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Waynesville R-VI board hears crisis-management update; district says it has seven SROs and new mass-notification system
Summary
Officer Alexander told the board the district completed Alice intruder-response training for staff, is rolling out a mass notification system to send targeted text alerts during emergencies and reported the district employs seven school resource officers who meet annual POST training requirements.
Officer Alexander presented the district's crisis-management work, saying administrators trained all faculty and staff in the ALICE violent-intruder response model and have added tools intended to improve communications and accountability during emergencies.
"We trained the entire faculty and staff in the Alice model," Officer Alexander said, and described a new mass-notification platform that can send a text message with specific directions, allow staff to mark attendance and report the status of students in real time. "We have seven" school resource officers, he added when asked about staffing levels.
The presentation also covered upgrades to the district's emergency radio system, monthly radio checks, and event-specific emergency operations plans tailored to major after-school events. Alexander said SROs maintain a visible presence at most major events and attend an annual SRO conference while meeting POST-mandated training requirements.
Board members asked about SRO training and coverage. Alexander said SRO professional development is provided yearly through state certification requirements and an SRO conference held in late June or early July, and confirmed the district intends to begin practicing the new notification system in safety drills in the coming weeks.
Why it matters: The district's investments—staff training, communications upgrades and a formalized notification and accounting system—are meant to speed and coordinate responses during incidents affecting school safety. The board probed both capacity (number of officers) and training standards, which bear on how the district implements its emergency plans.
What’s next: Administration plans to practice the notification system during drills and to continue radio and emergency-plan implementation work across campuses.
