Henry County School Board talks safety in wake of school shootings | Local News

“We have bought to make absolutely sure that they have an understanding of that if they see anything, hear one thing, read a text, or know somebody that is struggling, they can enable anyone know devoid of worry,” mentioned Horsepasture District Board Member Terri Flanagan at a common board meeting Thursday early morning. “These kids did not deserve this.”

Flanagan paused for a second and then wiped a tear from her deal with.

“Remember to have them discuss up since we, as dad and mom, are not able to continue to keep them harmless just after they go to faculty,” Flanagan claimed. “Explain to them that they need to have to action up and speak about these points. It truly is a unique planet out there and we need to have to do one thing to improve it.”

Superintendent Sandy Strayer explained security at Henry County Community Schools has generally been a precedence.

“A huge part of this is associations,” Strayer said. “United Way supplies a hotline for college students, and our resource officers invest time chatting with the students and creating interactions. You can’t just walk in our properties we’re all about becoming proactive.”

Assistant Superintendent for Functions and Administrative Expert services David Scott walked up to the podium to tackle the board.

“Our safety committee satisfies each individual other thirty day period. Everyone’s performing with each other,” mentioned Scott. “At just about every principal’s assembly we converse basic safety. It’s the sort of matter that keeps us up at night it can be all about remaining informed.”

Strayer included that all schools in the district frequently practice the accepted crisis program.

“We debrief when we’re completed,” claimed Scott. “We have a fantastic marriage with our Sheriff’s Section and everyone is coming from diverse instructions that offer protection. The state necessitates a building stability review every 3 years, but we do it quarterly.”

Explained Iriswood District Board Member Ben Gravely: “We’re involved about the security and welfare of our teachers and students. I hope absolutely everyone watches this conference and learns about the ways we’re taking for security in our schools.”

“The most important point to a parent is their boy or girl,” Strayer stated. “I’m going to deal with that baby like they’re mine. We have to insure their protection.”

In the meantime, in Uvalde, Texas, investigators keep on to unravel the facts of the massacre that lasted over 40 minutes and finished when a Border Patrol group killed the shooter.

All of the children that have been killed ended up in the very same classroom.

Robb Elementary, the college in which the shooting occurred, has nearly 600 college students. By comparison, Henry County has nine elementary educational facilities that range in membership from 210 at Sanville Elementary to 592 at Meadow See Elementary.

In other matters, the Board:

• Authorised $326,025.81 in approximated Title II, Part A funding. These funds are obtainable to assist community instruction reform initiatives that are consistent with statewide instruction reform efforts.
• Authorised $43,878.82 in approximated Title III, Part A funding to be used to support the university division in meeting the prerequisites of the Each individual Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Cash are applied to health supplement the English Language educational system.
• Authorized $182,399.02 in Title IV, Aspect A approximated funding to be utilised to help the college procedure in assembly the standard necessities of ESSA.
• Accepted $171,117.33 in Title V money selected for rural-minimal earnings faculty districts. The income is utilized to help the Henry County Public Colleges educational program.
• Accepted $4,000 each and every for the two Bassett and Magna Vista high universities for dues and affiliation service fees to the Virginia Large Faculty League. Membership features catastrophic coverage protection for all participating athletes.
• Authorised $318,934 to VACORP for residence and casualty insurance plan.
• Authorized $2,538,267.66 in Title I, Element A funding pending approval from the Virginia Department of Training. The cash are employed to support the elementary instructional plan.
• Permitted revisions to the scholar code of carry out. At the past college board meeting, revised costume expectations and individual electronic gadget restrictions ended up introduced with no main adjustments. The guidance will be involved in the university student handbook built obtainable to mother and father and college students for the approaching school 12 months.
• Authorised the athletics and activities handbook reflecting adjustments recommended by coaches, athletic administrators and creating directors. Revisions principally extra clarity with no significant changes to insurance policies.
• Authorized $42,732 to PortionPac Chemical Company for sanitation and basic safety services to the cafeterias.
• Authorized $410,000 to United Dairy, Inc. of Roanoke to offer dairy products and solutions to the cafeterias.
• Authorized $147,375 to Kirby Greer Enterprises, LLC dba Cunningham Tire of Bassett for new steer tires and and Jimmy’s Retreading of Collinsville for recapped tires and mounting.
• Accepted an employee bonus of $1,200 for all suitable whole-time and portion-time employees. The reward does not contain staff members entirely for athletics, extracurricular pursuits, or substitute positions. The complete value for the reward is estimated to be $1,493,041 and is scheduled to be paid out on June 15.
• Approved an supplemental appropriation for the Distinctive Grants Classification owing to $102,579 in supplemental funding to be received from the Virginia Department of Education as part of the College students with Intense Assistance Demands Grant.
• Viewed a online video of the superintendent’s month to month report offered by Communications Director Monica Hatchett. The superintendent’s report mirrored a complete enrollment in the district of 6,720 in Might, down from 6,744 in April and down from 6,787 a person 12 months ago.