District details reunification exercises and considers a full-time safety coordinator as school-code training requirements change

Superintendent Dr. Hoffman told the board the district is advancing safety work that includes pay and PACE surveys, steering-committee activity, and a series of exercises and trainings to improve reunification procedures after an incident.

Dr. Hoffman said administrators and the Chester County Department of Emergency Services ran a reunification exercise and that the district is moving a larger reunification drill into April to allow time for planning and building-specific adaptations. "We started to review our reunification process," Dr. Hoffman said, noting the district intends to bring the conversation and exercises to individual schools because "each of our schools is unique and uniquely located and uniquely situated." He said the county is using the district’s work to inform other districts.

The administration also described a recommendation to create a dedicated district safety coordinator position. The role would vary by district; options discussed included a retired law enforcement professional with emergency-services relationships, or a role akin to a school resource officer in some districts. The board heard that new school-code requirements tied to recent state action will expand training, continuing-education and reporting duties for the district-level safety role.

Technology and security updates were briefed by Mr. Webb, who described a biennial Google environment review and plans to select an IT-security vendor for testing and monitoring; "Every 2 years, we do this Google environment check," he said. The district has implemented a replacement patch-management solution after Microsoft changed its free offerings.

Directors discussed the district's "safe to say" tip system and data-handling timelines. Dr. Hoffman highlighted that life-safety tips must be closed within 24 hours and other tips within 30 days per new rules; Director Talbert noted hearing a middle-school student tell the board that the tip system "makes me feel safe," underscoring the system’s perceived value even as administrators flag the administrative burden of follow-up.

Board members praised the work of the safety committee and emphasized that reunification is a long, classroom-by-classroom process that can take hours once an incident has occurred. The administration said it will develop a job description for a district safety coordinator and explore options for responsibly including the role in future budgets. The board did not take formal action on creating the role at this meeting.