Ahead Of The Curve
State Proposals Pose No Major Changes For City, County
Posted: February 5, 2013
HARRISONBURG — The only thing likely to change for local school divisions based on preliminary recommendations from a governor-appointed safety task force is the amount of paperwork, based on the observations of local school officials.
Administrators reacted Monday to proposals from the Taskforce on School and Campus Safety, which was formed by Gov. Bob McDonnell in response to the Dec. 14 shooting in Newtown, Conn.
They found themselves ahead of the curve in many respects after reviewing the proposed changes, which advocate programs and practices such as lockdown drills and suicide prevention programs that the Harrisonburg and Rockingham County school divisions already champion.
“I believe the [list] generally supports the safety efforts already in place,” said Rockingham County Superintendent Carol Fenn. “I’m happy to receive guidelines and recommendations from the governor’s office, but I believe the onus is primarily on the community and our own local school division.”
Harrisonburg Superintendent Scott Kizner echoed that sentiment. While some initiatives, such as expanding psychiatric outpatient services, were positive steps, Kizner said, the programs that schools would be charged with overseeing are mostly nothing new for the division.
“I think people in leadership positions sometimes need to do more listening than reacting in the beginning,” he said.
As ordered by the governor, the task force produced a list of preliminary recommendations by the end of January so that items could be considered during the current General Assembly session and during the budget process.
The items are focused on three main areas: public safety, education and mental health. Proposals included strengthening sentences for people who unlawfully purchase or possess a firearm and creating a new offense that makes entering a school with a weapon with the intent of committing a felony a punishable offense.
The task force will continue assessing safety and make other recommendations in a final report on June 30.
Other practices already in place in city and county schools that the recommendations touched on include anti-bullying training and designating someone to oversee school emergencies.
Based on all the recommendations, Fenn and Kizner said it looks like existing practices may undergo minor tweaks to comply with the proposals.
In addition to suggesting changes to procedures, the task force recommended money for safety upgrades. Fenn and Kizner said the money could come in handy as the divisions make their own safety upgrades.
Both divisions are moving forward with installing secure vestibule entrances in schools without them. The entrances funnel visitors into a vestibule that leads straight into the main office, to ensure all visitors are signing in and getting an OK to enter the school from office staff.
“There are additional upgrades we’d do if there was money available, like looking at our locked-door system [for classrooms],” Kizner said. “If there is money available, we would definitely go after those grants.”
The plans also call on legislators to replenish the state’s School Resource Officer Incentive Grant Fund, which has not been supported by the state budget in recent years.
“I’m pleased with the support for school resource officers,” Fenn said.
Contact Emily Sharrer at 574-6286 or esharrer@dnronline.com
Administrators reacted Monday to proposals from the Taskforce on School and Campus Safety, which was formed by Gov. Bob McDonnell in response to the Dec. 14 shooting in Newtown, Conn.
They found themselves ahead of the curve in many respects after reviewing the proposed changes, which advocate programs and practices such as lockdown drills and suicide prevention programs that the Harrisonburg and Rockingham County school divisions already champion.
“I believe the [list] generally supports the safety efforts already in place,” said Rockingham County Superintendent Carol Fenn. “I’m happy to receive guidelines and recommendations from the governor’s office, but I believe the onus is primarily on the community and our own local school division.”
Harrisonburg Superintendent Scott Kizner echoed that sentiment. While some initiatives, such as expanding psychiatric outpatient services, were positive steps, Kizner said, the programs that schools would be charged with overseeing are mostly nothing new for the division.
“I think people in leadership positions sometimes need to do more listening than reacting in the beginning,” he said.
As ordered by the governor, the task force produced a list of preliminary recommendations by the end of January so that items could be considered during the current General Assembly session and during the budget process.
The items are focused on three main areas: public safety, education and mental health. Proposals included strengthening sentences for people who unlawfully purchase or possess a firearm and creating a new offense that makes entering a school with a weapon with the intent of committing a felony a punishable offense.
The task force will continue assessing safety and make other recommendations in a final report on June 30.
Other practices already in place in city and county schools that the recommendations touched on include anti-bullying training and designating someone to oversee school emergencies.
Based on all the recommendations, Fenn and Kizner said it looks like existing practices may undergo minor tweaks to comply with the proposals.
In addition to suggesting changes to procedures, the task force recommended money for safety upgrades. Fenn and Kizner said the money could come in handy as the divisions make their own safety upgrades.
Both divisions are moving forward with installing secure vestibule entrances in schools without them. The entrances funnel visitors into a vestibule that leads straight into the main office, to ensure all visitors are signing in and getting an OK to enter the school from office staff.
“There are additional upgrades we’d do if there was money available, like looking at our locked-door system [for classrooms],” Kizner said. “If there is money available, we would definitely go after those grants.”
The plans also call on legislators to replenish the state’s School Resource Officer Incentive Grant Fund, which has not been supported by the state budget in recent years.
“I’m pleased with the support for school resource officers,” Fenn said.
Contact Emily Sharrer at 574-6286 or esharrer@dnronline.com