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Friend, 

As the year comes to a close, I find myself reflecting on the past 12 months - the challenges we’ve faced, the progress we’ve made, and the lessons that continue to shape us. Three moments stand out to me this year, each offering an important perspective on safety and resilience.

• First, I think of the world’s shared anticipation during the Olympics in Paris. Watching the opening ceremony, I couldn’t help but reflect, “I hope this is a safe experience.” It’s a thought that crosses my mind often - not just for large global events, but for gatherings big and small. This same feeling inspired a blog post last year, written by Cat Cecere, Managing Director, while she was on maternity leave, about the quiet, constant hope for safety we carry in our everyday lives.
• I’m also reminded of the deep pain that followed the Apalachee High School shooting in Georgia this past September. The ripple effects were immediate, with a predictable rise in social media threats across the country. Schools faced an overwhelming wave of concerns, and our focus turned to helping communities respond appropriately and sustainably. Emma Johnson, Safety Consultant, and I hosted a webinar soon after, providing schools with practical guidance for navigating these spikes in threats.
• Lastly, I’m reminded of the thousands of students we've seen who have reported threats and concerns to make their communities safer. These moments of courage give me hope. By strengthening reporting mechanisms and Behavior Threat Assessment procedures, we’re fostering trust and collaboration throughout school communities. Together, we are creating a safer future for everyone.

At Joffe, we believe reflection and debriefing are essential to growth. They’re how we turn experiences into actionable insights, both individually and collectively. A well-run debrief - whether after a routine drill or a significant crisis - does more than identify lessons learned. It builds resilience within a community. As Brene Brown reminds us with her marble jar analogy in Daring Greatly (you know we love a good Brene Brown analogy!), trust is earned in small moments over time. Thoughtful debriefs add “marbles to the jar”, strengthening relationships and confidence in leadership over time, which builds trust within our communities.

This month, we’re offering two opportunities to explore how we learn and grow. Our upcoming webinar will feature Dr. Olivia Ellison, who will share findings from her dissertation research on building safer and more connected school communities. Our blog post, meanwhile, dives into lessons from a surprising source: a popular TV show that underscores key school safety principles. Both approaches remind us that learning takes many forms, from academic research to the stories that shape our culture.

As you reflect on the past year and plan for the one ahead, I hope you’ll join us in prioritizing learning in all its forms. Together, we can use these lessons to build safer, stronger school communities in 2025 and beyond.

Here’s to reflection, growth, and a bright new year ahead!

In strength,

Chris Joffe

Founder and CEO 

Twitter: @JoffeChris

Safety Spotlight: Safety Procedures

While speaking with a school operations leader in Georgia, they reflected, "I have a 30-minute time slot with all staff in January to revisit safety procedures. What topics would you prioritize to make the session impactful?" To answer this question, we turned to a Joffe Security Director, Sterling Breeden.

This is a priority for many schools right now! When planning a winter safety refresher, it’s helpful to focus on three critical areas:

1. A refresh on the 5 response protocols: evacuation, lockdown, shelter-in-place, secure campus, and hold.
2. Defining and reinforcing staff roles and responsibilities during emergencies.
3. Ensuring clear communication protocols before, during, and after any incident.

These areas are essential as they form the foundation for effectively handling emergencies, no matter the situation.

To make this process easier, we recommend our Simple School Solutions resource. This featured tool includes a compact and user-friendly slide deck, making it quick and straightforward to refresh your staff on key safety practices.

December 9th Webinar: Join us on Monday, December 9th at 9 am PST as Joffe Safety Consultant, Dr. Olivia Ellison, discusses trends in school-based gun violence surveillance systems.

Add our webinars to your calendar:

Upcoming Webinars:

• January 13 
• February 10
• March 10
• April 14
• May 12
• June 9

Planning to attend or have questions about any of the events? Let us know!

Resources

Law & Order Blog Post: Joffe Safety Consultant Olivia reflects on the critical role of behavioral threat assessments in preventing school violence, inspired by a recent Law & Order episode. Discover actionable takeaways for building safer schools through clear processes, collaboration, and proactive planning.

Crisis Response Course Bundle: Efficient crisis response begins with strong planning and effective training. The Crisis Response Bundle on Joffe Academy equips schools and organizations with the tools needed to handle emergencies proactively. This bundle offers guidance to prevent traumatic events, mitigate risks, and foster safer environments for everyone. Prepare your team to respond efficiently and confidently when it matters most.

Follow us on social media!

We regularly post updates, blog posts, and share resources specifically designed to support school health and safety.

X: @JoffeChris & @Joffeemergency

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