10 ESC
Jennifer Farley, SSP, NCSP, is a professional School Psychologist, making significant contributions to multiple DFW school districts and serving as a Behavior Consultant and Mental and Behavioral Health Program Coordinator for the Region 10 Education Service Center. With a commitment... Read More →
Saturday March 22, 2025 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT
Austin Room
This panel discussion will explore perspectives and experiences from panelists to focus on current topics of Texas HB3, Guardians, Marshals and school security options, staffing, funding and the critical components of coordination between school administrators and law enforcement in school environments.
The Texas School Safety Center (TxSSC) is an official, university-level research center at Texas State University. Tasked by the Texas Education Code and the Governor's Homeland Security Strategic Plan with key school safety initiatives and mandates. TxSSC serves as a clearinghouse for the dissemination of safety and security information through research, training, and technical assistance for K-12 schools and junior colleges throughout the state of Texas. This session will review safety mandates and updates for all public school and charter districts and discuss current and upcoming compliance safety measures.
Embark on a transformative journey with me as I share my personal odyssey from surviving trafficking to becoming an advocate. Learn about the intricacies of human trafficking and its profound impact, exploring real-life experiences that shed light on this critical issue. Discover actionable insights and strategies, equipping educators to recognize, respond, and actively contribute to the fight against human trafficking in our communities.
In the spring of 2023, the Carrollton-Farmers Branch Independent School District (CFBISD) faced a heartbreaking reality: the loss of three young lives to fentanyl overdoses. This devastating event sent shockwaves through the community, sparking a collective resolve to fight back. Fueled by grief and determination, CFBISD launched the "One Pill Can Kill" campaign – an aggressive initiative aimed at empowering the entire community to combat the national opioid crisis.
Saturday March 22, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm CDT
Crockett Room
Participants in this sessions will hear perspectives from the panelists including a school district police chief, assistant superintendent of safety and operations as well as former superintendent of schools. Each brings a unique background and experiences to the current challenges of school safety that will resonate with all school leaders today. With the current Texas law compliance requirements of House Bill 3, panelists will explore various options for integrating law enforcement in all schools while ensuring a safe, healthy learning environment. Panelists will also explore the importance of strong communications and relationships with school leaders and law enforcement in providing safe schools. Participants will also have the opportunity to interact with panelists and initiate and submit discussion questions that are relevant to their specific interests and circumstances surrounding school safety.
Saturday March 22, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm CDT
Bowie Room
The 88th Legislature required all public school districts to ensure the presence of armed security officers on all campuses. This presentation will explore the complexities of the legislation, as well as the formation of ISD police departments, School Marshalls, Guardians, and School Resource Officers.
As the Founder and President of Arlana Janell Miller Check On Your Strong Friends Foundation, Janice will share her story of healing after losing her daughter, Arlana, to suicide when in college. She will share lessons learned and how to notice signs of stress, depression, and anxiety with your coworkers and students. Janice will also share how to transfer your pain to advocacy. Additionally, guests from Athletes for Hope will share stories of the impact on athlete mental health, share examples of resources for addressing athlete mental health, and lead a larger discussion about what schools and professionals can do to better support student mental health.
Saturday March 22, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm CDT
Austin Room
School districts are increasingly taking action to provide school-based law enforcement (SBLE) services to enhance their safety & security programs and meet legislative requirements outlined in HB 3. Have you considered the impact on your worker’s compensation and liability programs? The rules apply differently for law enforcement officers, meaning school district exposure is also different.
The District Vulnerability Assessment required by HB3 in the 88th legislative session is an assessment and improvement tool for both the Texas Education Agency, Office of School Safety and Security and for Superintendents designed to evaluate a district’s current safety posture aligned with statutory requirements. The assessment will evaluate how a district puts their safety plans and objectives into action through training of staff and students, internal evaluation of facilities, as well as the integration of technology with the goal of providing districts with technical expertise to assist every school district to achieve compliance with established safety standards. This evaluation tool will provide district leadership with information, guidance and technical assistance to prioritize safety requirements and leverage district resources to maximize education outcomes for students and staff.
The presentation will demonstrate the chaotic environment created by a spontaneous attack. Participants will be given context and historical data that outlines methods for providing aid and restoring order to heavily populated areas.
