Parent urges proactive safety steps; district details student-alert protocol and mental-health supports

A parent told the Rowan County School Board on Sept. 17 that recent safety incidents in the district show the need for proactive prevention, not just reactive responses. Samantha Montgomery, a parent of two elementary-age students, urged the board to explore metal detectors, increased SRO training and community mentoring programs and offered to help apply for grants to support safety measures.

"Reacting to a problem though is not fixing it. It is merely applying a band aid to a cut that is already there," Montgomery said, arguing the community should fund and organize preventive programs and mentoring opportunities.

District staff then walked the board through the student-alert procedure used when staff suspect a student may be a threat to themselves or others. Deneen described the written flow: staff report concerns to the counselor or principal, the counselor completes a threat-assessment form, and the district requires that parents obtain a mental-health evaluation. "We always require that the parent take the student to some type of mental health provider and do a threat assessment on the child," Deneen said; the mental-health provider must supply written recommendations before the student is reintroduced to school settings.

Deneen emphasized in-school supports to accompany outside referrals: every building now has a social-emotional-learning (SEL) coach (funded through AWARE/community schools) and access to Pathways therapists. When an assessment recommends in-school services, the counselor coordinates ongoing support and wraparound services with families.

Board members asked how the district ensures recommended services are followed; Deneen said the counselor follows up to enroll students in school-based therapy where appropriate and that the team—including the superintendent for final decisions—works to create an education plan if a child cannot immediately return to campus.

What remains unresolved: the parent asked the board to consider metal detectors and other physical measures; staff described grant opportunities and district willingness to pursue funding but did not commit to a specific physical-security change on the record. Montgomery also referenced a past tragedy in another town to underline urgency; district staff answered by stressing existing protocols and training, and by inviting community assistance with grant applications.

Next steps: staff said they will continue to use the alert procedure and coordinate with families and mental-health providers; community members who offered assistance were encouraged to contact district staff about grant application support.