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- Press Release – Maryland Center for School Safety Leads Statewide School-Based Incident Tabletop Exercise
- MCSS Promotes the Use of Standard Response Protocols from the “i love u guys” Foundation
- Wear Blue for Human Trafficking Awareness January 11, 2024
- How to Stay Safe During Severe Weather Season
- Show Your Appreciation for School Resource Officers On February 15
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2021 Conference: Michael Meiser Presents “Incorporating Student ID Badges Into Safety, Security, and Beyond”
Michael Meiser will demonstrate how student ID badges can be incorporated into everyday student life and beyond. Charles County Public Schools has implemented a robust student ID badge program that allows students to use their ID badges for signing in late and leaving early, purchasing their meals, Interacting with the media center, and tracking students at reunification sites. Future plans for use include daily classroom attendance and scanning students on an off buses. As a safety and security measure, this proactive badge program also allows students to be identified as on-campus students or possible trespassers. The ID badge program goes beyond the school walls. Through community collaboration CCPS has partnered with local businesses to allow students to obtain student discounts at local businesses when they present their student ID badges. Charles County Public Schools is one of the only schools in the region with such a vibrant student ID badge program. Learn about successes and road blocks this program has experienced and see how you can incorporate such a program into your school or system.
Michael Meiser has worked and served in Charles County Public Schools for twenty-six years. Mr. Meiser is a former Executive MASSP Board Member and a former MPSSAA Board of Control Member. He has his Bachelor’s Degree in Science and Education from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania and Master’s Degree in School Administration and Supervision from Bowie State University. After teaching and coaching in the classroom for ten years, Mr. Meiser became a Middle School Vice Principal at Benjamin Stoddert. Upon a transfer to Thomas Stone High School as, Vice Principal he was named Principal at Thomas Stone High School and later served as Principal at Westlake High School. While in this position, his schools were recognized as National, State and Local Schools of Character. Mr. Meiser was also trained and recognized as a Certified AVID trainer, as result he has traveled across the country as an AVID trainer of Principals. Mr. Meiser served as Director of Adult Education helping adults obtain their GED and career goals. After 25 years in the schools, Mr. Meiser has now taken on a more global approach to the school system as he is currently working with the Office of Safety and Security as well as Students Services working as School Safety and Residency Administrator. In this role, Mr. Meiser is works collaboratively to sustain a safe learning and work environment for over 27,000 student and nearly 4,000 staff members. He works collaboratively with all schools and Central Office of to manage the Residency Investigations, Bullying, Harassment and Intimidation Data, School Change Request Process and Title IV Grant, as well as Home Schooling within CCPS. Mr. Meiser serves on the Charles County All-Hazard Incident Management Team. During the recent COVID pandemic, Mr. Meiser worked with the Charles County Emergency Operations Center as a liaison for CCPS. Mr. Meiser continued to provide daily COVID reports to the stakeholders, keeping them informed of data, trends and key information. Mr. Meiser was part of the CCPS Reopening of Schools Work Group leads the COVID Contact Tracing efforts of students within CCPS. Mr. Meiser has spearheaded the student ID badge program with CCPS and has met many of the obstacles along the way and turned them into success.
Education Administrators, Teachers, School Psychologists/Guidance Counselors, School Resource Officers (SROs), Law Enforcement, Local/State Emergency Managers, Fusion Center Analysts, Crisis Intervention Units, Counselors & Mental Health Specialists, School Social Workers, School Safety Professionals, and other school safety stakeholders interested in attending Michael Meiser’s presentation should register for the July 2021 MCSS School Safety Summer Conference at http://conference2021.safeschoolsmd.org/.
2021 Conference: RETRO BILL Presents “BE A HERO KEEPING KIDS SAFE!”
RETRO BILL is currently one of the most in-demand motivational speakers in North America. His tour schedule keeps him on the road providing anti-bullying, character-based, career planning, peace building, conflict resolution, safety tips and good citizenship oriented programs for all ages (Children, Adults and Families) about 300 days a year. His presentations range from from “Improving Your Ability to Keep Kids Safe” and “Connecting with Kids” to “Customer Service” and “Creative Ways to provide an Exceptional Guest Experience.” Retro Bill’s school programs “connect with, inspire, inform and empower” audiences on a variety of themes and topics effecting today’s youth (including bullying, peer pressure, social media, gangs, and alcohol, tobacco & drug abuse).
