Maine School Safety & Transportation Conference

This workshop will decipher the requirements of Maine Statute (described below) that requires Restorative Practices to be embedded in a school's code of conduct. Focus will be on practical steps and recommended practices to begin this process.

Title 20-A§1001. Duties of school boards B. Focus on positive and restorative interventions that are consistent with evidence-based practices rather than set punishments for specific behavior and avoid so-called zero-tolerance practices unless specifically required by federal or state laws, rules or regulations. For the purpose of this paragraph, ""restorative interventions"" means school practices that are designed to strengthen relationships, improve the connection to school and promote a strong sense of accountability and that help students learn from their mistakes, understand the impact of their actions on others and find opportunities to repair the harm they have caused through their misbehavior;   [PL 2011, c. 614, §7 (NEW).]

This follow-up exercise is intended for law enforcement, emergency managers, and school administration and staff who have completed prior training on Incident Command Post (ICP) and Emergency Operations Center (EOC) coordination during an incident. Participants will work through a school-based incident scenario to practice coordination, communication, and decision-making between the school, Incident Command, and the EOC. The exercise focuses on clarifying roles, information flow, and support functions to promote a unified and effective response during a school emergency.

The FBI will provide an overview of concerning behaviors as they have presented themselves in past mass attackers, as well as barriers to reporting and how to overcome those barriers. Also included in the briefing will be how Threat Assessment and Threat Management (TATM) teams become vital if those concerning behaviors are presented to an authority figure and what TATM resources are available in the state of Maine, to include the Maine Threat Assessment Group (MTAG). Concepts taught will include Pathway to Violence, mass attacker research statistics, what information should be gathered to properly assess the threat, and various methods related to how the threat can be mitigated or managed.

Discuss current drug trends, how to identify what may be drugs and how to proceed safely from there. This session is best suited for individuals that are not law enforcement.  

Distracted driving remains one of the most significant risk factors in school bus operations, often compounded by student behavior issues inside the bus. This session explores the direct connection between student management challenges and driver distraction, highlighting real-world scenarios faced daily by school bus drivers.

Participants will discuss common distractions, regulatory expectations, and practical strategies to support drivers in maintaining focus while safely managing student behavior. Emphasis will be placed on prevention, training, documentation, and consistent policies that protect students and drivers alike.

This presentation will explore relevant past incidents, as well as findings and recommendations from NTAC’s latest research on targeted school violence and averted school attacks in the United States.  It will also focus on how communities can use a multidisciplinary approach to identify, assess, and intervene with students exhibiting concerning or threatening behaviors as early as possible.

Most dysregulated behavior in school starts with anxiety, manifests verbally, and escalates from there. 

This workshop will focus on techniques to ground yourself, recognize the stages of dysregulation, and stop the cycle at each stage to keep everyone safe.

The digital world is reshaping how students form relationships, experience harm, and seek support, creating new challenges for school safety professionals. This session explores emerging issues, including online threats and non-consensual intimate imagery (NCII) in K-12 schools.  Research has identified several gaps in schools' handling of NCII, specifically related to critical things like prevention and victim support. This session will cover the basics including understanding key behaviors and applicable definitions, defining a school’s role in response, and enhancing the visibility of reporting mechanisms and supportive measures for those impacted by the sharing of NCII.  Participants will walk away with practical tools, fresh conversation starters, and critical policy considerations to help your school or district respond effectively.

This workshop will address the teen vaping epidemic through a school safety and public health lens, highlighting what the evidence shows about prevention, early intervention, and effective responses when vaping occurs on campus. Tobacco prevention specialists from York County will join MSSC's Restorative Practices team to discuss how cross-sector partnerships are working together statewide to implement restorative, evidence-based approaches that keep students in school while addressing nicotine dependence.

Participants will learn best practices for prevention, treatment-aligned policies, and will leave with practical tools and resources to begin taking concrete steps toward implementing restorative vaping policies and supports in their own schools.

As student safety remains the highest priority in pupil transportation, advances in school bus safety technology and evolving guidance continue to shape best practices. This session will focus on two critical safety components: anti-pinch technology on school bus doors and seatbelt use on school buses.

Participants will gain a clear understanding of how anti-pinch systems work, why they are required, common operational issues, and inspection and maintenance considerations to ensure these systems function as intended. The session will also address seatbelt guidance, including current standards, proper use, driver responsibilities, student management considerations, and lessons learned from real-world incidents.

Designed for transportation directors, supervisors, trainers, and safety staff, this session will provide practical guidance, regulatory context, and implementation strategies to support safer operations and reinforce a culture of safety on every route.

Psychological First Aid (PFA) is an evidence-informed approach designed to assist children, adolescents, adults, and families in the immediate aftermath of traumatic experiences such as a death in the family, an act of violence, or a mental health crisis. 

PFA offers a range of skills and strategies to help you:

• Identify and respond to students who have experienced trauma
• Connect individuals with helpful resources
• Teach effective self-care techniques

Developed by the National Child Traumatic Stress Network and the National Center for PTSD, PFA has been widely endorsed and used by organizations like the American Red Cross, first responders, and law enforcement agencies to train their staff on responding to collective trauma. PFA provides a consistent and reliable approach to support people of all ages and from all walks of life.