Guidance for School Leaders and Crisis Teams
Virtual School Safety, Security, and Emergency Preparedness Consultations with School Safety Experts
Practical guidance for school leaders and crisis teams—without consultant travel expenses.
National School Safety and Security Services provides virtual consultations to help K–12 school leaders address school safety, security, emergency preparedness, and crisis communications questions. Our School Safety Roundtables connect your leadership team with Dr. Ken Trump and his team of experienced school safety consultants for focused conversations tailored to your school or district.
Whether you have a specific concern or need help deciding where to begin, a virtual consultation gives your team an opportunity to ask questions, examine priorities, and discuss practical next steps.
Discuss a virtual consultation: Contact Dr. Ken Trump at ken@schoolsecurity.org or call 216-251-3067.
Overview
What Is a Virtual School Safety Consultation?
A virtual school safety consultation is an individualized online meeting where school leaders and safety teams discuss security practices, emergency planning, and related concerns with a school safety consultant.
School Safety Roundtables can range from a one-on-one conversation with a superintendent, principal, or head of school to a facilitated discussion with an entire school safety or crisis team. The conversation focuses on your questions, your school community, and the decisions facing your leadership team.
Participants
Who Can Participate?
Virtual consultations are available for:
The format is especially useful for schools and districts seeking access to outside expertise while managing limited budgets and avoiding consultant travel expenses.
- Superintendents and district leadership teams.
- Principals and school administrators.
- Heads of independent and private schools.
- School safety, emergency planning, and crisis response teams.
- School boards and central office administrators.
- School leaders meeting with law enforcement and other public safety partners.
Topics
School Safety and Emergency Preparedness Topics We Can Discuss
We can tailor topics to your specific needs. Example of areas we might discuss in a virtual school safety consultation include:
School Security Practices and Priorities
Discuss your current concerns, reasonable security measures, and opportunities to strengthen everyday practices. Explore how to manage building access while maintaining a welcoming school environment.
School Emergency Planning and Crisis Team Roles
Consider who should serve on your crisis team, how responsibilities are assigned, and what the team should prioritize. Discuss questions about emergency procedures and coordination with public safety partners.
Emergency Drills and Staff Preparedness
Explore ways to diversify school emergency drills and strengthen staff preparedness without creating unnecessarily alarming experiences. Discuss how drills can support clearer roles, better communication, and useful follow-up conversations.
School Threats, Swatting, and Rumors
Discuss preparedness for electronically communicated threats, swatting incidents, and rapidly spreading rumors. Explore the planning and coordination questions these situations raise for school leaders and public safety partners.
School Safety and Crisis Communications
Consider how to communicate proactively with parents, staff, and students about school safety. Discuss approaches to addressing uncertainty, responding to concerns, and explaining safety decisions clearly.
School Safety Leadership and Community Concerns
Work through sensitive school-community issues, competing expectations, and leadership challenges. Topics may include school-police partnerships, concerns about student discipline, and communicating the reasoning behind security practices.
Start the Conversation
Bring Your Team’s Questions to the Table
Your consultation can begin with questions such as:
You do not need to have every concern neatly defined before reaching out. An initial conversation can help clarify the focus of a proposed session.
- Where should we focus our school safety efforts first?
- Are we overlooking important crisis team members or responsibilities?
- How can we make emergency drills more useful for staff?
- How do we strengthen access control while keeping our school welcoming?
- What should we consider when preparing for threats and related rumors?
- How can we communicate safety concerns more effectively with families?
- Have other schools faced a situation like ours, and what can we learn?
Process
How Virtual School Safety Roundtables Work
01
Discuss your needs.
Contact us to describe your school or district, your concerns, and who you would like to include.
02
Establish the session’s focus.
Sessions are tailored to your needs. Pricing is determined on a project-by-project basis.
03
Provide background information.
We request information in advance so our consultants can prepare for a focused, productive conversation.
04
Meet virtually with your consultant.
Bring your questions and relevant team members for a discussion of your concerns, options, and possible next steps.
Speaking & Professional Learning
Virtual Support for Professional Learning and Leadership Meetings
Dr. Ken Trump is also available for virtual professional learning meetings, conferences, and other professional gatherings. Contact us to discuss your audience, objectives, and school safety topics of interest.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Virtual School Safety Roundtables can accommodate individual superintendents, principals, and heads of school, as well as larger leadership and crisis teams.
Yes. Sessions can include law enforcement and other public safety partners alongside school administrators and safety team members.
Yes. The discussion is tailored to your questions and needs. Background information is requested in advance to help focus the session.
Pricing is determined on a project-by-project basis. Contact us to discuss the proposed scope and request pricing. Virtual delivery avoids the travel expenses associated with bringing a consultant on-site.
The services have different scopes. A virtual consultation provides discussion and guidance based on the information shared. An on-site assessment includes direct observation of school facilities and practices. Contact us to discuss which service fits your needs.
Email ken@schoolsecurity.org or call 216-251-3067. Share a brief description of your school or district, the topics you want to discuss, and the participants you expect to include.
Let's Talk
Discuss Your School Safety Priorities
Bring experienced school safety guidance into your next leadership or crisis team meeting. Contact National School Safety and Security Services to discuss a virtual consultation tailored to your school’s safety, security, and emergency preparedness needs.