MSBA's Center for Education Safety

That's a wrap on CES's 2026 Missouri School Safety Conference.

We closed out with Ty Dennis, Community Advocate and School Safety Director, and his powerful message on Why We Do the Work — a reminder that behind every policy, every plan, and every decision, there are real people whose lives are impacted. The perfect way to end our time together.

To every administrator, school board member, SRO, counselor, first responder, mental health professional, and safety leader who walked through our doors this week — thank you. The work you do matters.

School safety isn't easy. It's ongoing. It's evolving. And it requires a commitment that continues long after a conference ends.

Safe travels. Take care of yourselves. Take care of each other. See you next year.

What a meaningful final day of learning at the Missouri School Safety Conference!
Today's general sessions gave us so much to reflect on:

Patty Davis of Children's Mercy Kansas City opened the morning with Prepared Minds, Resilient Communities: Prioritizing Mental Health in Disaster Response.

Madalena DeAndrea followed with her story of resilience, perspective, and purpose. Reminding us of the deeply human side of this work — and why we can never lose sight of it.

A heartfelt thank you once again to our incredible sponsors. Your generosity is what brings speakers like these to our stage, and your shared commitment to Missouri's students and staff shines through every session. Conferences like this simply would not be possible without you.

One more session to go — and we can't wait.

PREMIER SPONSOR
CDW

MAJOR SPONSORS
Centegix
Premier Wireless
K12 Safety
Safe Haven Defense
Critical Response Group

SUPPORTING SPONSORS
Arkansas Public Safety Solutions
American Digital Security
Elliott Data Systems
GoGuardian
Federal Protection, Inc.
KCAV
KIDaccount
NIGHTLOCK
TownSteel

What an afternoon at the Missouri School Safety Conference!
The afternoon kicked off with Dr. Lina Alathari, Chief of the U.S. Secret Service's National Threat Assessment Center, sharing powerful insights on Behavioral Threat Assessment Trends.

After her keynote, attendees dove into our breakout workshops.

And we closed day one with a truly moving session: Patrick Ireland, Columbine survivor, shared his journey from Tragedy to Triumph.

What a day — filled with emotion, powerful stories, practical insights, and meaningful connections. We're grateful for every speaker, attendee, and partner who made today possible, and we can't wait to do it all again tomorrow.

Session 2 of CES's Missouri School Safety Conference featured John McDonald, COO of MSBA's Center for Education Safety, and Bryan Krause, Senior National School Safety Strategist for CDW.

Bryan brings a uniquely personal perspective to this work. Before his role at CDW, he served as a principal at Platte Canyon High School in Colorado — and was part of the leadership team that guided students, staff, and families through the aftermath of the 2006 hostage tragedy. That experience continues to shape every conversation he has with school leaders today.

Together, John and Bryan are unpacking "The Threat of Our Time" — what schools across the country are facing right now, and what it takes to lead through it.

A heartfelt thank you to CDW, our Premier Sponsor, whose partnership and generosity make gatherings like this possible. Their commitment to school safety extends far beyond this room — and we're grateful to have them alongside us in this vital work.

CES's Missouri School Safety Conference is officially underway!
The conference kicked off with powerful welcoming remarks from leaders who embody true leadership and partnership in school safety.

A special thank you to Viva Voce — the talented a ca****la trio from Ladue Horton Watkins High School — for a beautiful performance of our National Anthem.

Max Schachter, founder and executive director of Safe Schools for Alex, is sharing his journey of Turning Pain Into Purpose after losing his son Alex in the Parkland tragedy and the lessons that continue to shape school safety across the country.

A powerful start to three days of learning, leadership, and shared commitment.

Tonight's Special Conference Kickoff Program at CES's Missouri School Safety Conference brought together an incredible panel to share stories of resiliency, lessons learned, and the path forward in school safety. A huge thank you to our panelists.

Their courage, insight, and commitment set the perfect tone for the days ahead. Get ready — tomorrow we officially kick off with an incredible lineup of speakers and sessions.

Pre-conference workshops at CES's Missouri School Safety Conference are wrapping up today at the Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark — and tomorrow, we officially kick things off!

To our attendees — thank you for showing up and for the vital work you do every day. We're so glad you're attending.

And a heartfelt THANK YOU to all of our sponsors. Conferences like this simply wouldn't be possible without your generous support and shared commitment to keeping Missouri's students, staff, and schools safe.

Here's to three days of learning, connecting, and making our schools safer — together.

PREMIER SPONSOR
CDW

MAJOR SPONSORS
Centegix
Premier Wireless
K12 Safety
Safe Haven Defense
Critical Response Group

SUPPORTING SPONSORS
Arkansas Public Safety Solutions
American Digital Security
Elliott Data Systems
GoGuardian
Federal Protection, Inc.
KCAV
KIDaccount
NIGHTLOCK
TownSteel

A simple reminder can make a big difference.
CES is excited to see Joplin Schools putting Stop the Prop into action by placing reminders on doors to help keep school buildings secure. Keeping exterior doors closed and locked is one small step that supports a safer learning environment for students and staff. Stop the Prop is an initiative of MSBA’s Center for Education Safety (CES), created to raise awareness about the importance of secure entry points in Missouri schools.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/joplin-schools-putting-stop-prop-233100524.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAALljFQFWVf0L0BMEBQRrag8IsWsNyU80_x-576GTBQJ2j7MyBqKhCZjJblBsP-N8PVShy7qiobtGGKLXyYAY7DDTvYetPvz8-r6bHmF7cGv_UZjZexQKnF6jQ-DmeZNZAFn6NV1oUFlMLYVlVCnjMgxz74szJsnEzWE3suvnXdt2