School Business Insider – Lessons in School Safety: What We Can Learn from Tragedy

Episode Date: September 16, 2025
Host: John Brucato
Guest: Frank Uglieri, Director of Regional Safety Services, PNW BOCES, NY

Overview

In this episode, John Brucato speaks with Frank Uglieri about the complex and urgent topic of school safety, especially in the wake of recent tragedies like the Minneapolis school shooting. The discussion covers lessons learned from real incidents, practical steps for emergency preparedness, and the important role of school business officials in crisis response and prevention.

Frank Uglieri’s Background and Role

[01:46–03:43]

• Frank’s dedication to school safety began in his own student years and intensified after experiencing the impact of 9/11 firsthand as a new teacher.
• After 17 years teaching at various levels and engaging deeply with school safety matters, he transitioned to PNW BOCES to help schools with safety planning and crisis response across numerous districts in the Hudson Valley.
• Works closely with component and regional districts, providing consulting and support in health, safety, and security—including behavioral threat assessment.

Memorable Quote:
“My passion was always in school safety and preparedness... even back when I was in high school.” — Frank Uglieri [01:46]

Why School Safety Is a Top Priority for Business Officials

[05:09–06:32]

• Safety is foundational: “You can't learn if you're not fed and you're not safe.” [05:13]
• School business officials are key—responsible for decisions on funding, grants, and resource allocation for safety improvements.
• The aim is to move from reactive to proactive measures in school safety.

Funding and Industry Pressures

[06:32–07:55]

• School safety grants are more accessible, but navigating grant writing remains complex.
• There’s a proliferation of new safety products and technologies. Some are opportunistic, preying on vulnerabilities; others offer real benefits.
• Officials must vet and differentiate between effective solutions and those exploiting fear.

Memorable Quote:
“They're tugging on our heartstrings right where we're most vulnerable.” — Frank Uglieri [07:55]

Lessons from Recent Tragedies

[08:31–11:07]

• Historical incidents like Columbine, Virginia Tech, and Parkland have shaped safety protocols.
• Recent events underscore the continued validity and necessity of best practices (e.g., securing doors, situational awareness, “see something, say something”).
• Peer reporting of “leakage” (warning signs) is crucial; prevention is always the priority.

Important Point:
“No school shooter has penetrated a closed, locked, close classroom door.” — Frank Uglieri [10:46]

The Anatomy of a Crisis: What Really Happens

[13:18–16:27]

Four Phases:

1. Pre-crisis planning: Vital for effective response.
2. Immediate response: Muscle memory and training kick in; focus on life safety is paramount.
3. Incident stabilization: Prevent the situation from worsening through communication and strategic action.
4. Post-incident improvement: Analyze and adjust protocols based on lessons learned.

Key Advice:
“If I had to train you on an elevator in two minutes on how to respond to a crisis, the first question you want to say to yourself is, how do you keep everybody safe?” — Frank Uglieri [15:16]

Communication and Incident Command

[16:27–17:39]

• Having a trained Public Information Officer (PIO) and a clear communication plan for crises is essential.
• Losing credibility in crisis communication is hard to recover from; crisis communication differs significantly from routine news-sharing.

School Leaders’ Biggest Challenges During Crisis

[18:08–18:54]

• Leaders must juggle multiple “buckets”: law enforcement, fire, student, and parent needs.
• Incident Command System (ICS) is vital to distribute responsibilities; leaders should focus on the critical incident, not be overwhelmed by side tasks.

When Incidents Escalate – And What Causes It

[19:07–20:51]

• Prolonged incidents (e.g., delayed reunification after a crisis) cause instability and increased stress.
• Routine disruptions, social media misinformation, and staff limitations can escalate challenges.

Handling What’s Out of Your Control – Uvalde as Example

[21:57–23:53]

• Sometimes, school leadership is limited by outside agency actions.
• Staff must be trained as “immediate responders”—prepared with supplies, stop-the-bleed kits, extra food, medications, and the mentality to “own the student” during crisis, regardless of external uncertainties.

