Updated safety and security procedures presented at Brunswick Board of Education meeting

BRUNSWICK — Brunswick Schools Superintendent Jason Niedermeyer said the district will continue prohibiting students and staff from being armed on any school campus with the exception of school resource officers during the board of education meeting Monday. Although House Bill 99 is new legislation, arming teachers is not a new concept, he said. This bill lowers the amount of training required for select staff members at schools to be armed if a district chooses to do so. Brunswick City School's Assistant Superintendent Kathy Verhest also gave a presentation outlining some of the district's safety and security procedures. This encompassed three main topics: building security, knowing students and their individual needs, and understanding and addressing threats. There is a district safety committee team composed of members of the police and fire department as well as school staff to address building safety, she said. This team discusses what is good with the buildings, what the challenges are and future plans. The group plans to go to each school to participate in their drills, so they can be improved. There is a full-time school resource officer at the high school and middle school and one that travels between all the elementary schools, Verhest said. Discussions about having an officer in every school is still in its early stages. It is a concern for the district, but it would also be costly. "(School resource officers) keep us well informed if there's an incident in the community that involves one of our kids," she said. "They make sure that we're one of the first people to know about that incident and how we can continue to support our students." Other security measures that are being put in place include an intercom system that buzzes people into buildings, staff wearing their badges to identify themselves and doors automatically being locked all day, Verhest said. Also, high school students are no longer allowed to walk outside, and doors are not allowed to be propped open. By March 24, 2023, the district will be required to have a threat assessment plan in place for the state, she said. This team is made up of staff members who are able to determine if there is a threat and what to do if there is one. This is intended to be a proactive plan that provides support for students. "Safety is a year-round commitment, and it is the most important thing for our students and for our staff," Niedermeyer said. "What do we know about learning? Can you learn if you don't feel safe? We know that you can't." Contact reporter Madisyn Woodring at (330) 721-4049 or mwoodring@medina-gazette.com.