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Student and parent raise school-safety concerns to Okaloosa board; superintendent pledges follow-up
Summary
A Crestview High School student asked the board about substitute training and threat-response procedures; a parent described repeated front-desk ID failures at Riverside Elementary. Superintendent Marcus Chambers said staff and HR would investigate and follow up with schools.
During the board's second public-comment period on May 11, a Crestview High School student and a Riverside Elementary parent raised safety concerns and asked the district to clarify substitute training and front-desk procedures.
"What trainings ... do they have to go to to be able to know what to do in those situations?" asked Kima Peak, a junior at Crestview High School, referencing a November 2023 threat response. Chambers thanked her for speaking up and said he would discuss the matter with her principal and HR, adding, "We will put even greater light on that."
Nancy Cotton, introduced by the chair as speaking about Riverside Elementary, described multiple pickup incidents in which front-desk staff failed to verify IDs consistently, said she filed school-safety and HR complaints and received limited follow-up, and asked that the district not "sweep [the issue] under the rug." Chambers acknowledged the concern and said staff would follow up directly with the school.
Board members and staff encouraged the student to consider service as a student representative and thanked both speakers for bringing safety issues to the board's attention. No policy changes or formal votes were taken at the meeting; district staff said they would investigate further at the school level.
