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Olentangy outlines security upgrades and adopts 'Handle With Care' trauma notifications
Summary
District safety officials told the board that Olentangy will expand drills, strengthen facility safeguards and integrate a CodeBlue phone alert system; Delaware County law enforcement described a new Handle With Care notification that alerts schools when a child may have experienced a traumatic event without sharing sensitive details.
Director of Safety, Security and Preparedness Director Vogel told the Olentangy Local Board of Education that the district is emphasizing a three-part safety strategy: proactive preparedness, collaboration with first responders and student/teacher wellness. "We train every year on that," Vogel said, and noted investments in door locks, laminated safety glass and radios that reduce communication dead spots.
Vogel highlighted technology integrations already in place and being expanded. "Currently, we have over 1,100 cameras in the district," he said, and described a pilot of a CodeBlue phone-integrated alert tied to the district phone system that lets staff call for immediate, non-911 assistance. He said the district received roughly $104,000 in grants from the attorney general’s office to support safety work.
Delaware County Sheriff Jeff Balzer and Sgt. Andrew Lee described how school resource officers (SROs) and the county's Handle With Care program will work with Olentangy. Balzer noted the county assigns 10 deputies to Olentangy schools and that the county had "more than 600 calls for service to the Olentangy schools" in the 2025–26 year, with 55% to high schools and 25% to middle schools.
Sgt. Andrew Lee explained that Handle With Care produces brief notifications from first responders to designated school staff so the school can monitor and refer a student without receiving sensitive case details: "The notifications are very vague. They only include the name and the school and possibly the gender and the age of the student." Lee said the county launched the program Aug. 1 and that a small number of notices had already been sent.
Board members praised the collaborative approach, asked for clear communications to families and welcomed a forthcoming safety, security and preparedness guidebook staff said will explain what the district does and why. Trustees also emphasized that wellness and trauma-informed practice should guide responses, not discipline.
