Mother of Sandy Hook shooting victim meets with CPS to discuss school safety

CHICAGO - A mother who lost her son during the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting is meeting with Chicago Public Schools officials to discuss how to enhance school safety.

"We’ve had a partnership with CPS since 2017/2018. Now that we’re kind of passing through COVID, we wanted to reengage and talk about what does the next step of the partnership look like," said Nicole Hockley, Co-founder and CEO of Sandy Hook Promise.

Since it was founded in January 2013, the organization "Sandy Hook Promise" has trained almost 15 million students and adults.

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Hockley started the organization after her son Dylan was tragically killed during the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in December 2012.

Now, she and others train students and adults across the country on spotting signs of gun violence, so no other parent goes through the same experience.

Hockley had actually arranged a meeting with CPS officials prior to the gut-wrenching elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas last week. She met with them Wednesday, discussing a plan for a continued partnership, including educating students on what to do if they are concerned about someone or something.

"Kids are absolutely the eyes and ears of the school. Not only do they know what’s going on within the school, but they know what’s going on without the school, especially through social media. So I think if you’re seeing concerning behaviors in any of your friends or in general, talk to someone you trust, talk to an adult and that could be a parent or a teacher, or a coach or mentor, someone you know will take action. Don’t shoulder it yourself," Hockley said.

If you're a parent or teacher and want to learn more about taking action, there are plenty of resources on the organization's website.