MINGO JUNCTION — The Indian Creek Local School District is taking another step to ensure safety within its buildings by reinstating a plan to arm staff members amid active emergencies.
During the regular school board meeting on Thursday at Indian Creek Middle School, officials passed a resolution authorizing certain employees to possess firearms on school property and in designated school safety zones. The move comes in response to Ohio House Bill 99, which permits school staff to be armed inside the building but now requires up to 24 hours of initial school-specific training and up to eight hours of annual requalification to be developed by the Ohio School Safety Center.
District Assistant Superintendent John Belt said staff members who were previously trained have been recertified to respond in active intruder situations.
“We will formally have an armed security team,” Belt said. “We had one previously and a lawsuit had been filed by a group in Dayton that went to the Ohio Supreme Court, who ruled there were conflicting statutes in the state code and advised the security teams to stand down until it was resolved.”
H.B. 99 clarified issues and once again permitted the use of armed staff. Belt said those who were previously certified worked with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department to undergo training and maintain certifications to meet compliance. The JCSO also had to be approved through the OSSC to serve as the training agent.
“Our team has met the training requirements, so this resolution allows the team we had to start back up,” Belt continued. “The state accepted our previous training to satisfy the 24-hour component and said we met and exceeded the language for H.B. 99. Our team also went through the eight-hour certification and had to make sure the qualifications of H.B. 99 were met.”
He said members must maintain credentials for concealed carry, pass the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy (OPOTA) firearms course and undergo mental health evaluations as part of the process.
“There are a lot of checks and balances to make sure everyone is qualified,” he said.
The armed staff is another layer of protection for staff and students in what is meant to be a safe learning environment. Indian Creek has also taken precautions to protect buildings with cameras, a secure vestibule at the entry of each school and ongoing drills and professional trainings with the ALICE program, which stands for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter and Evacuate. Most recently, the district joined the SaferWatch initiative to connect with the county 911 call center. Jefferson County 911 Director Rob Herrington brought the program to school leaders as an effective way for safety forces to respond to emergencies. SaferWatch not only allows the 911 system to access school cameras to locate an intruder but also provides an app that teachers can download with a panic button for fires or other emergencies. It immediately notifies 911 and geographically locates the cell phone for faster response.
The Ohio Attorney General’s office provided funding for enhanced communication between schools and law enforcement agencies and Indian Creek received a $20,000 grant for the program. District officials planned to train administrators and implement SaferWatch during the next school year.
Meanwhile, the board added a new role for Cross Creek Elementary Principal Dan Hartman to serve as a career technical education coordinator. Officials amended his administrative contract from 225 days to 240 days beginning July 1 and he will be responsible for ensuring the career pathways offered in the district remain in compliance with state standards.
Superintendent T.C. Chappelear said Hartman was a prime candidate because of his previous role as principal at the Jefferson County Joint Vocational School, where he served for four years prior to leading CCE.
“In addition to what he’s doing at Cross Creek, he will have additional duties as the career tech education coordinator. He comes with experience from the JVS and we wanted him to bring that career tech authority to this position.”
Indian Creek High School offers an array of pathways such as pre-engineering, interactive media, business administration, natural resources, drama and theater and family consumer sciences and Hartman will work to continue the programs.
In other action:
— The board approved an array of personnel matters including a correction to Megan Bolyog’s contract from a two-year deal to three years; hiring Makara Eick as a preschool teacher at Hills Elementary School for the 2023-24 school year; entering into contracts with Kelly Crosby and Amy Purcell as physical therapists for the upcoming school year; a series of supplemental extra duty positions and personal service contracts; approving a continuing contract for custodian Carl Shirer; adding Erin Alloggia and Michelle Anderson as teachers and Christina Gundrum as a cook/cashier at Hills for the summer learning program; employing classified substitutes John Alan Williamson as custodian, Bethann Kovalski as cafeteria/custodian, Danielle Haught as a paraprofessional; naming Don Llewellyn, Shannon Starr, Nick Spencer and Dave Pattera as wrestling volunteer coaches;
— Officials approved cyber insurance coverage with Tokio Marine HCC through McBane Insurance and Financial Services for one year effective July 1;
— Belt updated the board on projects including the floor replacement project in the gym following water damage this winter and upgrades at the ICHS softball field;
— Entered into an agreement to develop a comprehensive school health program in partnership with CHANGE Inc.;
— The next board meeting was set for July 20 at ICHS.
