Public and Private School Educators and Law Enforcement Officers
Registration is Open
2026 Safe Schools and Communities Conference
June 9 – 10, 2026
Great Crossing High School, Georgetown, KY
Hosted by the Kentucky Center for School Safety
This two-day event is FREE OF CHARGE and is open to principals, law enforcement officers, school administrators, school safety coordinators, DPPs, school mental health professionals, and school personnel. Registration will be on a first-come, first-serve basis. Attendance at this conference includes membership in the Kentucky Association of School Resource Officers (KYASRO) and the Kentucky DARE Association for law enforcement participants. EILA credit will be offered for educators.
Keynote Speakers
SCOTT POLAND, SCHOOL SAFETY AND THREAT ASSESSMENT IN SCHOOLS
Dr. Scott Poland is an internationally recognized expert on youth suicide, school crisis and youth mental health. School personnel, such as administrators and counselors, are increasingly faced with complex situations where students have made violent threats towards others or even the entire school. Dr. Scott Poland has been involved in several legal cases where school personnel including counselors were sued over their management of a threat of violence and he will share lessons learned from these cases. This workshop will provide step by step guidelines in a case format to help school personnel classify threats and to take appropriate investigative actions to reduce the likelihood of violence.
MICHELE GAY, SCHOOL SAFETY – A PARENT’S PERSPECTIVE
Michele tells her personal story and recounts the lessons she learned on December 14, 2012, and in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook School tragedy. She shares the inspiring way she has chosen to help school communities improve school safety in honor of her daughter, Josephine, and the memory of the other 19 children and six teachers lost on December 14, 2012. Michele’s perspective, as the mother of a special-needs child and former elementary school teacher, provides unique insight and inspiration for parents, administrators, school staff, emergency responders, and community members who strive to make their schools safer. Michele Gay and the Safe and Sound Foundation bring an important message to our communities and represent a powerful presence in our national school safety community.
Other General Sessions
OTHER SESSIONS will be offered on threat assessment planning, mental health issues, recovery after a tragic event, medical marijuana, family reunification, legal updates, and more. Visit the KCSS website or email leeann.morrison@eku.edu for more information.