D.A.R.E. Calendar

The 2021 Virginia School Safety Training Forum will be offered virtually and in person – and if circumstances require, we are prepared to pivot to a completely virtual format. The Forum will be held on July 27 – 29, 2021 online or in person, with pre-conference opportunities on July 26 for those who are able to attend in person.

The Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services is pleased to partner with the Virginia Department of Education, Virginia Office of the Attorney General, and the Virginia D.A.R.E. Association to bring you this multidisciplinary training opportunity.

If you plan to attend in person, the event will be held in Hampton, Virginia. If you plan to join us online, you may do so from virtually anywhere you have an internet or data connection – by phone or computer.  Those who join us in person will also have access to all of the digital content. Regardless of how you join us – you will not want to miss the incredible line up of engaging keynote speakers we have assembled for our constituents from the fields of law enforcement, school security, PreK-12 administration and counseling, and others with an interest in school safety.

The theme of the Forum is “Ensuring Safe Schools as We Navigate Today’s Challenges in the Same Storm, but in Different Boats”. The Forum will provide support for the many challenges and complex issues we face as a result of COVID-19, including a tumultuous national climate, isolation, as well as hybrid learning and working. Flexibility, understanding, empathy, and the importance of collaboration to ensure a safe and supportive school environment has never been more important. Participants will have the opportunity to hear from renowned experts on a multitude of topics related to school safety including, but not limited to:

Adult Sexual Misconduct	Emergency Planning and Drills	Recovery and Resilience
Alternatives to Suspension	Emotional Intelligence	Social Justice and Restorative Practices
Bullying Prevention	Explicit and Implicit Bias	Social Media Safety
Climate Improvement	Information Sharing and Other Legal Considerations for School Safety	Suicide Prevention
De-escalation	LQBTQ Issues in Schools	Threat Assessment
Drug and Alcohol Use Prevention	Mental Health	Trauma Informed Care
School, the Community, and Law Enforcement  – Partnering to Ensure Safe Schools	SROS in Schools – What Makes a Good SRO?

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Forum Location

Hampton Roads Convention Center
1610 Coliseum Drive
Hampton, VA

All main conference content will also be available in a virtual format.

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Travel and Meals

Lunch will be served to registered in person participants and vendor representatives on Tuesday and Wednesday. Participants are responsible for travel and all other meal costs.

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Lodging

Participants are responsible for their lodging arrangements and expenses.

Host Hotel

Embassy Suites by Hilton – Hampton Convention Center
1700 Coliseum Drive
Hampton, VA 23666

The group rate is $96.00 per suite, per night, plus tax for single or double occupancy, and $10 for each additional occupant for reservations made under this block.  Reservations are based on availability at the time of your call, so please do not delay in reserving your room.

Reservations By Telephone:

Hotel reservations can be made directly with the Embassy Suites by calling 1-800-EMBASSY (24 hours a day).  You may also call (757) 827-8200 and ask for “In-House Reservations” Monday – Friday from 8am to 5pm.  The name of our group is the VIRGINIA SCHOOL SAFETY TRAINING FORUM, and this is the name to use when calling to secure a sleeping room in the group block.

Online Reservations:

https://www.hilton.com/en/book/reservation/deeplink/?&ctyhocn=PHFCCES&groupCode=CESSC1&arrival=20210726&departure=20210729&cid=OM,WW,HILTONLINK,en,DirectLink&fromId=HILTONLINKDIRECT – Review and edit your stay information as necessary (the Special Rate Group Code has been pre-populated), then complete the Payment and Guest information fields to complete your reservation.

Overflow Lodging

Hyatt Place Hampton Convention Center
1905 Coliseum Drive
Hampton, VA 23666

Reservations By Telephone:

Please call (757) 788-8400 to make a reservation and ask for the School Safety Training Forum Room Block to receive the $96.00 (plus tax, per night) rate.

Online Reservations:

Reservations can also be made online: https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/virginia/hyatt-place-hampton-convention-center/orfzh?corp_id=G-SSTF.  The cut-off date to receive the group rate is 6/28/21.

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Pre-Conference Details and Registration: Monday, July 26, 2021 (In Person Only)

Pre-Conference training opportunities are being offered In Person only. There is no registration fee to attend. Register for no more than one Morning Session and one Afternoon Session.

Morning Sessions (Choose Only One)

Check in begins at 8:00 am. Session hours are 8:30 am to 12:00 pm.

Explicit and Implicit Bias ~ Horacio Sanchez, President and CEO, Resiliency, Inc.

The human brain produces bias as a natural process of how it learns. The brain associates things easily and this process can lead to a person consciously thinking one thing while the brain automatically associates it with something else. These subconscious associations influence what we think, how we react, and even how we behave. It has been determined that individuals can even develop biases that contradict the values and beliefs that are most important to them. Implicit bias, although subconscious, can impact how students behave and perform academically. The truth is that we all have biases; it is a byproduct of the human brain. People can learn what bias is, how it occurs, and how to mitigate its negative impact. Participants will discover the role bias plays in achievement and how bias impacts recovery from trauma. They will gain an understanding as to why bias impacts social perceptions and attitudes, the implications of bias on physical health, and how bias shapes the human brain.