RETRO BILL is currently celebrating his twenty-second year as part of the D.A.R.E. Family. He holds the title of “Official D.A.R.E. Safety & Self-Esteem Buddy” and has been a Motivational Speaker for thirty years. He has literally spoken to MILLIONS of FANS Worldwide! Retro Bill has delivered presentations in all fifty States and throughout all of the Provinces of Canada, and in the Caribbean Islands. He’s received countless accolades from Government, Educational, Law Enforcement, Corporate and Entertainment Business dignitaries and organizations. CNN’s Larry King called RETRO BILL “a supercharged Mr. Rogers for the 21st Century.” High compliments indeed.
RETRO BILL is a Graduate of the University of Southern California School of Cinema-Television. He attended USC on a scholarship from Director/Producer Steven Spielberg. RETRO BILL (aka Director/Writer/Producer Bill Russ) directed the Award-Winning film “The Last Ride” (starring Academy-Award Winning actor Ben Johnson). RETRO BILL (Bill Russ) has also directed television commercials, tv specials and numerous music videos (including videos for Kenny G, Michael McDonald, Michael Bolton and Patti Austin to mention a few). RETRO BILL also directed and starred in the Award-Winning “D.A.R.E. Safety Tips starring RETRO BILL” video, which has been utilized by D.A.R.E. Officers Worldwide since 2001, and remains a HUGE HIT with Grades K-5 students in every classroom it is shown in to this day!
Currently, in addition to his Motivational Speaking Appearances, RETRO BILL (Bill Russ) works as a freelance Artist, a Creative Theatrical Advisor to Cirque du Soleil, a Guest Host/Emcee for “Kirk Franklin’s Gospel Brunch” held at House of Blues locations across the USA. RETRO BILL (Bill Russ) continues to provide Character Voice-Overs for commercials and cartoon shows (including most notably, “Spongebob Squarepants”).
For more information on RETRO BILL please visit http://www.retrobill.com.
Education Administrators, Teachers, School Psychologists/Guidance Counselors, School Resource Officers (SROs), Law Enforcement, Local/State Emergency Managers, Fusion Center Analysts, Crisis Intervention Units, Counselors & Mental Health Specialists, School Social Workers, School Safety Professionals, and other school safety stakeholders interested in attending RETRO BILL’s presentation should register for the July 2021 MCSS School Safety Summer Conference at http://conference2021.safeschoolsmd.org/.
2021 Conference: Christin Kinman Presents “One School System’s Experience in Re-Opening, On-Time and In-Person During COVID: Lessons Learned, Best Practices, and Evidence for Re-Opening using a Public Health Framework”
Safely re-opening schools in the era of COVID-19 is a topic fraught with much controversy, anxiety, and competing perspectives and objectives. In this presentation, Christin Kinman from the Archdiocese of Baltimore will share her experiences and lessons learned from re-opening on-time and in person with a virtual model option to accommodate all students. Using the public health framework of Haddon’s Matrix, a model developed first for injury prevention that has migrated across disciplines, this talk will walk all administrators, faculty, SROs, and district level staff through the multiple stages of re-opening, physical and social mitigation strategies implemented, and data from the first year of operating under COVID restrictions. Topics that will be addressed and covered include implementation of physical measures (facility related) for mitigation, implementation of social measures for interaction, including new ways to interact and interface given the need for social distancing and separation, communication with stakeholders – including survey results from parents, teachers, and administrators completed over the summer of 2020, on-going communication with stakeholders over the course of the school year, decision making for dealing with positive contacts, close contacts, quarantine and self-isolation, and when to “flip” a classroom or school, data on total number of cases on system level and by school level, perceptions of key constituents at the end of the year.
