Safety in Real Time: How Securly is Using AI to Protect Students and Save Lives
“If we’re doing this right, we don’t just prevent tragedies—we empower students to thrive.”
— Mike Jolley, Senior VP of Enterprise Partnerships, Securely
In today’s K–12 landscape, student safety isn’t just about physical buildings or fire drills. It’s about understanding what’s happening on their devices, in their messages, and in their moments of silence.
In this episode of Vetted by Mark Vetter, we sit down with Mike Jolley, former principal and now Senior VP at Securly, a student safety platform used by thousands of districts across the country. What starts as a story about filtering software quickly becomes something deeper: a conversation about mental health, crisis prevention, and saving lives in real time.
When 28 Hours Can Make All the Difference
Host Mark Vetter opens with a powerful story. Within 28 hours of turning on Securly’s monitoring tools, a student in his district was flagged for concerning online behavior—triggering an alert that ultimately led to a life-saving intervention.
It’s not a one-off story. Securly monitors more than 17 million students in the U.S., and according to Mike, they intervene in a life-threatening situation every 17 minutes.
“This work is real,” Mike says. “It’s emotional. It’s urgent. And we take it seriously.”
Humans + AI = Responsible Safety
One of the most compelling parts of the episode is Mike’s breakdown of how Securly combines AI-based pattern detection with human analysts to assess risk. It's not just about blocking bad content—it’s about spotting warning signs, like:
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A sudden shift in tone in student writing
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Search patterns related to self-harm
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Repeated negative sentiment in school emails or Docs
Securly’s Discern platform is designed to give school staff more than just alerts—it offers context and trend analysis to help leaders take informed, compassionate action.
Balancing Privacy and Partnership
While Securly collects data to monitor risk, Mike is clear: privacy and transparency are essential.
Securly works closely with districts to ensure that policies are student-centered and family-informed. Their parent app bridges school and home by giving guardians a view into their child’s online activity—without overstepping boundaries.
“We want to create a triangle of trust: student, school, and family,” Mike says.
Why Leadership Matters
Mike’s background as a principal shapes his message. He urges school tech leaders to be more than system admins—to be collaborators, advocates, and listeners.
His advice?
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Be transparent about safety tools with staff and families
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Use data to support, not punish
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Center every decision on student well-being, not fear
The Bottom Line
This episode is a reminder that tech alone isn’t enough—it’s the people behind it that make a difference. From real-time alerts to long-term insight, Securly’s platform is just one part of a bigger mission: helping every student feel safe, seen, and supported.
“If we help even one student see their own value,” Mike says, “then we’re doing this right.”
🎧 Listen to the full episode: Vetted by Mark Vetter with Mike Jolley
💡 Topics: Student safety, AI in education, online monitoring, digital mental health