Unify your teams, tools, and protocols to build a stronger, more resilient school culture.

School safety is more complex than ever. Balancing physical security, mental health, emergency planning, and compliance across dozens of teams is not easy. And too often, these efforts stay siloed between departments. But real safety requires shared responsibility, clear communication, and an approach that supports both prevention and response.

This eBook brings together two of the nation's foremost experts—retired FBI agent Katherine Schweit and former deputy superintendent Dr. Joe McKenna—to challenge outdated thinking and offer a smarter, more unified path forward. Learn how leading districts are building a true culture of safety without adding complexity or exhausting staff.

Disconnected Safety Systems Put Schools at Risk

While schools invest in cameras, protocols, and emergency drills, the most critical risks often fall through the cracks:

Why Connected Systems Matter:

Mental health professionals and safety officers rarely share data or planning tools
Frontline staff spot problems early, but aren't always empowered to act
Students and families often perceive safety differently from administrators

According to CDC data:

71% of students say their schools need to do more to support mental health
1 in 5 high schoolers has seriously considered suicide in the last year
Only 38% of students feel their school handles safety concerns transparently

A unified safety culture is the solution, and this guide shows you how to build it.

Earlier this year, Alabama introduced legislation requiring schools to provide school employees training for and access to a mobile emergency rapid response system. The bill, HB234, requires employees to have a device that links directly to law enforcement to speed the response time in an emergency. If passed, the law becomes effective October 1, 2025, and stipulates compliance by October 1, 2030.

The law is modeled after Alyssa’s Law, already enacted in other states. Alyssa’s Law is named for 14-year-old Alyssa Alhadeff, a victim in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School massacre.

Leadership Lessons That Transform Safety from a Department to a Districtwide Culture

Key Takeaways:

How to break down silos between physical and emotional safety teams
Why "safety" isn't just the job of the SRO or principal—and how to make it everyone's responsibility
Ways to engage staff beyond leadership, from food service to custodians to IT
How to align MTSS, threat assessment, and emergency protocols under one approach
Simple strategies to boost trust, visibility, and staff confidence—without having to add new tools

Unify your teams, tools, and protocols to build a stronger, more resilient school culture.

Disconnected Safety Systems Put Schools at Risk

Be Proactive in Protecting Your School Community

Leadership Lessons That Transform Safety from a Department to a Districtwide Culture

"If people don't feel safe, it doesn’t matter what protocols you have."

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