At the end of this presentation, attendees will be able to (1) name and address physical mitigation strategies used for facilities to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, (2) name and address social and environmental strategies to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, (3) understand the importance of on-going communications with stakeholders and the development of a shared understanding and commitment to work collaboratively to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and (4) understand lessons learned from re-opening to develop a framework for re-opening at each participant’s location.
Christin Kinman, MPH graduated from The Catholic University of America with a degree in civil engineering. She worked in the Washington, DC area for several large general contractors and then shifted her interest to the intersection of health and the built environment. In 2011, she received her Masters of Public Health from West Virginia University and upon graduation, took a job in clinical research program management at the National Study Center for Trauma and EMS at the University of Maryland. After five years of working on NIH, SAMSHA, and multiple military funded studies, she took a job at the Archdiocese of Baltimore, working in Facilities and Real Estate, where she supports over fifty churches and forty-five schools. In the last several years, school safety and security became a passion for her and she obtained CPTED certification. In conjunction with partners at DHS and the local level, she works with schools and parishes to do vulnerability assessments and to develop plans for physical infrastructure improvements to improve security and internal security processes. During the COVID 19 pandemic, she worked closely with the Department of Catholic Schools on school reopening plans, specifically developing layered mitigation strategies to ensure the health and safety for faculty, staff, and students.
Education Administrators, Teachers, School Psychologists/Guidance Counselors, School Resource Officers (SROs), Law Enforcement, Local/State Emergency Managers, Fusion Center Analysts, Crisis Intervention Units, Counselors & Mental Health Specialists, School Social Workers, School Safety Professionals, and other school safety stakeholders interested in attending Christin Kinman’s presentation should register for the July 2021 MCSS School Safety Summer Conference at http://conference2021.safeschoolsmd.org/.
2021 Conference: Tammi Ginsberg Presents “Talk Saves Lives: An Introduction to Suicide Prevention”
Tammi Ginsberg’s presentation will cover the scope of the problem of suicide, key research findings, including risk factors and warning signs for suicide, along with recommendations for the role we can all play in suicide prevention. We will discuss the latest data on suicide in the U.S. and worldwide and go over information from the latest suicide prevention research. Participants will learn about health, historical, and environmental risk factors that put individuals at risk for suicide along with suicide warning signs. During the presentation participants will gain an understanding of the protective factors that lower suicide risk, and strategies for managing mental health and being proactive about self-care. In addition, the presentation will highlight teen depression and how to distinguish mental health conditions from what is often perceived as normal adolescent mood swings. Learn about barriers youth and adults face when seeking mental health treatment and the resources for when in crisis.
Tammi Ginsberg is a mental health professional and the Board President of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Maryland Chapter where she is focused on saving lives and bringing hope to those affected by suicide. Her goal is to educate as many people as possible on research, risk factors, warning signs, and suicide prevention. Tammi’s brother died by suicide when she was a junior at the University of Maryland. Her journey of healing includes her own struggle with depression which catapulted her into her second career as a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor. In that role, she works with people of all ages with mood disorders as well as those who have been affected by suicide.
Education Administrators, Teachers, School Psychologists/Guidance Counselors, School Resource Officers (SROs), Law Enforcement, Local/State Emergency Managers, Fusion Center Analysts, Crisis Intervention Units, Counselors & Mental Health Specialists, School Social Workers, School Safety Professionals, and other school safety stakeholders interested in attending Tammi Ginsberg’s presentation should register for the July 2021 MCSS School Safety Summer Conference at http://conference2021.safeschoolsmd.org/.
2021 Conference: Jim Corns and Barbara S. Burnopp Present “Not a Question of IF, but WHEN – Ransomware Recovery Amid a Pandemic”
A major ransomware attack hit Baltimore County Public Schools on November 24, 2020 – right in the middle of the COVID pandemic. Two professionals from BCPS will share information on their recovery processes including successes, lessons learned, and next steps. The session will discuss the impact of the attack on operations and instruction and key processes every agency should have in place to successfully recover and rebuild after a cyber event.
