2025 Region 10 - Safety 1st Conference

Kick off your morning with a fresh cup of coffee from our onsite barista and a delicious breakfast while networking with vendors. Arrive between 8:00am–8:30am to receive an extra door prize ticket! This is a great opportunity to explore new products, connect with industry partners, and start the day on a high note. Don’t miss it!

On the morning of March 27, 2023, a woman arrived at The Covenant School in Nashville Tennessee, on the campus of Covenant Presbyterian Church, to carry out a calculated plan to commit mass murder. She was heavily armed with three guns, two of them assault-type weapons, and shot her way through glass doors into the building. She immediately shot and killed a custodian before climbing to an upper level of the school where she shot and killed three nine-year-old students, the school principal, and a substitute teacher.

After a 911 call was placed, Officer Rex Engelbert and Detective Sergeant Jeffrey Mathes, along with Detectives Michael Collazo, Zachary Plese and Ryan Cagle, rushed to the scene. Officer Engelbert retrieved his patrol rifle, was handed a key to the building by a school staffer and yelled for other arriving officers to join him in entering the building. These five officers formed a cohesive team and immediately began clearing school classrooms in search of the shooter.

As the officers methodically cleared the first floor of the building, they heard shots coming from the second floor and immediately climbed a flight of stairs and rushed to the sounds of gunfire. They encountered the shooter near the windows, opening fire on officers below. During the encounter, Officer Engelbert and Detective Collazo took down the shooter, and the encounter ended 13 minutes after the first 911 call had been received.

- The importance of communication and pre-planning by the cabinet, school board and security personnel

- A review of important board policies governing school board meetings

- Proper board room set-up with an eye towards safety and security

- Emergency procedures for responding to disruptions and violence during board meetings

- Avoiding legal “danger zones” under the Texas Open Meetings Act

The Hot Yoga Tallahassee case study demonstrates the opportunities that exist to prevent targeted violence while drawing particular focus to the risk posed by misogynistic extremism. Highlighted throughout the case study are assessment themes that were evident in the background of the Hot Yoga Tallahassee attacker. These assessment themes are frequently seen in the backgrounds of other attackers and, as such, should be the focus of community-level violence prevention efforts to identify and intervene with those who pose a risk of engaging in targeted violence.

This session will provide a comprehensive overview of the Sentinel platform, including a
review of all modules and features, as well as updates expected for the 2025-2026
school year. Additionally, we will review the various user roles and module accessibility
based on user role. A short Q & A session will be held towards the end of the
presentation to provide further clarification or troubleshoot issues participants may be
having.

Sandy Hook Promise is a national nonprofit dedicated to empowering youth and adults to prevent violence in schools, homes, and communities. Through our evidence-informed Know the Signs prevention programs, students learn to recognize warning signs, intervene, and get help for those who may be socially isolated or at risk of self-harm or violence. Join us to discover how your school or district can take part in fostering a culture and community of upstanders.

Join us for an insightful session on enhancing cybersecurity and safety in educational environments. Our presentation will cover critical topics such as extortion of minors, cyberbullying, inappropriate web content, online grooming, and the impact of isolation on mental health. We will also address common cybersecurity issues like phishing, malware, stolen passwords, identity theft, and app privacy. Additionally, we will discuss the challenges of misinformation, including AI-generated content, bot amplification, and fake videos.

This session provides an in-depth overview of the key indicators associated with gang activity, including common gang symbols, tattoos, and evolving trends. Participants will learn to recognize visual markers and behavioral patterns that can help law enforcement, educators, and community members identify potential gang involvement.

The session will also explore how gang culture is shifting, with a focus on new and emerging hybrid gangs, and their impact on local communities. Attendees will gain insight into the significance of specific tattoos, hand signs, colors, and other identifiers that gangs use to assert their presence and affiliations.

Additionally, the session will highlight the importance of early intervention and collaboration between various sectors to prevent gang involvement and mitigate its effects. Whether you're a law enforcement professional or educator, this session will equip you with the tools needed to spot the signs of gang activity and stay informed on current trends.

This session will provide a comprehensive overview of the Sentinel platform, including a
review of all modules and features, as well as updates expected for the 2025-2026
school year. Additionally, we will review the various user roles and module accessibility
based on user role. A short Q & A session will be held towards the end of the
presentation to provide further clarification or troubleshoot issues participants may be
having.

Preparing for, and ultimately limiting the number of casualties during a critical incident is the driving purpose of Emergency Operations Management.  Our districts have created specific Annexes and Appendices within our MEOPs to address these concerns.
This presentation looks beyond the printed word and examines how relevant our training practices are, and how realistic are the expectations.  Staff serving as Immediate Responders as they await the arrival of emergency services must have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities.  Unless trained to be “the police” there should be no expectation that they perform as such.  This discussion will serve to clear any blurred lines and ensure training is being well documented and effectively delivered.

What's on the menu?  Your choice of:

1. Grilled chicken breast topped with black beans, corn, peppers, sharp cheddar and onions
2. Chopped steak smothered with mushrooms and onions in brown gravy
3. Grilled chicken breast stuffed with roasted peppers and fresh mozzarella, topped with a garlic cream sauce
4. Sauteed sirloin tips with shallots topped with a reduced demi-glace sauce
5. Stuffed Bell Pepper with sauteed veggies, basmati rice and cheese (Vegetarian) 
   

In this session, participants will gain valuable insights from a comprehensive review of a critical incident that impacted a Dallas ISD campus. The presentation will focus on the sequence of events, response efforts, and key takeaways from the incident.

Hear about the proposed legislation related to safety being considered by our lawmakers right now in the 89th legislative session and learn the best way to provide your feedback.

This session will provide a comprehensive overview of the Sentinel platform, including a
review of all modules and features, as well as updates expected for the 2025-2026
school year. Additionally, we will review the various user roles and module accessibility
based on user role. A short Q & A session will be held towards the end of the
presentation to provide further clarification or troubleshoot issues participants may be
having.

Deputy Chief Finley will provide a TEA Office of School Safety and Security update, to include the latest information on imminent rollout of the Behavioral Threat Assessment (BTA) portion on Sentinel. Upcoming BTA (Sentinel) training dates will be released along with chance to register first while in the session. 

This workshop covers alcohol and drug clothing, alcoholic energy drinks, prescription drug abuse and misuse, alcohol and drug concealment methods and containers, drug paraphernalia, drug related music and groups, logos, stickers, new technology, youth party tendencies, party games, non-traditional alcoholic beverages, social networking sites, synthetic drugs, OTC drugs, inhalants, marijuana concentrates, E-cigarettes, and popular party drugs, including opioids, Adderall, and ecstasy. It also includes common stash compartments that can be used to hide weapons inside everyday clothing containers and other items, in addition to the impact on traffic safety. In addition, the Tall Cop reviews the emerging trends of Xylazine, legal “gas station heroin” products, and Opioids.

Join us for a session dedicated to giveaways! Thanks to our generous vendors, we’ll be randomly drawing names and giving away a variety of amazing prizes. Stick around until the end for the grand prize giveaway—you won’t want to miss it!