Click to REGISTER FOR EXPLICIT AND IMPLICIT BIAS

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Applied K-12 Threat Assessment ~ Dr. Gene Deisinger, President and Founder, Deisinger Consulting, LLC

This course is offered to those who serve within, or have oversight of, school threat assessment and management processes. Participants should have already completed the basic K-12 threat assessment training through DCJS.  This session will 1) provide an overview of updates to the Virginia Model Policies, Procedures, and Guidelines for school threat assessment teams, and 2) provide an opportunity for applied practice through use of case scenarios. The goal for this half-day course is to give participants a chance to practice their skills in key areas, i.e., threat assessment systems and procedures; interview planning and preparation; assessing and prioritizing cases, and integrated case management and monitoring.

Click to REGISTER FOR APPLIED K-12 THREAT ASSESSMENT

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Afternoon Sessions (Choose Only One)

Check in begins at 12:30 pm. Session hours are 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm.

Information Sharing and Other Legal Considerations ~ Dr. John More, President and CEO, Response Law, LLC

In his usual matter of fact and quick-witted manner, Dr. More will provide participants with an update of the recent legislative mandates in Virginia and an understanding of what it takes to build an information sharing bridge between the school and law enforcement community. His strategic approach provides guidelines, coupled with key elements of Federal and Virginia law, with the goal of enhancing the ability of school and police personnel to share information in order to reduce risk to students, staff, and police personnel within the school environment and beyond.  An overview to understanding and navigating the Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA) particularly as it pertains to the 2020 Information Sharing Guide will also be provided.

Click to REGISTER FOR INFORMATION SHARING AND OTHER LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS

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Resiliency Begins with You ~ Dr. Michael Murphy, Police Chief/Coroner of Clark County, Nevada (Retired)

What steps are you taking to focus on your emotional health and well being? Dr. P. Michael Murphy will discuss three ways you can improve your emotional health, while creating resiliency to the challenges each of us face personally and professionally.

Click to REGISTER FOR RESILIENCY BEGINS WITH YOU

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D.A.R.E. UPDATES: D.A.R.E. myPlaybook Core High School Certification Training and other newly released Enhancement Lesson Overviews, D.A.R.E. America and Virginia D.A.R.E. Training Center (VDTC) Updates ~ D.A.R.E. Staff

D.A.R.E. officers will receive training on the newly released myPlaybook Core High School curricula and an overview on other newly released enhancement lessons on topics of Vaping and Teen Mental Health Awareness. This session will also include D.A.R.E. America and State D.A.R.E. updates. The session will conclude with Virginia D.A.R.E. Association business.

Click to REGISTER FOR D.A.R.E. UPDATES

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Main Conference Details and Registration: July 27-29, 2021 (In Person and Virtual)

Check in begins at 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 27, 2021 and runs until the Forum begins at 8:00 am. Forum runs from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm on Tuesday and Wednesday. Forum runs from 8:30 am to 12:00 pm on Thursday. Pre-registration is required.

PARTICIPANT REGISTRATION AND COST

Registration fee is $125.00 per participant if paid via credit card at the time of registration. A $20 processing fee will apply to payments not made by credit card at the time of registration. Payment must be received prior to conference attendance.

PARTICIPANTS – Click to REGISTER ATTEND IN PERSON (All in person attendees will also have access to the virtual aspects of the Main Conference.)

PARTICIPANTS – Click to REGISTER TO ATTEND VIRTUALLY

CANCELLATION POLICY: No refunds will be given for cancellations made after July 10, 2021. Substitutions will be accepted. If you registered to attend in person, you may change your registration to virtual attendance by contacting [email protected].

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VENDOR REGISTRATION AND COST

Vendors with school safety related products and services are invited to participate in the conference. The registration fee for VENDORS is $500 per vendor (for up to two (2) representatives) if paid via credit card at the time of registration.  A $20 processing fee will apply to payments not made by credit card at the time of registration. Registration fee includes open skirted table, electricity and Wi-Fi, and lunch if attending in person.

All vendors, regardless of means of attendance will be provided the opportunity to record a two minute video for digital presence and entry into Keynote sessions as desired – at no additional cost.

Note: Vendors who are non-profits or SWaM certified are eligible for discounted rates: $125 for nonprofits and $250 for SWaM. Please contact Kristina Fawcett at 804-225-3948 or [email protected] to be registered at the discounted rate.

VENDORS – Click to REGISTER ATTEND IN PERSON  (All in person vendors will also have access to the virtual aspects of the Main Conference)

VENDORS – Click to REGISTER TO ATTEND VIRTUALLY

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COVID-19 NOTICES

Participants will be required to complete a Participant Screening and Waiver prior to attending the training. This will be emailed to registrants before the training and will also be available to complete at check-in on the day of the training.

PLEASE NOTE: DCJS is preparing and planning to continue holding training sessions and conferences after a resumption of normal activities. Every effort will be made to hold this scheduled training, however, due to the uncertainty of the progression of the COVID-19, this training may require rescheduling. You will be notified by email if this training is rescheduled. We appreciate your flexibility and understanding.