The NJDOE’s Office of School Preparedness and Emergency Planning is proud to announce another presentation in its ongoing Guest Lecture Series in furtherance of its collective mission to support the safety of K-12 school students, staff, and campuses. On October 8, 2025, in partnership with the FBI, the NJDOE is bringing guest speaker Max Schachter to New Jersey to discuss his experience working to improve school safety based on lessons learned in the aftermath of the Valentine’s Day 2018 shooting at the Marjorie Stoneman Douglas School in Parkland, Florida, during which Mr. Schachter’s son Alex lost his life.
This presentation by national school safety advocate Max Schachter brings participants along his journey from pain to purpose after his 14-year-old son Alex was murdered in the Parkland school shooting. Since the heartbreaking day that changed Max’s life forever, he has been fighting for safer schools at the highest levels of the United States government. He speaks not only from the perspective of a school shooting victim’s father; he is also a commissioner on the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission which was tasked with investigating the tragedy and improving the safety of Florida’s 4,000 schools. Schachter’s pain has fueled his belief that school safety must be prioritized over education because you can’t teach dead kids. Unfortunately, he could not save Alex, but he believes schools are safer every time he presents the lessons learned from the deadliest high school shooting in U.S. history.
This training is intended for superintendents, who are strongly encouraged to attend. Please share with your local school superintendent. There is no cost to attend this event, however, seating is limited, and registration is required. As this event is for school employees, you must register using your school email address. Registrations under a non-school or personal email address will be removed. School Safety Specialists who attend this event will receive four hours toward re-certification.
Location:
Brookdale Community College
Warner Student Life Center
765 Newman Springs Road
Lincroft, NJ
Date: October 8, 2025
Time: 8:30 am – 12:30 pm
Sign-in: 8:00 – 8:30 am
