COLUMBUS, Ind.–The Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation (BCSC) board met Monday evening for the second time this summer. During the proceedings, superintendent Dr. Jim Roberts presented the latest updates for improving school safety and security measures.
As Local News Digital previously reported, BCSC will be receiving its share of the $550 million grant recently awarded to Indiana. Governor Eric Holcomb says the state will supply schools with one handheld metal detector for every 250 students. Roberts said Monday night that these instruments will not become part of students’ daily routines, but will only be used in appropriate situations.
The school board held an executive session earlier Monday in which members discussed safety and security issues in greater detail. Roberts maintained that no one course of action had been chosen by the body. However, they are considering ways to control school entry points, use school resource officers more effectively, and monitor individuals within the schools that are in need of immediate counseling.
Dr. Doug Moore, the coordinator of the Counseling Counts, and Heather Carson of the Council for Youth Development shared findings of their profile of Bartholomew County students and the problems many are likely experiencing. While these numbers reflected some troubling trend, they also indicated that developing a students’ assets was the best way to engage them and prevent them from committing risky behavior. The district plans to focus its efforts in this area.
Two residents in the audience urged the school board to consider more effective safety measures that would not put students’ lives in jeopardy and guarantee school safety, regardless of budget.
