The Changing Face of School Security: An Allegion Podcast

S1 Ep. 9 Building Resilient Schools: Protecting Student Mental Health & Safety

When COVID-19 first made waves, it caused a major disruption in schools and in turn, greatly affected students’ mental health and behaviors. 
Student mental health is a growing cause for concern today, not just for the students themselves, but for overall school safety. It’s important that schools have protocols in place to prevent and respond to threats, bullying, and violence appropriately. That’s where a behavioral threat assessment model can be valuable.
In this episode of The Changing Face of School Security, Dr. Melissa Reeves, Ph.D., NCSP, LCMHC, and expert in mental health and behavioral counseling in schools, joined host Paul Timm to discuss behavioral threat assessments, Dr. Reeves’ professional experience in school crisis prevention and intervention, and programs that aim to support mental health in schools, especially for at-risk students. 

S1 Ep. 8 Adapting School Security: From the PASS(t) into the Future

No two schools are alike, and while best practices surrounding safety can apply to most situations, no security plan is one-size-fits-all. School security requires a specialized, careful approach and planning.
That’s where The Partner Alliance for Safer Schools (PASS) comes in. PASS brings together educators, public officials, and industry experts to develop a coordinated approach to K-12 safety using proven practices, education and free resources.
In this episode of The Changing Face of School Security, Chuck Wilson, the co-founder and chairman of the Board of Directors for PASS, joined host Paul Timm to discuss the origin, mission, and growth of PASS over the years, significant changes in school security protocols, including thermal imaging and vape detection, and his predictions for the evolution of school security in the coming years.

S1 Ep. 7 Advocacy for Advanced Tech: Emerging School Safety and Security

As technology evolves, so must the ways we secure our schools. But how do you determine the right solutions for your facility?
In response to critical events or emergencies, schools may feel pressured to act quickly when it comes to safety and security. While it’s important to respond to such concerns, many schools are left with equipment that’s outdated or not effective for their specific needs.
In this episode of The Changing Face of School Security, James Marcella, the Director of Industry Associations for Axis Communications, joined host Paul Timm to discuss the value of K-12 advocacy organizations in safety & security, applications for video surveillance technology in access control and the importance of integrating technology into operational planning.

S1 Ep. 6 Beyond the Badge: NASRO’s Mission to Enhance School Security

School security is a complex issue requiring support and guidance from experts. That’s where organizations like the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO) comes in.
School Resource Officers (SROs) are important fixtures in schools. Not only do they aim to create a safe day-to-day school environment, they are also crucial to planning and implementing long-term security measures. They help take this responsibility off the hands of teachers and staff.
Not just anyone can be an SRO, however. The role requires extensive training, knowledge, and commitment to school safety and security.
In this episode of The Changing Face of School Security, Mo Canady, Executive Director of NASRO, joined host Paul Timm to discuss NASRO's mission partnerships and instructional offerings and trends that involve and affect school resource officers.

S1 Ep. 5 90 Minutes, No Lives Lost: Molly Hudgens’ Story

September 28, 2016, started as a typical school day for Molly Hudgens, a guidance counselor at Sycamore Middle School. That is, until an eighth-grade student approached her office with a fully loaded handgun and a plan to harm people on campus. After 90 minutes that felt like hours, Molly was able to disarm the student, but struggled to communicate with the School Resource Officer or call for help. Her careful actions and thoughtful communication tactics ultimately aided her that day, preventing a potentially tragic event from happening. In this episode of The Changing Face of School Security, Molly joined host Paul Timm to discuss her firsthand experience preventing the Sycamore Middle School shooting, the importance of communication and School Resource Officers, and how to support students beyond the classroom and into adulthood. 

S1 Ep. 4 From FBI to School Security: Combatting Swatting and Improving Safety in Education

After 23 years in the FBI, Jin Kim decided he wasn’t done advocating for safety and joined Safe and Sound Schools to continue his passion in school security. 
In recent years, Jin saw that schools and law enforcement had issues with security and “swatting”, or prank calls made to emergency services to falsely report violence or threats to dispatch armed officers. Not only does this waste time and resources, it creates fear and the potential for danger, even if no threat is present. From there, Jin made it his mission to educate schools and law enforcement on tactical readiness and active shooter response training. 
Jin joined host Paul Timm on The Changing Face of School Security to discuss his journey from FBI to school safety activist, the issues with “swatting”, and his recommended best practices during school shooting events. 

S1 Ep. 3 How Technology is Making Schools Safer—and Bullying Easier

Kids aren’t just facing bullying in-person—it’s also from behind their phone and computer screens. 
Jeff Bean started his career in school safety as a School Resource Officer (SRO) during his time as a police officer. As concerns for safety changed and grew, he started SafeSchools4All, an educational resource for parents, faculty, administrators and students that aims to create safe school environments. 
When technology changes and grows, it can enhance security but also foster unsafe environments for students. SafeSchools4All helps parents and teachers stay up to date on topics involving bullying and other safety issues, providing guidance on discussions with kids. 
Jeff also advocates for the use of security technology, especially for student Chromebooks or other electronic devices. Listen to learn his perspective on the changing environment of school security. 

S1 Ep. 2 Strengthening School Safety Protocols: Lessons Learned from a Tragic Event

For Guy Bliesner, the Rigby Middle School shooting in 2021 wasn’t only a tragic event—it was a crucial learning experience for the safety protocols schools should have in place during and following such events.
 
After witnessing the aftermath of the shooting, Guy observed just how overwhelming the following processes can be. From initial response to communication and reunification, Guy details just how important it is not to just train and carry out streamlined protocols but to acknowledge human emotions and mitigate the trauma responses in the aftereffects.
 
Listen to learn Guy’s experience in the real-time response and aftermath of the Rigby school shooting, the importance of school culture and climate to security, and how he sees school security changing in coming years.

S1 Ep. 1 From Tragedy to Advocacy: Redefining School Security After Sandy Hook

The Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy didn't just impact the community of Newtown, Conneticut on December 14, 2012. If affected the entire landscape of school security as we knew it.
In our first episode to kick off The Changing Face of School Security, Paul Timm interviewed Michele Gay, Co-founder & Executive Directorof Safe and Sound Schools.
After losing her daughter, Josephine Grace, to the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy, Michele has focused her advocacy on improving safety and security in schools and communities, especially for those with special needs like her daughter and many others.
Listen to learn more about the Safe and Sound Schools mission, the Especially Safe Schools program, the importance of creating appropriate plans for school safety and more on the changing landscape of school security.

Preview: The Changing Face of School Security

In this podcast, Paul Timm highlights the changemakers in the K-12 industry—from school security coordinators and analysts to non-profit organizations and trusted advisors in the K-12 solutions space. This podcast is for school administrators, school security experts, and those looking to make a difference in school security.