For Immediate Release
October 9, 2006

Conference on School Safety

White House News   En Español

      Conference on School Safety
      In Focus: Education

OCTOBER 10, 2006

ALL SESSIONS ARE OPEN PRESS

Morning Session: 8:30 - 10:50 AM

Welcome and Opening Remarks: Margaret Spellings, Secretary of Education
8:30 - 8:40 AM

Panel I Preventing Violence In Schools
8:40 - 9:40 AM Moderator: Alberto Gonzales, Attorney General

This panel will focus on examining the scope of the school violence problem and offer practical solutions from law enforcement and security experts to help prevent violence in our schools. Panelists will include:

• Jeffery Dawsy, Sheriff, Citrus County Sheriff’s Office (Beverly Hills, FL)
  
• Delbert S. Elliott, Ph.D., Director of the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence at the University of Colorado (Boulder, CO)
  
• Thomas Kube, Executive Director and CEO, Council of Educational Facility Planners (Scottsdale, AZ)
  
• Georgeann C. Rooney, Threat Assessment Specialist, U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center (Arlington, VA)
  
• Fred Wegener, Sherriff (Park County, CO)
  
• Gregory A. White, U.S. Attorney, Northern District of Ohio (North Ridgeville, OH)

Panel II Prepared Schools and Communities Are Safer
9:50 - 10:50 AM Moderator: Margaret Spellings, Secretary of Education

This panel will focus on the steps schools and communities can take to help prevent future tragedy by making schools safer. Panelists will include:

• Frederick Ellis, Director, Office of Safety & Security, Fairfax County Public Schools (Fairfax, VA)
  
• James Moore, Founder and President, WatchDOGS (Springhill, AR)
  
• The Honorable Jane Norton, Lieutenant Governor, CO (Denver, CO)
  
• Chiarasay E. “Chiara” Perkins, Student, Walton Senior High School and President, Youth Crime Watch of Walton County (DeFuniak Springs, FL)
  
• Dr. George Sugai, Professor and Neag Endowed Chair, Neag School of Education University of Connecticut (Storrs, CT)
  
• Patrick D. Weil, Principal, Valparaiso High School (Valparaiso, IN)
  

Break for Lunch
10:50 - 11:50 AM

Afternoon Session: 11:50 – 2:15 PM

Introduction of the First Lady:
Margaret Spellings, Secretary of Education
11:50 - 11:55 AM

Remarks: The First Lady, Mrs. Laura Bush
11:55 – 12:00 PM

Panel III Helping Communities Heal and Recover
12:00 - 1:00 PM Moderator: Margaret Spellings, Secretary of Education

This panel will focus on the short and long term needs of schools and communities following a traumatic event. Panelists will include:

• Jamie B. Baggett, Teacher, Stewart County High School (Dover, TN)
  
• Betty Alvarez Ham, Founder and President, City Impact (Ventura, CA)
  
• Dr. Larry Macaluso, Superintendent, Red Lion School District (Red Lion, PA)
  
• Cathy Paine, Special Programs Administrator, Springfield School District (Springfield, OR)
  
• Craig Scott, Columbine High School Survivor (Aurora, CO)
  
• Marleen Wong, Ph.D., Director of Crisis Counseling and Intervention Services, Los Angeles Unified School District and Director of the Trauma Services Adaptation Center for Schools and Communities (Los Angeles, CA)

Closing Discussion Working Together to Make Our Schools Safe
1:15 - 2:15 PM Moderators: Alberto Gonzales, Attorney General
Margaret Spellings, Secretary of Education

The closing discussion will feature a representative group of panel participants who will share lessons learned and concrete ways schools and communities can work together after the conference. The President will make brief remarks as part of this closing panel discussion.

NOTE: The President will attend this session

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