Noblesville to host school safety forum . . .
On Thursday, Noblesville Schools Superintendent Beth Niedermeyer recognized that school safety has been on the minds of many since the shootings in Florida. “Our hearts ache for the devastating loss of lives and we mourn with the country as we try to make sense of it all. I appreciate the conversations with parents who have reached out to discuss safety and offer support as we continue to review our practices and systems designed to keep students safe,” said Niedermeyer in a statement distributed to parents.
Niedermeyer
“Last month I shared information about the safety procedures we use at Noblesville Schools, but because this is such an important topic we will also be hosting a Parent School Safety Forum on March 19, 2018 at 7 p.m. at East Middle School (1625 Field Drive, Noblesville) in conjunction with the Noblesville Police Department (NPD).”
Also in the statement Niedermeyer addressed the national call for a student walk out, saying, “I also wanted to take this opportunity to address a national call for students to walk out of school on March 14 in support of Parkland, Fla., victims that you may have heard about in the media.”
“NHS student leaders initiated discussion with high school administration on this topic and have several safe, constructive, student-led activities to honor Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School (MSDHS) victims planned for the week of March 12. Some examples include writing empathy messages, recognizing random acts of kindness, wearing MSDHS school colors, producing a video to honor victims and more. Their stated focus is to increase empathy and awareness rather than just walk out of school. We appreciate and respect our students’ thoughtful and detailed planning, initiative, advocacy, and voice.”
Niedermeyer said some students throughout the district may still choose to observe the 17-minute walk out and Noblesville Schools will permit that as long as they do so respectfully and within the spirit and intent of the activity.
“I will note that publicly announcing a time and place when students will be outside the school building actually increases student risk so I encourage you to discuss this with your child. Safety is our top priority and NPD officers will be at schools for safety monitoring should any students decide to walk out,” Niedermeyer said.
Niedermeyer concluded her statement by thanking the community for their support, saying, “This is an opportunity to learn, reflect and engage in meaningful conversations. Feel free to contact me or your principal if you have any questions.”