REPORT TO CHESTERFIELD COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD
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REPORT TO CHESTERFIELD COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD
TABLE OF CONTENTS
School Safety Task Force Members
Executive Summary
Recommendations
Working Group #1
Working Group #1 Members
Executive Summary
Recommendations
Appendix
Working Group #2
Working Group #2 Members
Executive Summary
Recommendations
Appendix
Working Group #3
Working Group #3 Members
Executive Summary
Recommendations
Appendix
Working Group #4
Working Group #1 Members
Executive Summary
Recommendations
Appendix
1
SCHOOL SAFETY TASK
FORCE MEMBERS:
Co-Chair Honorable Brian Moran Secretary of Public Safety
and Homeland Security, Commonwealth of Virginia
Co-Chair Honorable Laura Fornash Former Secretary of Education,
Commonwealth of Virginia
Dr. Javaid Siddiqi - Chesterfield School Board, Midlothian District
Dianne Smith - Chesterfield School Board, Clover Hill District
Jim Holland - Chesterfield Board of Supervisors, Dale District
Chris Winslow - Chesterfield Board of Supervisors, Clover Hill District
Senator Rosalyn Dance - 16th Senate District
Delegate Roxann Robinson - 27th House District
Sheriff Karl Leonard - Chesterfield County Sheriff
William Davenport - Chesterfield Commonwealth’s Attorney
Donald Fairheart - Interim Superintendent, Chesterfield Schools
Dr. Joe Casey - County Administrator, Chesterfield County
Colonel Jeffrey Katz - Chief of Police, Chesterfield County
Chief Loy Senter - Chief, Chesterfield Fire & EMS
Debbie Burcham - Executive Director, Community Services Board
Kristin Tait - Assistant Principal, Swift Creek ES (Clover Hill District)
John Murray - Principal, Matoaca HS (Matoaca District)
Jennifer Deckert - Teacher, Harrowgate ES (Bermuda District)
Reginald Terry - Teacher, Meadowbrook HS (Dale District)
Sonia Smith President, Chesterfield Education Association
Morgan Rhudy - Student, James River HS (Midlothian District)
2
School Safety Task Force Members (continued)
Robert Innes - Task Force Member, Bermuda District
Lisa Mansfield - Task Force Member, Bermuda District
Dr. John Deitrick - Task Force Member, Clover Hill District
Matthew Rock - Task Force Member, Clover Hill District
Mark Bowen - Task Force Member, Dale District
Stacey Haney - Task Force Member, Matoaca District
Pam Welch Task - Force Member, Matoaca District
Danielle Pierce - Task Force Member, Midlothian District
Michelle Warden - Task Force Member, Midlothian District
School Safety Task Force Staff Facilitator
Shawn Smith
Director of Government, Policy and Media Relations, Chesterfield County Public Schools
3
Working Group #1–Partnership Between Chesterfield Schools
and Chesterfield Police
Chair: John Erbach (Chesterfield School Board, Dale District)
Staff Facilitators: John Gordon (Chief of Schools), Glen Pike (Safety & Security Assistant
Manager) and Major Brad Badgerow (Chesterfield Police)
Matthew Botset, Bermuda District
Lisa Madison, Bermuda District
Katrina Goodman, Clover Hill District
David Necessary, Clover Hill District
Melvin Diaz, Dale District
Nicole Wilcox, Dale District
Dave McCoy, Matoaca District
Ron White, Matoaca District
Mona Siddiqui, Midlothian District
Michael Young, Midlothian District
Chris Winslow - Task Force Member
Senator Rosalyn Dance - Task Force Member
William Davenport - Task Force Member
Colonel Jeffrey Katz - Task Force Member
Dr. John Deitrick - Task Force Member
4
Working Group #2–School Safety
Chair: Dianne Smith (Chesterfield School Board, Clover Hill District)
Staff Facilitators: Joe Tylus (Constituent Services and Student Leadership Executive Director),
Emily Ashley (Chesterfield County Emergency Management Coordinator)
and Captain Andrea Riesmeyer (Chesterfield Police)
Jim Lupachinno, Bermuda District
Mark Snipes, Bermuda District
Sabrina Adams, Clover Hill District
Jennifer Porter, Clover Hill District
Leah Claudio, Dale District
Venson Wallin, Dale District
Jeff Butler, Matoaca District
Amrah O’Donnell, Matoaca District
Pete Landergan, Midlothian District
Angie Trueblood, Midlothian District
Chief Loy Senter - Task Force Member
Kristin Tait - Task Force Member
Matthew Rock - Task Force Member
Mark Bowen - Task Force Member
Michelle Warden - Task Force Member
5
