MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — Michele Gay lost her daughter during the Sandy Hook school shooting nearly 12 years ago on December 14th 2012, and since then she’s founded Safe and Sound Schools.
She’ll be among the speakers coming to Martinsburg Monday and Tuesday for the Eastern West Virginia Safety Summit for Schools & Communities. She talked about her daughter’s legacy:
Gay, a guest on a recent episode of Panhandle Live, says she’s impressed with the steps Berkeley County is taking to be proactive in ensuring school safety:
She says it is difficult for many parents now to comprehend school dangers they never saw growing up:
Gay will be joined by Frank Deangelis, the former principal at Columbine and Missy Dodds a survivor of the Red Lake High School shooting among a panel of speakers for the two day summit:
She says will the conversations may be difficult during the event, she hopes many will come and get educated:
The summit will be held in Martinsburg December 9th and 10th at Bethel Assembly of God in Martinsburg, located at 2010 Tavern Rd, Martinsburg.
Co-founder of Safe and Sound Schools, Michele Gay (Photo: Safe and Sound Schools)
From Berkeley County government’s official press release:
Join us December 9-10, 2024 at Bethel Church in Martinsburg for this 2-day event which will feature nationally recognized experts sharing violence prevention strategies, resources, and best practices for schools and communities. The agenda will cover topics such as threat assessment, mental health, pathways to prevention, and lessons learned from the Sandy Hook Elementary School, Columbine High School, and Red Lake High School shootings. We encourage you to register early and secure your spot, as there is significant interest in this free event.
The Eastern WV Safety Summit is a collaborative effort hosted by Berkeley County, the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Department, the Berkeley County Office of Emergency Management, Berkeley County Schools, and Safe and Sound Schools. Co-founded by Executive Director Michele Gay after the loss of her daughter Josephine Grace during the Sandy Hook School tragedy, Safe and Sound Schools is dedicated to empowering safer schools and communities nationwide. This project was made possible by funding from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships, opportunity number DHS-22-TTP-132-00-01.
Please share this invitation, as well as the registration link, with others in your network who are focused on school and community safety. Here’s who should attend this valuable event:
- Educators and Administrators
- Mental Health Professionals
- School Counselors
- First Responders
- Elected Officials
- Safety, Emergency, and Crisis Teams
- Community Liaisons
- Government Partners
- Faith-Based Community
- School Safety and Security Professionals
- Parents and Caregivers of Students