Barbara Burnopp is the Senior Executive Director of Administrative Services for Baltimore County Public School (BCPS), the twenty-fifth largest school system in the nation and third largest in Maryland. BCPS serves 111,000 students in 175 schools, centers, and programs with a budget of $1.84 billion and a workforce of 16,000 employees, including 9,200 teachers. Barbara assists the Chief Administrative and Operations Officer with implementing the Division of Business Services’ strategic projects and initiatives. The division consists of Administrative Services, Food and Nutrition Services, Transportation, Fiscal Services, Information Technology, Facilities Management, and Strategic Planning. She also served as the Executive Director of Fiscal Services for BCPS for fourteen years. Before moving to Maryland, Barbara spent eighteen years in financial positions of increasing responsibility in state government and higher education in Utah. Barbara has a bachelor’s degree in business services and a masters of business administration in public accountancy from Clarion University of Pennsylvania. Barbara is also a Certified Public Accountant.
Jim Corns has worked in public education for twenty-seven years in four counties in the state of Maryland. His career began in Kent County, on the Eastern Shore, as a third-grade teacher. In his six-year teaching career, Jim taught third and fourth grade, technology in grades five through eight, and was a media specialist. Jim was then hired as the Network Administrator and held that position until he advanced to Kent’s Supervisor of Technology position. In 2010, he and his family moved to St. Mary’s County, where Jim was hired as the Director of Information Technology for St. Mary’s County Public Schools (SMCPS). After four years in SMCPS, he accepted the position of Chief Operations Officer for Instructional Technology in Washington County Public Schools. In 2016, Jim took a position in Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS) as the Director of Innovation and Digital Safely. Under his leadership in this position, BCPS earned the CoSN Trusted Learning Environment seal. In 2018, Jim was promoted to the Executive Director position of Information Technology for BCPS where he oversees the technology ecosystem for the third largest school system in Maryland and twenty-fifth largest in the US. His staff is responsible for the network, endpoint devices, and digital ecosystem that facilitate and promote learning within BCPS. In 2019, Jim earned the CoSN Certified Education Technology Leader Certification.
Education Administrators, Teachers, School Psychologists/Guidance Counselors, School Resource Officers (SROs), Law Enforcement, Local/State Emergency Managers, Fusion Center Analysts, Crisis Intervention Units, Counselors & Mental Health Specialists, School Social Workers, School Safety Professionals, and other school safety stakeholders interested in attending this timely presentation should register for the July 2021 MCSS School Safety Summer Conference at http://conference2021.safeschoolsmd.org/.
2021 Conference: Jeneen Beck Presents “Fostering Safe School Communities through Restorative Approaches”
Jeneen Beck currently serves as Frederick County Public Schools’ Achievement Specialist for School Culture in the Department of Student Services, and she is excited to discuss how school staff throughout the state of Maryland can continue to establish safe, secure, and orderly schools with the end goal of creating classrooms that are conducive to learning for all students. As the needs of our communities change, investment in reflection and implementation of research-based practices that are embedded into our normal routines that will strengthen communities are essential. Additionally, a focus on shared leadership and the genuine collaboration between school officials and the entire community has become more and more unavoidable. Opportunities for all associated stakeholders in a community to be involved in ensuring that there is success require strategies that consistently strengthen relationships. Moreover, Jeneen will discuss how appropriate responses to crisis can have a tremendous impact on the future of our youth.
During her first fifteen years in education Jeneen’s work with at-risk youth earned her positions as a team leader, Alternative Education Teacher, Positive Behavior Intervention and Support Coordinator, and mentoring program sponsor in Montgomery County Public Schools. Jeneen also served as Principal of Ballenger Creek Middle School in Frederick County from 2016-2019. She is committed to supporting school communities with implementation of restorative approaches to increase opportunities for success for all students. Her firm belief in community building through intentional work with all stakeholders motivates her to share strategies both professionally and in her local community. She is a graduate of Howard University and a doctorate student at George Washington University. As a licensed trainer for the International Institute of Restorative Practices she has formally trained over 200 staff in Frederick County including School Resource Officers on restorative practices.
