Learning from Averted School Violence to Prevent Tragedies

 

In this episode of School Safety Today, host Dr. Amy Grosso speaks with Michele Gay, co-founder of Safe and Sound Schools, about the critical role of learning from averted school violence incidents. Michele highlights the importance of the Averted School Violence (ASV) Project, a unique resource that collects and analyzes “saves”—instances where school tragedies were successfully prevented.

Drawing on her extensive experience as an educator and advocate, Michele discusses how these prevention stories offer actionable insights that help improve school safety policies and procedures.

KEY POINTS:

  1. The ASV Project provides essential lessons from incidents where crises were prevented, helping schools refine their safety measures.
  2. Stories from the ASV Project highlight practical steps schools can take to identify and address potential threats before they escalate.
  3. Strong relationships between students, staff, and safety teams are at the core of early intervention and effective crisis prevention.
  4. How to learn more about the ASV Project and Safe and Sound Schools.

Our guest, Michele Gay, mother, educator, and co-founder of Safe and Sound Schools, chose to take action after losing her daughter Josephine Grace on December 14, 2012. Since that time, she has channeled her work as an advocate, improving safety and security in schools and communities across our country. With a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Towson State University, Michele earned her master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from McDaniel College. Prior to the Sandy Hook tragedy, she taught at the elementary level in the Maryland and Virginia public schools. Now a nationally and internationally recognized public speaker, school safety expert, and a regular contributor for print, radio, and television outlets.

As the primary visionary and author of Safe and Sound’s programs and materials, Michele has served as a stakeholder voice in national legislative discussions. Through these works, she continues to build Safe and Sound Schools as a national hub of school safety education, technical assistance, expert content, and best practices. An educator by training — and fueled by the heart of a mother and community member — Michele is uniquely positioned to help others prepare for, prevent, respond to, and recover from tragedies of their own. Remaining inspired by Josephine, every day, she dedicates herself to honoring Josephine’s memory through this work to ensure that every school, every child, and every community is truly safe and sound.

Recent Episodes

Across classrooms today, student engagement is proving to be one of the strongest predictors of success. Learners who feel connected and motivated in school are not only more likely to excel academically but also more likely to approach the future with confidence and optimism. As artificial intelligence and other emerging tools reshape what’s possible…

Video surveillance has long been the backbone of physical security, but with the integration of artificial intelligence, it’s becoming the first frontier for meaningful innovation. Chuck Wilson, Chairman of Technology, alliant; CEO Emeritus, National Systems Contractors Association, explains why AI is reshaping this space faster than any other. At the core of the shift is…

September marks National Campus Safety Month, a timely reminder for students and parents to prioritize personal safety as a new school year begins. In this episode of Secured, Carrie Pasquarello, CEO of Global Secure Resources, highlights emerging risks on college campuses and the proactive steps that can help students stay safe and empowered. One of…