Dr. Joyner presented a major revision to the division's crisis and emergency management policy to align local practice with recent Virginia law and state/regional guidance. He said the update formalizes practices the division has largely already implemented and adds explicit requirements for interagency collaboration, an emergency management designation, required on‑site meetings with law enforcement and safety audits, public‑health emergency planning, cardiac emergency response teams and athletic emergency action plans.

"The good news I have for you tonight is it is a major revision but it's an example of policy law and best practice catching up to most of which we have already implemented," Dr. Joyner told the board, noting the division implemented many components earlier under a federal grant and other local efforts. He highlighted stop‑the‑bleed kits co‑located with AEDs, expanded training for staff, draft cardiac protocols and plans to customize athletic emergency action plans at the school level.

The recommendation is for an umbrella policy authorizing staff to return with related, more detailed subpolicies and implementation plans (for example, school‑level athletic emergency action plans and cardiac response team roles). Board members asked clarifying questions about wording and minimum certification requirements; staff said Student Services monitors training, certification and minimum staffing levels for emergency response tasks.

Next steps: board approval of the umbrella policy would be followed by targeted policy documents and school‑level customizations; staff said they will return with those documents and continuing implementation updates.