Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Safety And Facilities topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Waterloo Local to join countywide active-shooter drill; district outlines CTE expansion plans
Summary
District officials told the board the Waterloo Local schools will take part in a multi-agency active‑shooter drill Oct. 31 (staff PD/waiver day) and described a proposed southwest addition at the high school — about 14,000 sq ft and an estimated $14 million — to add CTE labs and programs.
District leaders told the Waterloo Local Board of Education they will participate in a countywide active‑shooter exercise on Oct. 31 that will involve Portage County EMA, the sheriff's office, and local fire and police agencies. The junior high principal said the drill will be a staff professional development/waiver day and that press releases will inform the public; the district emphasized that students will not be in the building that day.
"On October 31st, we're going to host ... it's an active shooter drill ... it's not a day with students," the junior high principal said, describing coordination with county agencies and neighboring districts so schools can provide mutual aid in a real incident.
Separately, the board heard a facilities update outlining a proposed southwest addition to the high school intended to expand career-technical education offerings. Meeting remarks described roughly 14,000 square feet of new space, an estimated construction cost of about $14 million, and a projected two-year build timeline. The planned addition would add two technical labs and four classrooms and make room for a new fire/EMT program and a second welding program; the district cited strong student interest in welding (about 70 students signed up this year) as a driver of the expansion.
The presentation did not include final funding sources or firm project approvals; the board's role at this stage was informational. District leaders said additional steps — including planning, vetting funding and formal approvals — will be required before construction begins.
Next steps: staff will return with project details, funding options and a timeline if the board elects to advance the proposal.
