Building Bridges: Strengthening School-Prosecutor Partnerships (Self-Paced)

Self-paced
1 credit

Description

Effective partnerships between prosecutors and school personnel are critical for addressing complex school safety challenges and fostering supportive student environments. Yet many educators and prosecutors are unsure how to initiate and sustain these connections. This course explores how Michigan schools and county prosecutors can strengthen communication, build trust, and work together to create safer, more supportive schools.

Please note: This self-paced training was adapted from a live workshop hosted on November 19, 2025.

Audience

School Personnel, County Prosecutors, Law Enforcement/SROs, Mental Health Professionals, School Administrators, Superintendents, School Lawyers

Learning Objectives

Explain the importance of the prosecutor-school partnership in school safety.
Identify the roles of both parties in the context of school safety.
Recognize the actions each role takes when issues occur.
Bridge communication and information-sharing gaps between school personnel and prosecutors.

Presenters

Karen Field (Juvenile Justice & School Safety Training Project Director, Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan)

Jaclyn Sivers (Assistant Prosecuting Attorney and School Liaison, Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office, Juvenile Justice Division)

Vernon Burden (Principal, Athens High School, Troy School District, Oakland County)

Miles Haney, Facilitator (Training Coordinator, Michigan School Safety Initiative)

Continuing Education Credit

This training is offered for an MSSI certificate of completion.

Project Team

Brent Miller (Training Manager, National Center for School Safety)
Cindi Thronson (Project Manager, Michigan School Safety Initiative)
Cassandra Johnson (School Safety Outreach Specialist, Michigan School Safety Initiative)

Sponsor

The Michigan School Safety Initiative is housed at the University of Michigan Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention and funded by the State of Michigan through the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services (PA 166 of 2022 & HB 5783).

Contact Us

Visit our list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on our website.

Full course description