School Safety Today podcast, presented by Raptor Technologies.

In this episode of School Safety Today by Raptor Technologies, host Dr. Amy Grosso talks with TJ Markland, General Manager of Payments at Raptor Technologies, to discuss the often-overlooked safety challenges of school events—from daytime assemblies to Friday night football. As schools work to balance hospitality with security, TJ shares how digital tools are helping them plan smarter, monitor more effectively, and respond faster. With the right technology in place, schools can move beyond reactive protocols and start designing safer, more seamless event experiences for students, families, and the community.

KEY POINTS:

• Why the same safety protocols used during the school day should apply to everything from small assemblies to Friday night football.
• How tools like geo-fenced check-ins, AI, and digital ticketing give schools real-time visibility, faster response, and tighter control over events.
• How data acts as a quiet partner in school safety, revealing patterns that help schools predict risks, deploy staff more effectively, and make each event safer than the last.

Our guest, TJ Markland, is a leading authority in school payment systems and event safety. He has spent time building integrated payment gateways for SaaS platforms, making it easier for businesses to process transactions. Previously, TJ was the General Manager of PayK12, a cloud-based solution that simplifies school payments and financial management, now part of the Raptor Platform. Over more than five years at PayK12, he was instrumental in enhancing the platform’s features, with a strong emphasis on minimizing risk and boosting efficiency for schools. Currently, as General Manager of Payments, TJ has helped launch Raptor’s latest innovation, EventSafe™, which enables school staff to plan and manage events—such as assemblies, performances, and parent visits—while maintaining a high standard of campus safety.

In this episode of School Safety Today by Raptor Technologies Michelle Dawn Mooney sat down with special guest, TJ Markland, General Manager of PayK12. Pay K12 is a cloud-based software platform that provides districts, schools, and departments within, one digital hub for managing school payments and funds. In this episode, we’ll discuss how schools can reduce risks and improve efficiency in school payments.

Key Takeaways:

• Streamlining Payments: Consolidating all school payments into one platform reduces inefficiencies and strengthens financial security across departments.

• Unified Transaction Management: Leveraging technology to manage both cash and credit transactions on a unified platform enhances transparency and security.

• Emerging Trends: Data interoperability helps schools streamline processes, reduce manual tasks, and improve financial management efficiency.

TJ Markland is a recognized expert in school system payments and the General Manager of PayK12, a cloud-based software platform designed to streamline school payments and financial management. With over five years of experience at PayK12, TJ has played a pivotal role in expanding the platform's capabilities, particularly focusing on reducing risks and improving efficiency in school payment systems. Before joining PayK12, TJ worked for a payments company that built its own payment gateway for vertically integrated SaaS (Software as a Service), helping companies easily accept payments. Under TJ's leadership, PayK12 has grown significantly, now serving over 5,000 administrators across 23 states. PayK12 has recently become part of the Raptor Technologies family, allowing the integration of payment systems with safety and security features, further enhancing the offerings for school districts.

In today’s episode of School Safety Today by Raptor Technologies, join host Dr. Amy Grosso as she sits down with Michael Matthews, the Director of Operations for the Fairview Park City School District in the Greater Cleveland Area. Together, they discuss the crucial preparations and strategies necessary for ensuring a safe return to school for students and staff.

KEY POINTS:

• The importance of balancing physical safety measures with the well-being of students and staff

• Implementing small, manageable changes over time rather than overwhelming staff with large-scale reform

• The critical role of engaging the entire school community, including staff and local agencies

Our guest, Michael Matthews, is the Director of Operations for the Fairview Park City School District in the Greater Cleveland Area. Michael oversees all operational aspects of the district, including business affairs and human resources. With fifteen years of experience as an Elementary Principal and Associate Middle School Principal and eight years as an Elementary Teacher, Michael is dedicated to prioritizing the well-being of students and staff in every decision, ensuring that all stakeholders have the essential tools for success.