Enhancing School Communication & Reunification

School Safety Today podcast, presented by Raptor Technologies.

In today’s episode of School Safety Today by Raptor Technologies, host Michelle Dawn Mooney sat down with John-Michael Keyes, executive director and co-founder of the “I Love U Guys” Foundation to shed light on their mission, collaboration, and unique approach to training, all aimed at protecting the joy of youth. During the podcast, they discussed the following:

• The development and implementation of the Standard Response Protocol, a shared vocabulary between students, staff, and the first responders for school safety.

• Challenges and strategies for reunification of students with parents after a crisis while maintaining accountability and mental health support.

• The Foundation’s unique approach to training with insights from trainers having personal experience in crisis.

The “I Love U Guys” Foundation, was established in 2006 after John-Michael and his wife, Ellen, lost their daughter, Emily to a tragic school shooting, Emily’s last text messages that day were, “I love U Guys, K” to her mother, and ”I Love U Guys” to her father, which became the catalyst for their mission to restore and protect the joy of youth through educational programs and positive actions in collaboration with families, school, communities, and government entities.

Recent Episodes

Workforce training is undergoing a radical transformation as industries face critical talent shortages and rapid technological change. Building a future-ready workforce requires rethinking traditional higher education models. These models emphasize broad academic development over targeted skill-building and struggle to keep pace with employer demands. According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report…

As the educational landscape rapidly evolves—shaped by advances in communication technology, growing mental health awareness, and post-pandemic classroom dynamics—one key question persists: How can we better connect with and empower both educators and students in the classroom? The stakes are high: studies show that teacher-student relationships directly impact student motivation, academic success, and long-term…

As K-12 schools across the U.S. struggle to recover from the learning loss and emotional fallout of the pandemic, a deeper reckoning is underway—one that challenges the very foundation of who’s responsible for educating our children. Despite billions in federal relief, a third of U.S. students are not even reading at a basic level…