This Week in School and Campus Safety

Good morning,

This Weekly Update by the Illinois School and Campus Safety Program links to a new Youth Substance Use Prevention Resources and Strategies brief, shares information on an upcoming school safety training through the Will County ROE & EMA, and promotes the upcoming classes on Effective Communication Principles, Standard Reunification Method - Reunification Exercise, Current Online Behavioral Trends and Updates, Campus Threat Assessment and Management, and more.

Thank you for your interest in school and campus safety. However, if you wish to no longer receive our emails, let me know and I will remove you from our contacts list.

Respectfully,

Laura Black

le-black@wiu.edu

Program Coordinator

Illinois School and Campus Safety Program

Youth Substance Use Prevention Resources and Strategies for K-12 Schools

Schoolsafety.gov just released a new Youth Substance Use Prevention Resources and Strategies for K-12 Schools brief. The brief includes information to help schools:

• Educate students about the risks of substance use through open, honest communication.
• Train teachers and staff to recognize early signs of substance use and respond appropriately.
• Strengthen protective factors that promote healthy coping mechanisms, positive relationships, and family engagement. 
• Prevent and respond to overdoses and other substance use emergencies on school grounds.

Will Co. ROE and EMA to Host Operationalizing School Safety Training July 29th

The Will County ROE and EMA are hosting a free school safety training July 29th in Plainfield, IL. The Operationalizing School Safety Training includes the following Learning Outcomes:

• Apply practical, real-world strategies to manage school safety incidents effectively.
• Define clear roles and responsibilities for all personnel during an incident.
• Demonstrate shared language, communication strategies, and coordinated response methods across teams.
• Integrate school, district, and first responder operations through the Incident Command System framework.
• Enable participants to build confidence by engaging in focused practice, then leveraging action in real-world scenarios.
• Develop tools and practices that build a culture of safety and empower confident, proactive action.

For more information and to register, click here.

Last Chance to Register!

Standard Reunification Method - Reunification Exercise (SRM-REx) May 20-21st in Des Plaines

This is the last chance to register for the Standard Reunification Method - Reunification Exercise (SRM-REx) class May 20-21st in Des Plaines.

The I Love U Guys Foundation’s Standard Reunification Method - Reunification Exercise (SRM-REx) training is intended to prepare participants to handle, organize, and reunite individuals who have experienced an emergent event regardless of the cause. Attendees will be taught the concepts contained in the SRM during the training conducted on Day One and perform several reunifications during the exercise on Day Two. After completing both days, the organization's reunification team will be equipped to develop organization-specific reunification plans and training events.

For more information and to register, click here

There's Still Time to Register for May 27th!

Current Online Behavioral Trends and Updates Classes for May through December

The Illinois School and Campus Safety Program is pleased to announce upcoming sessions of the monthly 2-hr Current Online Behavioral Trends and Updates class from 9am-11am via Zoom on May 27th, June 25th, Sept. 24th, Oct. 22nd, Nov. 19th, and Dec 17th.

The monthly Current Online Behavioral Trends and Updates sessions complement Safer Schools Together’s Digital Threat Assessment® training. These monthly sessions have been developed out of a need to continue to keep school safety and threat assessment teams informed so that they are able to adapt to the ever-changing digital landscape. Staying up to date with the current digital landscape will help teams build capacity and sustainability within your community. Each monthly session will review the most current trends in social media, with updated information each month!

For more information and to register, click here.

Standard Reunification Method - Reunification Exercise (SRM-REX) June 3-4th in Marion

The Illinois School and Campus Safety Program is pleased to announce a session of the Standard Reunification Method - Reunification Exercise (SRM-REx) class will be held June 3-4th in Marion.

The I Love U Guys Foundation’s Standard Reunification Method - Reunification Exercise (SRM-REx) training is intended to prepare participants to handle, organize, and reunite individuals who have experienced an emergent event regardless of the cause. Attendees will be taught the concepts contained in the SRM during the training conducted on Day One and perform several reunifications during the exercise on Day Two. After completing both days, the organization's reunification team will be equipped to develop organization-specific reunification plans and training events.

For more information and to register, click here

Effective Communication Principles on June 5th in Macomb

The Illinois School and Campus Safety Program is pleased to announce a session of the Effective Communication Principles Before, During, and After Critical Incidents class will be held June 5, 2026, in Macomb, IL.

This training provides attendees comprehensive education on the subject of communications. Throughout the training, attendees will learn about the importance of building relationships with the media and the community through routine communications. The training will also provide guidance on how to prepare for a crisis communications event and what to do should that day happen. Finally, instruction will wrap up with discussion on how to effectively communicate after a critical incident.

 For more information and to register, click here.

Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management in a School Setting June 8-9th in Byron

The Illinois School and Campus Safety Program is pleased to announce a session of the Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management in a School Setting class is being held in Byron, Il June 8-9th.

This two-day training through Deisinger Consulting, LLC will help participants to better understand the dynamics of targeted violence and to develop and enhance strategies for early identification, assessment, and intervention with threatening and concerning behaviors.

 For more information and to register, click here.

Campus Threat Assessment and Management June 10-11 in Malta

The Illinois School and Campus Safety Program is pleased to announce a session of the Campus Threat Assessment and Management class on June 10-11th in Malta.

This two-day workshop will help participants to better understand the dynamics of targeted violence and to develop and enhance strategies for early identification, assessment, and intervention with concerning situations.

For more information and to register, click here

Registrations Are Now Open for Trainings via Zoom in Fall 2026

The Illinois School and Campus Safety Program is pleased to announce the registrations are now open for the Fall trainings being held via Zoom, including sessions of the Current Online Behavioral Trends and Updates classes; Cyberbullying, Sextortion, and the Pathway to Radicalization; Digital Threat Assessment®; Advanced Digital Threat Assessment; and Critical Incident Response and Management.

You can access the registration links for all the sessions on the Upcoming Events page of the Illinois School and Campus Safety Resource Center website.

2026 Illinois Juvenile Officers Association & Illinois DARE Officers Association Annual State Conference June 3-5th

The Illinois Juvenile Officers Association & Illinois DARE Officers Association Annual State Conference is being held June 3-5th in Normal, IL.

This year’s conference features practical training designed for law enforcement professionals, social workers, DCFS personnel, prosecutors, and multidisciplinary partners. Session topics include legal updates, child protection practices, open-source investigations, youth mental health, online exploitation, school safety, and emerging issues impacting juvenile justice and child-serving systems. The conference also provides opportunities for networking, collaboration, and cross-disciplinary learning with professionals from across Illinois.

For more information and to register, click here.