Mitchell schools to implement new safety policies beginning next school year

Noah Dalton, The Times-Mail
·5 min read
Mitchell Community Schools Administration Center
Mitchell Community Schools Administration Center

MITCHELL — At the most recent meeting of the Mitchell Community Schools board of trustees, MCS Superintendent Brent Comer spoke about school safety in the district, as well as proposed new policy changes for the upcoming school year.

Comer said the MCS School Safety Committee, led by school resource officer Rob German who serves as the chairman, met after the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, which left 21 dead. The meeting was held for the group to discuss safety measures in MCS schools and ways to potentially create a safer environment for students and staff.

On Monday, Comer presented four new MCS policy changes to the board for its consideration and vote in the future.

  • All exterior doors at MCS will remain locked at all times. MCS interior classroom doors will remain locked while school is in session.

  • All MCS employees must display their school issued ID while on school or district campus. All substitute teachers and visitors must register in the school's main office and display office issued identification while on the school's campus.

  • MCS will host School Safety Trainings determined by the MCS School Safety Committee and/or Superintendent for all MCS employees.

  • Car rider pickup at both Hatfield and Burris Elementary Schools will begin after buses have left school campus at the end of the day. Vehicles used for car pickup will not be allowed on school campus until 3:05 pm at Hatfield Elementary and 3:10 pm at Burris Elementary.

With these changes, Comer said the committee is looking to prioritize the safety of  school facilities over the convenience of those who use them.

“There may be some that see it as not as convenient for them," Comer noted. "I'm not apologetic for that. That's not our intention, to purposely make something less convenient for others. Our absolute intention is to make our schools as safe as we can possibly make it for the students and the staff that work in those schools."

The proposed change to car rider pickup at Hatfield and Burris is one that Comer said will need to evolve over time for the district to perfect. By only allowing car rider pickups to begin after buses leave, the committee hopes to limit the amount of people there at one time, making the situation easier to monitor for staff.

“Again, I'm unapologetic if people see that one in particular as inconvenient to them,” Comer said speaking of the proposed change to pick up at MCS elementary schools.

“I do believe we have to do something to make things safer," he added. "It's hard to monitor when there's that much going on at the end of the day."

According to Comer, principals at both schools have already begun to create plans to accommodate this new policy, should it be approved, but those plans are likely to change over time as they discover what does and does not work well at each building.

In other business

George Link, vice president of VPS Architecture, provided the board with an update on the district’s ongoing capital projects. Laying of the perimeter pipe should be completed for the new turf on the football field this week, with geotextile fabric being laid next week.

Link said he expects demolition of the baseball and softball fields to begin next week to prep them for their turfing. Additionally, foundation for the fieldhouse building is being set and the construction crew should soon begin preparing to pour concrete slab.

MCS Athletic Director Amos Wegner spoke to the board about his goals for coaches and the district's athletics programs. He said he wants each program to help athletes remain 100% academically eligible, look beyond teams to instead build strong programs and to protect their home fields and courts by winning home games.

Wegner added that next year he will look to challenge teams by seeking stronger out-of-conference competition.

Personnel

Resignations/retirements

  • Brad Purlee - Mitchell High School Chemistry Teacher - Retirement effective May 23

  • Lee Purlee - Mitchell High School Math Teacher - Retirement effective May 23

  • John Lemons - Hatfield Elementary KG Transition Teacher - Resignation effective May 23

  • Jaymie Terry - Hatfield Elementary KG Teacher - Resignation effective May 31

  • Katherine Key - KG-5 High Ability Coordinator - Resignation effective June 3•

  • Wendy Pemberton - Special Education Administrative Assistant - Resignation effective May 19

  • Whitney Morrow - Hatfield Elementary KG Aide - Resignation effective May 20

  • Teresa McKnight - Burris Elementary Classroom Aide - Resignation effective May 20

  • John Chenoweth - MJHS Night Shift Class "C" Custodian - Resignation effective May 16

  • Wayne Fugate - Bus 28 Driver - Resignation effective June 2

  • Georgeanna Harris - Food Service Employee - Retirement effective May 20

  • Lynnette Brown - Food Services Employee - Retirement effective June 1

Employment

  • Abby Karr - MJHS Art Teacher- Aug. 1

  • Kevin Kling - MHS Latin Teacher and Other Courses TBD -Aug. 1,

  • Jessica Downey - MJHS Virtual Teacher - effective 2022-2023 school year 

  • Sarah Reynolds - MJHS Virtual Teacher - effective 2022-2023 school year

  • Ada Reynolds - MHS Virtual Teacher - effective for the 2022-2023 school year 

  • Patty Phelps - MHS Virtual Support Staff - effective for the 2022-2023 school year

  • Charles "Neil" Cox - Mitchell Junior High School Class "C" Night Shift Custodian - effective June 13

  • Sarah Horton - Mitchell High School Special Education Lifeskills Classroom Aide - effective Aug. 3

  • Victoria Cessna - Mitchell Junior High School Special Education Lifeskills Classroom Aide -effective Aug. 3

Extra-curricular for the 2022-23 school year

  • McKenzi Arthur - MJHS publications

  • Brittany Crosby & Allie Waldridge - high school dance volunteers

  • Erica Slaughter - MJHS dance team sponsor

  • Caitlin Nicely - junior high dance volunteer

  • Kristen McDonald - assistant varsity volleyball

  • Jessica Allen - eighth grade volleyball

  • Lexie Connerly & Jim Allen - volleyball volunteers

  • Macy Robbins - assistant varsity girls basketball

  • Cari Isom - fifth/sixth grade girls basketball

  • Alison Kern - seventh grade girls basketball

  • Zach Kern - eighth grade girls basketball

  • Shelby Cole, Alicia Wilson and Kerri Wilder - girls basketball volunteers

  • Joel Parsons - junior high soccer volunteer

Noah Dalton is a reporter in Bedford, IN. He can be reached at ndalton@tmnews.com

This article originally appeared on The Times-Mail: New school safety policies proposed at MCS board meeting