Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Schools to address methods of school safety

WHIO Staff
·2 min read

Sugarcreek Township is holding a meeting on Monday to further discuss the Volunteer Active Shooter Response team plan, according to Parent and Community Engagement and Communications Coordinator, Henry Conte.

>>Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Schools OKs volunteer active shooter response team

The meeting will be held at Bellbrook Middle School at 5:30 p.m. Conte confirmed the school board, city officials, Sugarcreek Township trustees and the park district will all be in attendance to discuss methods of addressing school and student safety.

This meeting comes after the school board stated last week in a press release that no teachers will be permitted to carry firearms inside the classroom and they plan to create an active shooter response team.

“The safety of our community’s children is the only responsibility entrusted to the Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Local School District more important than their academic growth,” the school board said in the statement. “While our district continues to engage national and local subject matter experts to implement best practices for prevention of an active shooting, we recognize the response time of a trained, capable responder is the single most critical factor in saving lives once a mass casualty event begins.”

Candidates looking to apply to volunteer on the active shooter response team must follow these protocols:

  • Submit an application,

  • Be interviewed,

  • Pass a background check and mental health screening,

  • Complete at least 40 hours of training,

  • Complete annual training requirements and qualifications.

>>UPDATE: 1 in custody after police pursuit ends with SUV crashing into building

A few of the other measures that the school is taking to ensure safety of the students includes but are not limited to, door lock mechanisms for all classrooms, de-escalation training from the Crisis Prevention Institute and many other mental health services both within the district and through external partnerships.

School board members understand the importance of protecting the confidentiality and operational security of some details of the school safety plan to ensure its effectiveness.

“We believe once our Active Shooter Response Team is in place, our comprehensive safety protocols will Deter, Detect, Deny, and Defeat anyone intending to harm our students or staff,” the school board said in the statement.