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North Canaan Board approves firearms-safety letter and directs SRO/ARO interest survey
Summary
The board voted to send a neutral firearms-safety letter to families and directed the superintendent to distribute an SRO/ARO interest survey to staff and families in Region One; the superintendent said the letter will focus on safe storage and not express a policy view.
The North Canaan Board of Education on Oct. 8 approved two measures aimed at beginning a conversation about school safety: distributing a firearms-safety letter to families and directing the superintendent to distribute an SRO/ARO interest survey.
Superintendent Melony Brady-Shanley answered questions from board members during discussion about the firearms-safety letter and emphasized the district's intent for neutrality: the letter will provide guidance about safe storage and will not take a position for or against firearms. Mrs. Dodge moved to approve distribution of the letter; Mr. Jacques seconded and the motion passed 6–0.
The board also discussed a separate staff-and-family interest survey about School Resource Officer (SRO) or Assistant Resource Officer (ARO) placements across Region One. Brady-Shanley said the ABC Committee had approved sending the survey to local boards for further discussion; Kent was excluded from that directive because it already has an ARO. The board voted 6–0 to direct the superintendent to send the survey to staff and families.
Both items were approved as directives to administration rather than the adoption of a new policy; next steps noted in the minutes include drafting and distributing the letter and circulating the survey to stakeholders, with anticipated near-term follow-up by the superintendent's office.
