Parent Expresses Safety Concerns at Warsaw School Meeting
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By David [email protected]
He said the things that have been talked about regarding school security are good, but he’s received some positive and negative feedback from citizens and school employees since last month. Every single one of them said they should be given a chance to protect their students and would sacrifice themselves for the lives of their students, he said.
Many of those he spoke to, he said, offered him thanks for saying what many are afraid to say because they are afraid of retribution. Some feel that the school board will say what it thinks the public wants to hear until it forgets about the issue. However, Long said he’s not going to forget.
“Lots of people in the community feel it’s not the time to play politics,” he said. “... It’s time for hard decisions to be made.”
He suggested retired officers be hired at all schools. Long, who has 10 years of military training, said he has a professional instructor who would be willing to donate his time to train teachers with firearms.
Long also questioned the ability of local police officers to respond adequately to a situation at a school. They have training, but never have to use it and may not know how. Long’s father is a police officer, and the only one Long said he would trust.
Superintendent Dr. Craig Hintz told Long that the school corporation continues to meet with the mayor, chief of police and sheriff. They are meeting next week on how they can strengthen security in schools, and are investigating different ways to do that.
Dan Metzger, board member, said they are investigating different options. While it may not look like it, he said they are investigating “our best options. We will deal with it and professionally.”
By the March 19 board work session, Metzger said he will suggest Hintz have a recommendation to be put into place.
In other business, the school board:
• Heard from Chief Accountability Officer Amy Sivley that the state graduation rate is 87 percent for 2011-12, according to the Indiana Department of Education website. Warsaw Community High School’s graduation rate is 91.2 percent.
• Heard kindergarten round-up will be at each elementary Thursday from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
• Approved an early entrance to kindergarten policy, and the Kindergarten Countdown summer program.
The United Way is providing $17,131 to fund the Kindergarten Countdown program. Warsaw Schools will provide lunches and supervision, but would do that anyway with the summer programs so there is no additional funding required.
• Heard ISTEP begins Monday and runs through March 13.
• Heard the February enrollment of Warsaw Community Schools is 7,101 students, up 11 from January. The February 2012 enrollment was 6,994.
“We’ve had an increase of 107 students over one year,” Hintz stated.
• Heard “Taps” will be at the Warsaw Community High School Performing Arts Center March 15 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 for adults, and $15 for students and seniors.
• Heard a presentation on how Madison Elementary School is “enriching the lives of others.” A free video of the presentation is on the Times-Union website at www.timesuniononline.com[[In-content Ad]]
He said the things that have been talked about regarding school security are good, but he’s received some positive and negative feedback from citizens and school employees since last month. Every single one of them said they should be given a chance to protect their students and would sacrifice themselves for the lives of their students, he said.
Many of those he spoke to, he said, offered him thanks for saying what many are afraid to say because they are afraid of retribution. Some feel that the school board will say what it thinks the public wants to hear until it forgets about the issue. However, Long said he’s not going to forget.
“Lots of people in the community feel it’s not the time to play politics,” he said. “... It’s time for hard decisions to be made.”
He suggested retired officers be hired at all schools. Long, who has 10 years of military training, said he has a professional instructor who would be willing to donate his time to train teachers with firearms.
Long also questioned the ability of local police officers to respond adequately to a situation at a school. They have training, but never have to use it and may not know how. Long’s father is a police officer, and the only one Long said he would trust.
Superintendent Dr. Craig Hintz told Long that the school corporation continues to meet with the mayor, chief of police and sheriff. They are meeting next week on how they can strengthen security in schools, and are investigating different ways to do that.
Dan Metzger, board member, said they are investigating different options. While it may not look like it, he said they are investigating “our best options. We will deal with it and professionally.”
By the March 19 board work session, Metzger said he will suggest Hintz have a recommendation to be put into place.
In other business, the school board:
• Heard from Chief Accountability Officer Amy Sivley that the state graduation rate is 87 percent for 2011-12, according to the Indiana Department of Education website. Warsaw Community High School’s graduation rate is 91.2 percent.
• Heard kindergarten round-up will be at each elementary Thursday from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
• Approved an early entrance to kindergarten policy, and the Kindergarten Countdown summer program.
The United Way is providing $17,131 to fund the Kindergarten Countdown program. Warsaw Schools will provide lunches and supervision, but would do that anyway with the summer programs so there is no additional funding required.
• Heard ISTEP begins Monday and runs through March 13.
• Heard the February enrollment of Warsaw Community Schools is 7,101 students, up 11 from January. The February 2012 enrollment was 6,994.
“We’ve had an increase of 107 students over one year,” Hintz stated.
• Heard “Taps” will be at the Warsaw Community High School Performing Arts Center March 15 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 for adults, and $15 for students and seniors.
• Heard a presentation on how Madison Elementary School is “enriching the lives of others.” A free video of the presentation is on the Times-Union website at www.timesuniononline.com[[In-content Ad]]
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