In today's climate, ensuring safety in educational settings is paramount. Join us for "Prevent Harm" a crucial installment in the "Path to Safer Schools" series. This podcast brings together a panel of esteemed experts, from diverse backgrounds such as education, law enforcement, mental health, and technology. Together, they will explore innovative strategies and community engagement tactics to safeguard our students.
Panel Discussion Overview:
The "Prevent Harm" podcast is tailored to equip educators, administrators, parents, and policymakers with actionable insights to cultivate safer school environments. Our panel will engage in dynamic discussions covering topics such as:
Early Identification of Risks: Proactive approaches to identify and mitigate potential threats, leveraging behavioral assessments and social media monitoring.
Building a Culture of Safety: Strategies to foster a secure and supportive school culture where reporting concerns is encouraged.
Innovative Safety Technologies: Exploration of cutting-edge technologies, from advanced security systems to anonymous reporting apps, to bolster school safety.
Mental Health and Well-being: test technological advancements that can enhance school safety, from advanced security systems to apps that facilitate anonymous reporting.
Mental Health and Well-being: Addressing the critical importance of mental health services in schools as a preventative measure, including counseling, peer support programs, and staff training.
Community and Law Enforcement Collaboration: Effective models for collaboration between schools, local communities, and law enforcement agencies to ensure a coordinated response to safety concerns.
Policy and Legislative Considerations: Discussion on current and proposed policies impacting school safety and how attendees can advocate for positive change.
Speakers
- Kevin Eberle, EdD
COO Buffalo Public Schools, Ret.·Edingenuity, LLC
Dr. Kevin Eberle brings over 27 years of experience as a building administrator and former police officer to the field of education consulting, focusing on safety and culture change. As a retired school principal and COO of Buffalo Public Schools, he has also served as a teacher, counselor, and assistant principal. Dr. Eberle's multidisciplinary approach emphasizes trauma-informed care, restorative practices, and positive staff development with mindfulness techniques, demonstrating how these strategies can transform a school's culture and fabric. He is an associate with Zeal Education Group and serves on the boards of the Police Athletic League, Family Justice Center, OLV Humane Service, and Zero Now. - John Bullwinkel
Retired US Secret Service
John Bullwinkel is an accomplished Secret Service Special Agent with over 20 years of experience in national and global security leadership, focusing on personnel and facilities in the nation's capital. Transitioning to a Threat Manager role in the public sector, John brings extensive expertise in high-level security assurance and threat management. His skills encompass security system assessments, risk mitigation, high-level security operations, executive-level protection, tactical team operations, logistics, event security planning, and team leadership. Known for building valuable relationships, John excels in collaborating with stakeholders, management, team members, vendors, and clients at all organizational levels. - Brian Katz
Safer School Solutions
Brian Katz most recently served as the Chief Safety and Security Officer for the Broward County Public School District, the nation's 6th largest school district. With over 20 years of experience in physical security, investigations, and executive protection, he has provided security consulting for Fortune 500 companies and other unique clients.
At Google, Mr. Katz was the Director of Personnel Protective Services, where he built Google's Global Security Investigations and Intelligence teams from a single person to an industry-leading strategic global organization. He developed the Executive Protection Group, Intelligence Group, and the Global Security Operations Center, managing the company's Aviation program and responding to emergent threats worldwide.
Following the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School tragedy in 2018, Broward County School District created a Division of Safety, Security, and Emergency Preparedness as a Cabinet-level Chief position. Mr. Katz was selected to fill this role in February 2019 after a national search.
In this position, Mr. Katz designed the new Division from the ground up, centralizing all safety and security functions, doubling the number of security staff, and creating layers of safety and security accountability. He also developed a comprehensive safety and security training framework, rolling out these initiatives district-wide.