Education Administrators, Teachers, School Psychologists/Guidance Counselors, School Resource Officers (SROs), Law Enforcement, Local/State Emergency Managers, Fusion Center Analysts, Crisis Intervention Units, Counselors & Mental Health Specialists, School Social Workers, School Safety Professionals, and other school safety stakeholders interested in attending Jeneen Beck’s presentation should register for the July 2021 MCSS School Safety Summer Conference at http://conference2021.safeschoolsmd.org/.
2021 Conference: Laura Clary Presents “MUTED” – Child Sexual Abuse During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Laura Clary, BSN, RN, FNE-A/P, SANE-A, is a Registered Nurse, Forensic Nurse Examiner and Clinical Program Manager of the GBMC SAFE & Domestic Violence Program. Her presentation will briefly review the definition of child abuse, the signs and symptoms, and the prevalence of abuse during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Additionally, participants will learn about the treatment offered by GBMC SAFE for child sexual abuse victims. Clary will also include a case study in her presentation, through which she will partner with a victim who will tell her story about growing up in a home where child abuse occurred.
In 2010 Clary completed her Forensic Nursing training at Greater Baltimore Medical Center and joined the GBMC SAFE Program as an on-call Forensic Nurse. In 2014 she became the Clinical Program Manager working full-time while also taking after-hours on-call shifts. Mrs. Clary is certified to care for patients across the lifespan that have been victims of sexual assault, rape, child physical and sexual abuse, intimate partner violence and human trafficking. Mrs. Clary obtained National professional certification as a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE-A) from the International Association of Forensic Nurses in 2013. She is a Board of Nursing approved Forensic Nurse Examiner Instructor in the State of Maryland and has taught registered nurses and physicians from all over the country. In addition to her work in the field of Forensics, she has extensive experience in Emergency and Trauma Nursing. She is an active member of the International Association of Forensic Nurses, as well as the Maryland Child Abuse Medical Providers (CHAMP), GBMC Child Protection Program, and is Chair of the Baltimore County Sexual Assault Response team. In 2016 she was recognized in Baltimore Magazine as one of Baltimore’s Top Nurses in the field of Women’s Health. In May of 2017 she was nationally recognized for her work and was awarded the title of “America’s Most Amazing Nurse” by Prevention Magazine and The Doctors television show, and additionally awarded Baltimore County’s Woman of the Year in 2018. This past year Mrs. Clary was again recognized in Baltimore Magazine as one of Baltimore Top Nurses in the field of Pediatrics, for her work with child sex abuse victims.
Education Administrators, Teachers, School Psychologists/Guidance Counselors, School Resource Officers (SROs), Law Enforcement, Local/State Emergency Managers, Fusion Center Analysts, Crisis Intervention Units, Counselors & Mental Health Specialists, School Social Workers, School Safety Professionals, and other school safety stakeholders interested in attending Laura Clary’s presentation should register for the July 2021 MCSS School Safety Summer Conference at http://conference2021.safeschoolsmd.org/.
2021 Conference: Jesse Weinberger Presents “Device Time impact on Determining Truth and Mental Health,” “Screen time and INCELs,” and “Device Usage and School Complicity”
Jesse Weinberger, a former software programmer, is a nationally recognized Internet Safety speaker, TEDx Presenter, host of Big Mama’s House Podcast, and author of The Boogeyman Exists: And He’s in Your Child’s Back Pocket, SECOND EDITION. For fifteen years, Jesse has been presenting to parents, students, teachers, and school districts all over the United States. As a respected expert and leader in this field, she is frequently sought out by local and national media, educators, administrators, and law enforcement for guidance on how to manage and improve the digital lives of children. Jesse was recently interviewed by The New York Times and The Washington Post and has appeared on The Today Show. While presenting to students nationwide Jesse gathers and processes data about how third to twelfth grade students are using their digital tools. She will share what she has learned with you via three distinct presentations: “Device Time impact on Determining Truth & Mental Health,” “Screen time and INCELs,” and “Device Usage & School Complicity”
Education Administrators, Teachers, School Psychologists/Guidance Counselors, School Resource Officers (SROs), Law Enforcement, Local/State Emergency Managers, Fusion Center Analysts, Crisis Intervention Units, Counselors & Mental Health Specialists, School Social Workers, School Safety Professionals, and other school safety stakeholders interested in attending Jesse Weinberger’s presentations should register for the July 2021 MCSS School Safety Summer Conference at http://conference2021.safeschoolsmd.org/.