Working Group #3–Student Conduct and Student Discipline
Chair: Rob Thompson (Chesterfield School Board, Matoaca District)
Staff Facilitators: Chad Knowles (Constituent Services and Student Leadership Coordinator),
Ted Reynolds (Student Conduct/Intervention & Response Specialist)
and Lt. Jason Seamster (Chesterfield Police)
Carrie Aus, Bermuda District
Howard Corey, Bermuda District
Ronald Hall, Clover Hill District
Donald Skeen, Clover Hill District
Orlando Allen, Dale District
Holly Oehrlein, Dale District
Tina Lao, Matoaca District
James Nankervis, Matoaca District
Gena Reeder, Midlothian District
John Witherspoon, Midlothian District
Delegate Roxann Robinson - Task Force Member
John Murray - Task Force Member
Lisa Mansfield - Task Force Member
Stacey Haney - Task Force Member
Danielle Pierce - Task Force Member
6Working Group #4–Student Support Services
Chair: Carrie Coyner (Chesterfield School Board, Bermuda District)
Staff Facilitators: Bryan Carr (Counseling Coordinator), Hope Murphy (Social Worker
Coordinator) and Lisa Micou (Intervention and Training Specialist for Social Emotional
Learning)
NP Lundy, Bermuda District
Dawn Williamson, Bermuda District
Jana Kline, Clover Hill District
Marianne Feeney, Clover Hill District
Leslie Bowman, Dale District
Melanie Mitchell, Dale District
Erin Clark, Matoaca District
James Copp, Matoaca District
Ashley Mannell, Midlothian District
Odette Ovies, Midlothian District
Sheriff Karl Leonard - Task Force Member
Dr. Joe Casey - Task Force Member
Debbie Burcham - Task Force Member
Jennifer Deckert - Task Force Member
Bob Innes - Task Force Member
Pam Welch - Task Force Member
7EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
TOP TEN SCHOOL SAFETY TASK FORCE RECOMMENDATIONS
Each Working Group presented to the School Safety Task Force its top
five key recommendations. All 20 key recommendations were endorsed by the
School Safety Task Force. The Task Force completed a survey and determined the
following recommendations as the top 10:
• Chesterfield County Public Schools should develop a five-year budget plan to increase
School Resource Officer coverage to all schools with a focus on the elementary level.
This plan should include a recommendation from the board to advocate for the General
Assembly to provide an exception for recently retired law enforcement to retain their
retirement benefits if they serve as School Resource Officers. (Working Group 1 –
Recommendation 4)
• Increase funding for additional mental health staffing (Working Group 3 –
Recommendation 2)
• Control access to schools through vestibules (Working Group 2 – Recommendation 3)
• Amend the Virginia Standards of Quality to align student support personnel ratios with
best practices (Working Group 4 – Recommendation 1)
• Develop a plan to initially fund and sustain multi-tiered whole child frameworks, pre-K
through 12th grade: Social Emotional Learning (SEL), Trauma Informed Care (TIC),
Restorative Practices (RP), Positive Behavior Interventions & Support (PBIS) (Working
Group 4 – Recommendation 3)
• The role of the School Resource Officer should be clearly defined to the staff, students,
and the school community. (Working Group 1 – Recommendation 1)
• Examine School Security Officer Role or Mentor Role in Elementary Schools. (Working
Group 2 – Recommendation 1)
• Ensure that crisis plans, maps, floorplans and overhead photos are shared with public
safety agencies and use common terminology, labeling, keys and formats. (Working
Group 2 – Recommendation 2)
8• CCPS to provide a more comprehensive alternative education setting to include support
services (Working Group 3 – Recommendation 1)
• Conduct a review of student support services’ job responsibilities and reassign tasks that
do not conform to professional training and expertise. (Working Group 4 –
Recommendation 2)
NEXT STEPS
The final report from the School Safety Task Force will be formally presented to the
Chesterfield County School Board on December 11, 2018. It is recommended that this report
is sent to the Governor of Virginia, Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates, Chesterfield
legislative delegation, Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors, Virginia Secretary of
Education, and the State Superintendent of Public Instruction.
