Conference Overview:

Sponsorship:

Speaking:

Sponsored By:

Supported By:

Detailed Conference Agenda

DAY ONE: Monday October 1st, 2007

7:30 AM

Registration and Continental Breakfast

8:30 AM

Opening Comments from the Chair

Eric Roher, Partner, BORDEN LADNER GERVAIS, LLP

8:45 AM

Build an effective alert system and know how to best get your message out when a crisis hits

Alerting everyone on your premises and getting your message out in the most appropriate manner when a crisis takes place is crucial in ensuring a panic and danger-free outcome. The Virginia Tech incident has brought the need to have effective alert systems in place. Learn the different methods that can be used to get a message out when an emergency occurs whether it be text messaging, direct calls, voice mail, e-mails, or other alert measures that can be employed.

Protect your students and ensure a safe and secure learning environment.

Alison Kiss, M.S. Program Director, SECURITY ON CAMPUS, INC. (Pennsylvania)

Industry Expert

9:30 AM

Liability and law update: Know your obligations and responsibilities and avoid potential litigation

Having the responsibility for contingency planning in your school, you have clearly defined obligations and responsibilities under the law to protect your students and staff.

• Find out exactly what your responsibilities and obligations are under the law
• Protect yourself from future litigation

Do you know your legal liabilities? Take away key insight into your legal risks and liabilities – protect your students, staff, and yourself by understanding your role in ensuring the safety of anyone on your school premises.

Eric Roher, Partner, BORDEN LADNER GERVAIS, LLP

10:15 AM

Networking Break

Case Study: Toronto Catholic District School Board

10:45 AM

Know how to contain a crisis effectively while building a safe school culture

The importance of containing a crisis and creating a safe school culture cannot be emphasized enough. A safe school culture as well as the preparatory work that a school does before an emergency occurs is instrumental in assisting the students and administration through a crisis when it does happen.

• Introduction to a case study of a stabbing on school premises
• Events that took place during and following the stabbing incident
• Preparatory work involved before the crisis occurred
• 10 most important ways in which the school culture can be developed before a catastrophe occurs, and how a developed school culture assists in making the recovery process easier

Gain insight into the importance of creating a safe school culture and learn the most important tools that need to be in place before and during a crisis on your school premises.

Peter Barrans, Principal, Safe Schools, TORONTO CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD

Case Study

11:30 AM

What do universities need? Business Continuity or emergency management plans?

While some universities have prepared multi hazard or specific hazards emergency preparedness/response plans to deal with small or larger emergencies, some others have focused on business continuity plans. This presentation explores each of these directions with varieties of samples from universities in North America and argues that for universities and colleges business continuity planning is possibly a preferred direction.

Ali Asgary Ph.D., Emergency Management Program, School of Administrative Studies, Atkinson Faculty of Liberal and Professional Studies, YORK UNIVERSITY

12:15 PM

Networking Luncheon

Join the conference speakers and your peers for a relaxing luncheon. This is your opportunity to make new contacts and discuss the ideas presented in the morning sessions.

Live Demonstration

1:15 PM

Connecting with students and staff in an emergency: Mobile text messaging and how it can work for you

Know how you can stay in touch with your staff and students during an emergency. This insightful live demonstration will equip you with a real life strategy that could potentially save lives and mitigate your risks.

John Sklavos, Managing Director, i-TEXT.CA

Joint Presentation

1:30 PM

Realistic and practical solutions to help ease post-crisis trauma

Hear from a school social worker about practical solutions to assisting your students and community through difficult post-crisis times. Learn from different case studies and hear how specific crisis and disaster situations were dealt with.

• Develop skills to be a support system for students, families and staff members
• Know what to expect in a post-crisis environment
• Understand the mentality of a tragedy victim and gain victim normalization skills

Emerge with the understanding of how to deal with victims of post-traumatic stress in an effective manner.

Alison Kiss, M.S. Program Director, SECURITY ON CAMPUS, INC. (Pennsylvania)
Nicholas Sotiriou, M.S.W, R.S.W, School Social Worker, TORONTO DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD

Case Study: Lawrence Park Collegiate Institute, Toronto

2:15 PM

Determining important steps to contain a crisis

The biggest concern these days is the safety of our students when they are on school premises and the ways in which we can prevent violence from breaking out. Attend this session and explore solutions in crisis management situations that Lawrence Park C.I. has implemented.

• Employing pro-active strategies to minimize the level of crime and attacks on students in schools
• Learn techniques in handling school shootings or other forms of violence

Determine how to contain a crisis when it breaks out and what efforts are made to reduce crime and violence in schools.

Bruce McGregor, Principal, LAWRENCE PARK C.I. (Toronto)

3:00 PM

Networking Break

Case Study: St. Francis Xavier University, Nova Scotia

3:30 PM

Emergency health pandemic response plans that protect your students’ health and safety

In the event of a health emergency, schools across Canada, including your own, would be seriously disrupted. Learn from the outbreak of the Norwalk Virus that occurred at St Francis Xavier University and how they were successful in managing it and the lessons that were learned.

