District emphasizes regular drills, SRO presence and expanded counseling for school safety

Superintendent Larry Ferguson told the meeting the district holds regular coordination meetings with local law‑enforcement, first responders and school administrators and carries out drills and training to prepare for emergencies.

"We meet regularly with them monthly to review where we're at," Ferguson said, describing monthly meetings with principals, law enforcement and first responders. He said the district treats safety as a top priority and works case‑by‑case when students raise concerns.

Why it matters: School safety remains a primary district responsibility; parents asked what the district does between high‑profile incidents and district leaders outlined proactive steps for threat assessment, SRO presence and counseling supports.

SROs and on‑site vigilance District speakers said school resource officers (SROs) are provided through partnerships with cities and counties, often funded jointly with the district, and that officers are active in school buildings. One district staff member described an SRO stopping to verify a person in a school hallway who had not shown a badge, illustrating active monitoring.

Mental‑health and counseling resources Officials said the district is in discussions with legislators about additional funding for counselors and training. "Mental health is a big issue and counseling. We're talking to legislators about giving us more financial support through bills that will allow us to have even more training for those, counselors," one speaker said.

Threat assessment and case work Ferguson described reviewing concerning posts, texts or student work and using community resources, psychological evaluations and, when necessary, removal or increased monitoring. "Sometimes, those students are removed. Sometimes, they're kept in school but with a lot of eyes watching, a lot of support, psychological evaluations," he said.

No policy vote at meeting The meeting included informational remarks and examples of ongoing practices; there was no new district policy or vote recorded at the session.

Taper: District officials asked parents to report concerning behavior and stay engaged with school staff.