The School Board will determine the appropriate implementation of the specific
recommendations.
As such, the School Safety Task Force strongly encourages the School Board to prioritize
implementation for:
• Strategies that can be immediately endorsed/implemented
• Strategies that might include a budgetary impact (and determine if the financial cost
could be part of the upcoming budget process or if it should be phased in)
• Strategies that might be included in the School Board’s legislative program
• Strategies that might be implemented over time
The School Safety Task Force recommends the Chesterfield School Board receive regular
updates from staff regarding progress toward implementation of the recommendations.
9BACKGROUND
On February 23, 2018, the Chesterfield County School Board announced the creation of a
School Safety Task Force to evaluate current protocols and best practices that ensure the
school division is providing a safe, supportive and nurturing learning environment for all
students, staff and administrators. It was announced that Virginia Secretary of Public Safety
and Homeland Security Brian Moran and former Virginia Secretary of Education Laura Fornash,
both residents of Chesterfield County and parents of students at Chesterfield County Public
Schools would serve as the co-chairs of the School Safety Task Force.
Prior to the recent tragedy in Florida, two Chesterfield School Board members, Midlothian
representative Dr. Javaid Siddiqi, former Virginia Secretary of Education, and Clover Hill
representative Dianne Smith, a gubernatorial appointee in 2013 to the governor’s School
Safety Task Force, were actively looking into the creation of a task force.
It was announced that the Task Force would examine critical issues surrounding education and
safety, with four main topics established:
• Partnership between Chesterfield Schools and Chesterfield Police
• School Safety
• Student Conduct and Student Discipline
• Student Support Services
The School Board accepted applications from community members to serve on the School
Safety Task Force. After receiving more than 200 applications, members were appointed
from each of the county’s five magisterial districts and included parents, teachers, staff
members, students and other community members.
Also announced was the creation of a website that includes an open and transparent
catalogue of all work and resources: http://mychesterfieldschools.com/school-board/school-
safety-task-force/
10MEMBERSHIP AND MEETINGS
On April 11, 2018, the Chesterfield County School Board named a roster of members to the
School Safety Task Force and Working Groups. Task Force members also were able to select a
Working Group on which they would like to serve.
The Task Force held five meetings (April 24, May 23, June 12, October 2 and October 31, 2018)
to receive general presentations and receive reports from the Working Groups. The Working
Groups each held multiple meetings to discuss their objectives and scope of work in order to
finalize a report to the Task Force with recommendations.
OBJECTIVES AND SCOPE OF WORK
FOR WORKING GROUPS
The Chesterfield County School Board established a specific set of objectives and scope of work for
each of the Working Groups.
