NEW PARIS — Following a school safety meeting held this spring, the National Trail Board of Education has come to a decision regarding upcoming safety actions.
During an NT Board of Education meeting on Wednesday, May 23, the board held the first reading of a resolution to amend the school’s safety plan, allowing for an Armed Staff Response.
National Trail is the first Preble County school district to take such action.
The resolution reads, “Whereas, Section 3313.536 of the Ohio Revised Code requires boards of education and their administrations to adopt Emergency Management Plans (referred to as “School Safety Plan”) which contain protocols for addressing serious threats to the safety of students, employees, or administrators, and responding to any emergency events that occur and compromise the safety of property, students, employees, or administrators; and
“Whereas, under Section 2923.122(D)(1)(a) of the Ohio Revised Code, the Board of Education may authorize person to convey or possess deadly weapons or dangerous ordnance into a school safety zone; and
“Whereas, the Board of Education, in consultation with its administration and local law enforcement, have developed an amendment to the School Safety Plan in compliance with Section 3313.536 of the Ohio Revised Code to contain the Firearms Authorization Policy; and
“Whereas, the School Safety Plan is a security record of the Board and pursuant to Section 3313.536 of the Ohio Revised Code, is not a public record under Section 149.433 of the Ohio Revised Code; and
“Whereas, the Board desires to modify Policy GBCB (“Staff Conduct”) to reflect the authorizations contained in the Firearms Authorization Policy approved through this Resolution.”
In Section Two, the resolution further states, “The Board of Education, pursuant to Section 2923.122(D)(1)(a) of the Ohio Revised Code, hereby provides written authorization to certain school employee(s) designated by the Superintendent in writing to convey deadly weapons or dangerous ordnance into a school safety zone, or to possess a deadly weapon or dangerous ordnance in a school safety zone of the National Trail Local School District, for the welfare and safety of the Students.
“Any such school employee(s) designated by the Superintendent must be permitted under Ohio law to carry a concealed handgun and must undergo tactical firearm instruction training and re-certify each year prior to being authorized to convey and/or possess deadly weapons or dangerous ordnance in a school safety zone of the National Trail Local School District.”
This resolution is the first step in allowing the district to establish an Armed Staff Response, which was one of the topics discussed during the district’s safety meting. The resolution will have to pass its second reading, during the board of education meeting on Tuesday, June 26, at 6:30 p.m. at the National Trail School K-12 Facility.
National Trail Local Schools Board of Education will meet in special session on June 7, to discuss the hiring of a superintendent during executive session. Superintendent Jeff Parker has accepted a position with Eaton Community Schools as superintendent for the 2018-2019 school year.
