Noblesville Schools announced several initial school safety enhancements at its School Board meeting Tuesday evening.
Niedermeyer
The initial recommendations are the direct result of a continuous improvement safety review the district was pursuing prior to the May 25 shooting at West Middle School. They are based on analysis by the district’s Safe Schools Committee which includes parent, staff and law enforcement input.
While specific details of safety plans cannot be shared publicly as it would increase risk, in general the initial recommendations include:
- Elimination of all portable classrooms
- Additional school resource officers
- Enhanced facility structures
- Increased facility lockdown tools
- Additional surveillance equipment
- Classroom barricading products
- School parking lot access control
- Additional technology for increased safety communications
- Additional counseling staff and mental health supports
“We are pleased that we are able to address community concerns by eliminating portable classrooms and adding safety enhancements to our already comprehensive list of safety measures,” said Dr. Beth Niedermeyer, superintendent of Noblesville Schools. “Beginning in the 2018-19 school year, Noblesville Schools will have a trained police officer in every school. We are so appreciative of the Noblesville Police Department for agreeing to share the cost of additional school resource officers.”
Funding is already in place for some of the initial safety enhancements the district is recommending. Noblesville Schools is also exploring other funding options through state and federal resources and may ask the community to support a referendum this November to provide additional funding for safety initiatives and teacher compensation.
The district will host several initiatives this summer as it continues to evaluate further ways to strengthen safety. A Community Safety Summit and a Safety Panel with law enforcement will be scheduled soon.
“Safety in today’s world is a complex issue and there are no easy answers,” said Dr. Niedermeyer. “We are committed to working together with law enforcement, community leaders, parents and the overall community to best protect students. We will be purposeful in our approach to safety enhancements and will make decisions based on what experts recommend.”
The district is already considered a leader in school safety thanks to its adoption nine years ago of the Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate (ALICE) system and its active partnerships with law enforcement, including its network of school resource officers.
For more information on Noblesville Schools’ approach to safety, please reference this video from the March 2018 public safety forum.