Working Group #1–Partnership Between Chesterfield Schools and Chesterfield
Police—Objectives and Scope of Work
• Current Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Chesterfield Schools and
Chesterfield Police
• School Resource Officers in Chesterfield Schools
• Role of School Resource Officers in schools
• Cost/Number/Coverage of School Resource Officers in schools
• School Road Traffic Management (and Parking Lot Traffic Management)
• Communications Among Schools and Public Safety
(to also include Chesterfield Fire and EMS)
• Discussion Regarding Chesterfield Police Protocols for Arrests on School Property—to
include discussion of protocol for arrests for off-property behavior
11Working Group #2–School Safety—Objectives and Scope of Work
• Role of Chesterfield Schools Office of Safety and Security
• Role of School Safety Officers
• Critical Incident and Emergency Management Planning
• Individual School Prevention Efforts
• Visitor Management System and Visitor policies
• Interior and Exterior Security/Video Cameras
• Video/Door Bell-Entrance System
• Traffic Management and Parking Lot Traffic Management—to include partnership with
Chesterfield Transportation Department and Virginia Department of Transportation
(VDOT)
Working Group #3–Student Conduct and Student Discipline—Objectives
and Scope of Work
• Chesterfield Schools Code of Student Conduct
• Required By Law Reporting to Law Enforcement
• Student Disciplinary Actions and Discipline Disparities
• Alternative Approaches/Education for Student Discipline
• Bullying Prevention—to include cyber bullying prevention
Working Group #4–Student Support Services—Objectives and Scope of Work
• Role of School Division Personnel (school counselors, psychologists and social workers)
• Partnership with Chesterfield County—to include Chesterfield County Mental Health,
Chesterfield County Social Services, Community Services Board
• Suicide Awareness and Prevention Efforts
• Drugs in School and Opioid Crisis—to include discussion regarding school curriculum in
Virginia Beach Schools
• Online Safety and Cybersecurity/Privacy
12KEY RECOMMENDATIONS AND
ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS
FROM THE WORKING GROUPS
Each Working Group presented to the School Safety Task Force its top five
key recommendations. All 20 key recommendations were endorsed by the
School Safety Task Force.
Additional recommendations from each working group are also listed.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
WORKING GROUP #1 – PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN CHESTERFIELD SCHOOLS
AND CHESTERFIELD POLICE
Key Recommendations
● Recommendation 1 - The role of the School Resource Officer should be clearly defined
to the staff, students, and the school community.
● Recommendation 2 - Chesterfield County Public Schools should revise the current
communication plan to building administration with the creation of a school command
and emergency systems position and a school safety app that can be used in the school
setting.
● Recommendation 3 - Chesterfield County Public Schools and the Chesterfield County
Police Department should release an Annual Transparency Report that details school
safety statistics and strategies that were used to resolve threats.
● Recommendation 4 - Chesterfield County Public Schools should develop a five-year
budget plan to increase School Resource Officer coverage to all schools with a focus on
the elementary level. This plan should include a recommendation from the board to
advocate for the General Assembly to provide an exception for recently retired law
enforcement to retain their retirement benefits if they serve as School Resource
Officers.
● Recommendation 5-Chesterfield County’s Sheriff Department should serve as a back-
up/substitute for SRO absences.
13Additional Recommendations
● Development of a trusting relationship between the SRO and students
● Development of student knowledge of the role and expectations of the SRO
● Creation of a community outreach plan centered on increasing community
understanding of the role of the SRO
● Facilitation of a partnership with school counselors and staff to better engage students
● SROs should have the ability to maintain confidential files within their office as well as
conduct confidential interviews
● School Resource Officers should be centrally located and should be easily accessible to
the staff and students
● Establishing a clear line between school rules and the law
● Clearly communicating the role of the SRO and the SSO to the staff, students and the
school community
● The addition of designated mentorship caseloads for School Resource Officers working in
conjunction with School Staff
14WORKING GROUP #2 – SCHOOL SAFETY
Key Recommendations
• Recommendation 1 Item (SSO-1): Examine School Security Officer Role or Mentor Role in
Elementary Schools.
• Recommendation 2 Item (CEMP-2): Ensure that crisis plans, maps, floorplans and
overhead photos are shared with public safety agencies and use common terminology,
labeling, keys and formats.