Memorable Quote:
“The cops have to own the crime, the fire have to own the flames, the paramedics own the patient, and the school has to own the student.” — Frank Uglieri [22:58]

Essential Trainings and Balancing Drill Fatigue

[24:04–28:16]

• Prevention: Behavioral threat assessment is paramount; building connections with mental health resources and law enforcement enhances preparedness.
• Preparedness: Train teams in emergency response, incident command, supply readiness (e.g., radios, go bags), and regular, authentic drills.
• Drills should evolve in complexity to maintain engagement and prevent complacency.
• Solicit feedback after drills; foster an adaptable mindset.

Managing Trauma and Special Populations During Drills

[29:30–32:09]

• Drills must be trauma-informed, especially for young children and special needs populations.
• More practice (not less) builds comfort if done mindfully.
• Avoid overly realistic or frightening scenarios; focus on muscle memory and adaptive decision-making.

Building Relationships with Law Enforcement and Agencies

[32:09–34:28]

• Early, open partnership with disaster response agencies improves crisis outcomes.
• Involve local police, county, state, and federal agencies in planning, building walkthroughs, and drills.
• Regular engagement leads to trust and smoother coordination in real incidents.

Memorable Quote:
“We want to shake hands before, so we're not pointing fingers after.” — Frank Uglieri [32:24]

Evolving Best Practices

[34:38–35:57]

• Benchmarking and annual goal-setting help schools progress: focus on manageable priorities such as threat assessment, reunification plans, or advanced drills.
• Best practice frameworks allow adaptation to different school sizes, ages, and resources.

Measuring Return on Investment – Proving Safety Investments Work

[36:12–37:01]

• Test every investment with drills and review—e.g., validating the performance of A.I. security features during a lockdown drill.
• Build testing and evaluation into all safety plans; repeat assessments to ensure effectiveness.

Low-Cost, High-Impact Steps for Readiness

[37:01–38:29]

• Training and effective, scenario-specific drills yield powerful results at minimal cost.
• Regularly review after-action reports from actual incidents; use these as internal case studies.
• Learn from testimony and mistakes of real events to preempt similar failures.

The Single Most Important Next Step

[38:30–39:29]

• Review your district/building safety plans for clear annual goals and objectives.
• Build incrementally—choose two or three focus areas each year and measure improvement.
• Align plans with documented best practices and standards.

Personal Motivation in Challenging Work

[39:29–40:43]

• Frank draws motivation from positive outcomes: “When there’s a student who was on a really dark pathway to violence and we were able to pull them off … those success stories are the biggest motivators.” [39:43]
• Validation comes from seeing colleagues and students internalize and act on training in real-world situations.

Where to Find Resources and Support

[41:05–42:49]

• National agencies: National Threat Assessment Center, US Secret Service, FBI.
• Professional associations: National Association for School Psychologists, National Association of School Resource Officers, state equivalents.
• Local resources: In New York, BOCES regional safety services, Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, and Domestic Terrorism Prevention Units.
• Prioritize governmental and established agencies for up-to-date, reliable resources.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• “You can't learn if you're not fed and you're not safe.” — Frank Uglieri [05:13]
• “They're tugging on our heartstrings right where we're most vulnerable.” — Frank Uglieri [07:55]
• “No school shooter has penetrated a closed, locked, close classroom door.” — Frank Uglieri [10:46]
• “We want to prevent, not prosecute.” — Frank Uglieri [13:05]
• “If I had to train you on an elevator in two minutes on how to respond to a crisis, the first question you want to say to yourself is, how do you keep everybody safe?” — Frank Uglieri [15:16]
• “We want to shake hands before, so we're not pointing fingers after.” — Frank Uglieri [32:24]
• “The cops have to own the crime, the fire have to own the flames, the paramedics own the patient, and the school has to own the student.” — Frank Uglieri [22:58]
• “When there’s a student who was on a really dark pathway to violence and we were able to pull them off... those success stories are the biggest motivators.” — Frank Uglieri [39:43]

Resources Mentioned

• FBI’s “Making Prevention a Reality” report
• US Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center
• Reports from the National Association for School Psychologists
• National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO)
• Domestic Terrorism Prevention Units (State-specific)
• After-action reviews and grand jury reports from notable tragedies (e.g., Richneck Elementary shooting)

Closing Takeaway

School safety is a layered, complex challenge that requires proactive, well-coordinated efforts from all staff, robust relationships with agencies, and ongoing reflection and adaptation based on real incidents. School business officials play a critical role in funding, testing, and setting the strategic safety agenda for their communities. Continuous improvement is possible—one practical, tested step at a time.