2021 Conference: Katie Greer Presents “Digital Safety and Kids: What’s New? What’s Now? What’s Next?”
Did you know that students ages eight to eighteen spent an average of seven and a half hours each day in front of screens – before COVID-19!? As our screen time continues to increase and our access to technology expands, it is imperative that school staff are aware of the latest trends and dangers impacting kids and the tools available to help kids have safer and more productive experiences online.
Katie Greer, who will be presenting about this important topic, earned her Masters degree in Criminal Justice from Salem State University, is a member of the National Criminal Justice Honors Society and the National Sociological Honors Society, and is pursuing her PhD in Criminology with a focus on tween and teen online socialization. Participants in Katie’s session will learn about the most popular social media apps, privacy and permanency concerns, and popular aspects of these trending apps. The issue of screen addiction and balance will also be discussed, as participants learn ways to help students have a more balanced approach to technology both in the classroom and beyond. Finally, hot topic issues such as sexting and cyberbullying will be addressed.
Katie began developing an Internet safety program to deliver to Massachusetts students in 2005 when the Corruption, Fraud and Computer Crime Division of the Attorney General’s Office was inundated with requests for Internet safety presentations. After leaving the Attorney General’s Office, Katie worked full time as an Intelligence Analyst for the Massachusetts State Police, where she was assigned to the Missing Children Clearinghouse and subsequently became the Outreach Coordinator for the Vermont Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Concurrently, and in large part due to the increasing demands for technology/Internet safety education, Katie expanded her programs and created KL Greer Consulting. Katie instructs students, parents, teachers, administrators, and law enforcement officials on Internet Safety and a variety of other issues pertaining to technology safety and responsibility.
Education Administrators, Teachers, School Psychologists/Guidance Counselors, School Resource Officers (SROs), Law Enforcement, Local/State Emergency Managers, Fusion Center Analysts, Crisis Intervention Units, Counselors & Mental Health Specialists, School Social Workers, School Safety Professionals, and other school safety stakeholders interested in attending Katie Greer’s presentation should register for the July 2021 MCSS School Safety Summer Conference at http://conference2021.safeschoolsmd.org/.
2021 Conference: Mark Yarbrough Presents “Suffer from BURNOUT, give’em the F.I.N.G.E.R.!”
Burnout affects millions of Americans each year and has been called “the disease of our civilization.” The unhappiness and detachment burnout causes can threaten your job, your relationships, and your health. But there’s good news — burnout can be healed. Former twenty-year elected District Attorney, Mark Yarbrough, from Littlefield, Texas (hometown of Waylon Jennings), personally experienced burnout, learned how to successfully overcome it, and went from “Burnout” to “On Fire!” He has since become a “burnout expert” and has written and published on the subject. Mark is a very entertaining, motivating and inspiring speaker. He has taught thousands of people how to overcome Burnout — from companies like Blue Bell Ice Cream and Xcel Energy, to teachers and doctors/nurses, to a variety of government workers (police officers, CPS workers, attorneys, victim’s rights advocates, counselors, mental health professionals, etc.). Audience members will learn the definition of Burnout and the symptoms thereof. But more importantly, attendees will be laughing, and at the same time learning how to apply Mark’s F.I.N.G.E.R. philosophy to help their co-workers or themselves avoid and/or recover from Burnout. This is a training that you won’t want to miss!
Education Administrators, Teachers, School Psychologists/Guidance Counselors, School Resource Officers (SROs), Law Enforcement, Local/State Emergency Managers, Fusion Center Analysts, Crisis Intervention Units, Counselors & Mental Health Specialists, School Social Workers, School Safety Professionals, and other school safety stakeholders interested in attending Mark Yarbrough’s presentation should register for the July 2021 MCSS School Safety Summer Conference at http://conference2021.safeschoolsmd.org/.