How Two School Districts Are Transforming Violence Prevention & Behavior Management With Scalable, Real-World Solutions

Creating safe school environments isn’t just about securing buildings—it’s about building trust, communication, and proactive systems that reduce risk and promote well-being. For administrators across the country, violence prevention programs in schools are no longer optional—they’re mission-critical.

Two district leaders—Lori Sancin of Berea City Schools and Randy Wright of Olentangy School District—shared how they’re addressing the complex realities of school violence with scalable, strategic solutions from Navigate360’s Detection & Prevention suite. Here’s how they’re making a measurable difference.

School Safety Challenges: “We Knew We Couldn’t Keep Going This Way”

For Lori Sancin, Director of Pupil Services at Berea City Schools, managing threat assessments on paper was more than just inefficient—it was a liability.

“We were losing sleep,” she said. “Our process was disjointed. Our documentation lived in physical binders, and we had no real way to follow up or ensure accountability.”

Randy Wright, Chief of Administrative Services at Olentangy Schools (retired from the district in December 2024), faced a different challenge: scale. His district, the fastest-growing in Ohio, needed a digital system that could support a large number of school-based threat assessment teams, while ensuring confidentiality, training, and compliance.

“With over 20 buildings, we couldn’t afford fragmented communication. We needed a system that was secure, accessible, and standardized.”

Implementing a Scalable, Research-Based Solution

Both districts turned to Navigate360 Behavioral Case Manager, part of a layered behavioral management approach designed to:

• Streamline threat assessment documentation and collaboration
• Ensure alignment with nationally recognized and state-aligned threat assessment models
• Integrate with other safety tools, like Anonymous Reporting System or Digital Threat Detection
• Track student concerns across buildings while maintaining FERPA compliance

“The level of customization was key,” said Lori. “We were able to embed our processes, our flow charts, and even links to our resources.”

“The training Navigate360 provided was phenomenal,” added Randy. “We brought 40 people together—principals, counselors, psychologists—and left feeling confident we had the tools to do this right.”

Real Results: Safer School Communities, Better Data, & Empowered Teams

Since implementation, both districts have seen measurable improvements in their school violence prevention efforts.

At Berea, Behavioral Case Manager has increased communication and accountability, with follow-ups now embedded directly into each case. At Olentangy, it’s enabled new administrators to onboard quickly, reduced errors, and helped the district better support its multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS).

“We’re not just reacting anymore—we’re identifying trends, reducing aggression, and creating safer environments for all students,” said Randy.

And crucially, both leaders emphasized that violence prevention isn’t just about responding to threats—it’s about creating a positive school climate where concerns don’t escalate in the first place.

Lessons Learned: Advice for Other School Administrators

Both Lori and Randy offered the same advice to other districts: don’t wait for a crisis to get your system in place.

“You don’t want to build the bridge while you’re crossing it,” said Lori. “Invest in a solution that sets your teams up for success.”

They also emphasized the value of data-informed decisions, cross-departmental collaboration, and working with partners who understand the real-world demands of K–12 education.

“Navigate360 doesn’t just sell software—they help you create a process,” said Randy.

The Path Forward: From Prevention to Culture Change

Violence prevention in schools is a journey—not a checklist. But with the right tools, training, and team in place, school leaders can shift from fragmented reaction to proactive prevention, building a culture of safety, support, and trust.

• Behavioral Case Manager equips multidisciplinary teams to proactively support student well-being. With one centralized platform, users can identify, assess, and manage behavioral concerns before they escalate. The system enables evidence-based assessment, comprehensive case management, and actionable analytics—empowering teams to improve outcomes for every student.
• Threat Assessment Training equips staff to recognize concerns and intervene early. Prepare multidisciplinary teams to identify students and situations that may pose a threat, assess the potential for harm, and respond quickly, confidently, and effectively when a student is at risk.
• Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) offers a structured, data-driven approach to intervention and student support. Navigate360’s tools help schools build, monitor, and sustain effective MTSS frameworks—empowering educators to implement strategies that strengthen both academic achievement and behavioral outcomes.