• Evaluate the real threat of the Virus and how it can affect your own school
• Discuss strategies to protect students, staff and faculty
• Evaluate the costs associated with an outbreak and how you can manage them

Mark MacAulay, Director of Health & Counseling, ST. FRANCIS XAVIER UNIVERSITY (Nova Scotia)

Case Study: University of Toronto Campus

4:15 PM

Managing ethnic & religious differences to avoid a crisis

With schools, colleges and universities becoming more culturally diverse, there are many occasions for cultural misunderstandings. Learn how educational institutions can approach these issues to ensure that students get the best from their campus security.

• Understand the roots of ethnic and religious conflicts

Len Paris, Manager Campus Police Special Constables, UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO
Nouman Ashraf, Anti-Racism and Cultural Diversity Officer, Office of the Vice President, Human Resources & Equity, UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO

5:00 PM

Conference Adjourns to Day Two

Day Two: Tuesday October 2nd, 2007

7:30 AM

Registration and continental breakfast

8:10 AM

Opening Comments from Conference Chair

Ron Kuban, President, PEGASUS EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT CONSORTIUM CORP.

Keynote Presentation

8:15 AM

Understanding what a real crisis is, how well it can be managed, and whether or not they should occur

When confronted by an event of significant magnitude – emergency, disaster or crisis –school administrators are pressured to rush into the response effort with little thought about the real meaning of the event on our students, the school system, all its external stakeholders, and us. The oversight is damaging on two fundamental levels:

• It restricts our view and understanding of the real operational environment
• It curtails the response we should take, further increasing our crisis exposure

Ron Kuban, President, PEGASUS EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT CONSORTIUM CORP.

9:30 AM

Reviewing the steps involved when managing a crisis and evacuating a big facility

Evacuating big facilities at a time of crisis can be instrumental in saving lives! Learn the proper techniques and procedures to get huge numbers of students to exit a facility.

• Determining who’s involved in the emergency and what protocols to follow
• Establishing the information emergency professionals are looking for when they arrive and their point of contact

Pose questions to the fire experts in safety to ensure you’re taking the right steps in a crisis.

Frank Lamie, Deputy Fire Chief, TORONTO SERVICES AND PUBLIC EDUCATION

10:15 AM

Networking Break

Industry Expert

10:45 AM

Getting supervisors to supervise: How to train staff and faculty members to handle a crisis effectively

In the event of a crisis, it is vital that your staff and faculty are able to work and communicate effectively with the local emergency services professionals to help minimize the effects of a crisis.

• Pre-plan and train staff on ways to act when a crisis occurs so that you instill confidence and calm in them to avoid a spiraling crisis
• Learn to prepare ready-to-use communication templates and email lists serves to reach staff members once a crisis occurs
• Manage time delays and keep track of your students

Stephen Clemens, Chief, Fire Prevention and Emergency Management, UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN ONTARIO

Industry Expert

11:30 AM

Assessing the threat and preparing for the worst: What you can do to protect your students and staff in the event of an influenza pandemic

Staying current about avian flu and the threat of an influenza pandemic is essential in ensuring a safe and healthy educational environment.

• Evaluate the threat of an influenza pandemic and how it can affect your school
• Learn to establish what you need to protect your students in terms of supplies, shortage of staff, and maintaining a curriculum

Susan Poutanen, Microbiologist & Infectious Disease Consultant, TORONTO MEDICAL LABORATORIES

12:15 PM

Networking Luncheon

Industry Expert

1:30 PM

Presentation: In the Blink of an Eye; The transition from normal to crisis

The transition into emergency, disaster or crisis is often shocking, disabling, and disturbing. It need not be. Moreover, the sooner an organization regains control over its chaotic and destructive environment, the greater its success at reducing further injury, damage, or the destruction of its reputation.

Ron Kuban, President, PEGASUS EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT CONSORTIUM CORP.

Case Study: Pope John Paul II High School, Scarborough

2:15 PM

Identifying offenders to minimize risk during a crisis

The growing phenomenon of bullying and student offenders is a serious concern for parents, staff, and faculty members across the nation. With this growing phenomenon, the potential for on-site incidents can increase dramatically.

Ugo Rossi, Vice Principal, POPE JOHN PAUL II HIGH SCHOOL

3:00 PM

Networking Break

Case Study: Valparaiso High School, Indiana

3:30 PM

Integrating effective violence prevention tools as part of your contingency and disaster plan

Be able to respond effectively and keep your school halls and classroom safe. Attend this session and explore solutions in crisis management situations that VHS has implemented.

Patrick Weil, Principal, VALPARAISO HIGH SCHOOL, INDIANA

Industry Expert

4:15 PM

Crime Stoppers, using the internet, and other tools to prevent a crisis from occurring

The Internet is the most actively used information gathering resource by our youth today. As educators, it is important to understand and be able to use the Internet as a crisis and violence prevention tool.

• Tips on how to use the Internet to your advantage pre, during and post-crisis

Constable Scott Mills, Officer, CRIME STOPPERS (Toronto)

5:00 PM

Conference Adjourns