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Safe Schools quarterly update: district reports rising Baker Acts, threat management meetings and high SRO coordination
Summary
The district reported an increase in school-based Baker Acts and 91 threat-management meetings this year; staff credited coordinated threat management and sheriff's office partnerships for improved prevention.
Ms. Tatum, the district Safe Schools lead, told the Clinton County School Board that the district’s safety and mental-health monitoring efforts show mixed signals: some measures rose while coordinated processes have improved. ‘‘Our Baker Acts this year, we were up by about 10, so we closed at about 38. That is school based Baker Acts,’’ she said.
Tatum told the board the district held 91 threat management meetings this year, including 13 related to self-harm; of those 91, 17 were recorded as unfounded, 33 as low, 17 as medium and 11 as high. ‘‘Anytime we get notice that a student is doing this, we meet and we talk. How can we as a school district effectively promote, helping this kid? How do we provide the services for this student?’’ she said, adding that threat management monthly meetings were ‘‘probably the best initiative that came out of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Commission.’’
Tatum said the district has been adjusting gate-exemption practices after state guidance: ‘‘DOE did come in, or the legislation did come in and and loosen those protocols up a little bit. So 30 minutes prior to school, 30 minutes after school, not 20 fourseven. So that helps a little bit with our staffing issues,’’ she said. She also reported a homeland security assessment of transportation ran ‘‘above 80%’’ and that written reports are available through Daniel Taylor and her office.
Board members and staff emphasized the role of school resource deputies (SRDs) and the sheriff’s office. Tatum said nearly all SRDs were in place and praised coordination: ‘‘Our administration works well with the SRDs that are on their campuses and so that is a huge success.’’ Board members echoed appreciation for counselors and deputies and asked staff to make reports available to board members who request details.
Tatum noted limits in measuring prevented incidents: ‘‘It's unfortunate that we don't always measure the things that we don't know and the things that we prevent. And so that's what I would really like to bring to you.’’ She invited board members to request more detailed breakdowns from her office while avoiding identifying student-specific information in public meeting discussion.
No formal board action was taken; the presentation was informational. Staff recommended continued use of monthly threat-management meetings and ongoing coordination with mental health staff and law enforcement.
