Bell School District focusing on school safety
Published 6:36 pm Saturday, June 11, 2022
- Bell County Schools officials say they are implementing extra measures to ensure student safety in the wake of shootings around the country. Photo submitted
By Elizabeth Manning
Bell County Schools officials say they are implementing extra measures to ensure student safety in the wake of shootings around the country. Photo submitted
With school safety becoming a concern all throughout the nation, the Bell County School District follows all guidelines to keep students safe.
Director of Pupil Personnel Chris Warren says they put in all required measures plus additional measures this last school year to protect students. Bell County School district consists of Bell Central, Page, Frakes, Lone Jack, Right Fork, Yellow Creek and Bell High. “School safety is out number one priority then education comes second,” said Warren.
Warren says they will be reimplementing measures and guidelines that are already in place. All schools in the district have one entrance to the building with double security. “All visitors have to be buzzed to be allowed to come in and speak and show ID and state purpose,” said Warren. ID’s have to be state issued and will have a background check ran upon entrance to ensure the visitor does not have any child/sexual related background. “We don’t allow visitor past our front offices anymore, we bring the person up to the visitor,” said Warren.
Each door in the buildings remain locked at all times. Warren said that janitors and staff have hourly checks to make sure all doors are closed and locked. All of the classroom windows are covered with window coverings so individuals cannot look inside the classrooms from the outside.
Kentucky State Police will coming in a do an active shooter training for all teachers in the school district. Warren said KSP will bring in AR’s and shoot blanks. “When you’re sitting in the classroom and that AR-15 starts going off right in front of your face, it brings a different awareness to the situation,” said Warren. “But, it allows teachers to know that true gun sound sounds like going off in the hall because you might think you know what a gun sounds like, but it sounds different echoing in those schools.” The teachers and staff also get to experience hostage situations and be placed in real life scenarios. “We get a lot of positive feedback from out teachers and staff on that training,” said Warren. He says any way they can involve law enforcement, they like to get them in the buildings.
Warren said the district plans to add addition officers for this upcoming school year to ensure the safety of the students and teachers.
