(Editorial - Graphic Illustration - MetroCreativeConnection)

Wood County Schools officials took an important step in bringing National School Safety and Security Services in for a check-up of the district’s efforts.

“Safety is our number one priority,” Wood County Schools Superintendent Christie Willis said. “We just wanted an extra pair of eyes to come in and tell us what we’re doing well, where we could be doing better and what we could do to improve the overall safety for our schools.”

Kenneth Trump, Ed.D., president of the firm, and senior consultant Chuck Hibbert, spent almost two weeks touring Wood County schools, speaking with administrators and staff and gathering information to complete their review.

So far, their assessment is encouraging.

Noting the importance of staff and teacher training, and the relationships adults build with the students, Trump talked about administrators checking in with students, greeting them by name.

“I saw that,” Trump said about his visits to local schools. “We saw that right in front of us. Principals being out and visible at arrival and dismissal, welcoming kids when they come into the building, which is a huge thing.”

Repeatedly, Trump talked not about the importance of active shooter preparedness or having the right equipment in place, but of having a comprehensive approach that addresses a wide variety of potential threats and incidents. For him, that includes situations such as custody disputes, visitor management and student mental health and wellbeing.

“The number one way we find out about weapons and plots is when a student comes forward to a trusted adult,” Trump said. “That comes down to the relationships and connectedness between students and staff, which is often the most important, yet invisible, part of school safety.”

Parents will be encouraged to note Trump warned against “security theater” that can create a false sense of safety; and as a professional in the field he had reservations about the use of armed guards or “guardian” programs. His focus was on having certified law enforcement officers serving as school resource officers, NOT on arming teachers or other staff.

Training and preparedness are the key.

“When school security works it is because of people. When school security fails, it’s because of people,” Trump said. “That’s why we have to recognize that and create a culture of safety, where it’s See Something, Say Something. But we also want to train people on how to do something.”

So far, anyway, it sounds as though the people at Wood County Schools are doing good things in the effort to keep students safe while they learn. Bringing in professionals who can check their work was a smart step toward making sure they keep moving in the right direction.