Crete-Monee School District 201-U hosted its first Safety Symposium on May 3, 2024, at Crete-Monee High School.
Administrators, educators, and staff from Chicagoland school districts were invited to participate in a day of interactive panel presentations from CM 201-U staff. The presentations aimed to equip teams with essential knowledge and tools to address various school safety challenges.
CM 201-U Superintendent Dr. Kara Coglianese opened the event by sharing the district’s comprehensive safety framework plan and how the district has integrated this into its daily operations. Participants engaged by completing a crisis preparedness assessment survey to establish the readiness of their own school district’s procedures, which helped set the stage for the event.
The event provided an overview of safety protocols and actionable solutions for various threats, facilitating knowledge sharing among attendees. Participants could also earn three hours of Continuing Education Unit (CEU) credits.
"This was a great and informative workshop," said Theresa Ward, School Safety Director for the Will County Regional Office of Education. "I am currently working on visiting all the school districts in the county and exploring their safety plans. Crete-Monee School District is one of the more advanced schools with established safety plans and protocols in place."
Speakers included:
- Robin Tobias, Director of Safety & Security, Training Overview for Proactive Threat Assessment Teams
- David Hall, Division Leader and Therapy Dog Coordinator, Exploring the Benefits of Therapy Dogs in School
- Lamont Holifield, CMHS Principal, Staying Safe with Comprehensive Procedures at the High School
- Bryon Mane, CSK Principal, How One School Thinks Outside of the ‘Box’ when it Comes to Safety Drills
- Dr. Lisa Luna, Director of Personnel & Culture, Navigating the Pathway to Recovery
“I am incredibly grateful for those who made time out of their busy schedules to attend these workshops,” said Dr. Kara Coglianese, CM 201-U Superintendent. “Many participants requested additional workshops like this, which the district intends to undertake this fall.”
Moving forward, Crete-Monee School District 201-U looks forward to hosting more collaborative events to continue advancing school safety initiatives across Chicagoland and beyond.
For further questions or to access Crete-Monee’s crisis preparedness assessment survey, please contact CM 201-U Superintendent, Dr. Kara Coglianese, by email at [email protected].