• Recommendation 3 Item (ST-1) Control access to schools through vestibules
• Recommendation 4 Item (ST-9) Panic Button and Options
• Recommendation 5-A Item (CEMP-1) Begin a stipend position for a designated safety
team leader at each school, not an administrator. The role of this position would be to
conduct school drills, produce crisis plans, train school staff, and manage related
documentation and maintenance of materials.
• Recommendation 5-B Item (ST-14) Implement a partnership between Parent Teacher
Associations (PTA) through the PTA County Council and the Office of Family and
Community Engagement focusing parent-community educational programming on topics
relevant to improving school safety and/or mental health awareness.
Additional Recommendations
• 2-(ST-2 Mass Communication Technology System Option) Platform in which an
emergency notification can be sent to students, faculty, staff, and first responders.
• 3- (ST-3 Social Media Screening Contracted Service Option) Online tools that use analytics
to scan public social media for harmful and threatening language.
• 4-(ST-4 Consider other visitor management systems)
• 6-(ST-6 Improve PA System reach in building and all school grounds)
• 11-(ST-11 Radio communications Needs Assessment)
• 13-(ST-13 Student “tip line” contracted service)
• 17-(CEMP-3 Develop and train school staff in common language and communication
protocols related to drills with notification practices for students, parents, and the
public.)
• 19-(SSO-2 Add SSOs at Middle School level like HS model)
• 20-(SSO-3 As intrusion and fire alarm capabilities grow, IP-based camera surveillance
systems are installed, and off-hours communications/tips/monitoring activities increase,
in the future we should consider a 24/7 central monitoring station staffed with CCPS
security staff rather than contracting out the various services)
• 21-(SSO-4 Add a mobile security response team to assist with emergent incidents, SSO
absence coverage, after school activities response with critical incidents)
• 22-(TM-1 Study different options for Crossing Guard duties)
15• 23-(TM-2 Conduct an audit of all roads and surrounding schools for speed limit, cross
walk and flashing sign needs)
• 25-(TM-4 Require use of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design – CPTED- with
principles of natural surveillance and natural access control in design and future
adjustments with parking areas)
• 26-(TM-5 Conduct an audit of existing school parking, overflow parking, entrances and
exits with schools)
16WORKING GROUP #3 – STUDENT CONDUCT
AND STUDENT DISCIPLINE
Key Recommendations
• Recommendation 1 - CCPS to provide a more comprehensive alternative education
setting to include support services
• Recommendation 2 - Increase funding for additional mental health staffing
• Recommendation 3 - Provide education, not suspension, for students under
the influence
• Recommendation 4 - Increase the implementation of programs to increase
parental involvement
• Recommendation 5 - Continue the implementation of PBIS, SEL,
and Restorative practices
17WORKING GROUP #4 – STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES
Key Recommendations
● Recommendation 1 - Amend the Virginia Standards of Quality to align student support
personnel ratios with best practices
● Recommendation 2 - Conduct a review of student support services’ job responsibilities
and reassign tasks that do not conform to professional training and expertise.
● Recommendation 3 - Develop a plan to initially fund and sustain multi-tiered whole child
frameworks, pre-K through 12th grade: Social Emotional Learning (SEL), Trauma Informed
Care (TIC), Restorative Practices (RP), Positive Behavior Interventions & Support (PBIS)
● Recommendation 4 - Review and critically evaluate parent/guardian education and
awareness activities related to wellness (physical and mental health), student mental
health supports and resources available in CCPS and in the community (e.g., SOS
Program, Sandy Hook Promise, Threat Assessment Process, PBIS frameworks,
Chesterfield Mental Health).
● Recommendation 5 - Develop an intentional plan for implementation of whole child
development programming (academic, behavioral, physical, and psychological) that aligns
with the current strategic plan (Imagine Tomorrow).
Additional Recommendations
• #6 - The Task Force requests that the Virginia Department of Education review the
current attendance regulations. A bill should be introduced to revise 22.1-258 of the
Code of Virginia, with a new timeframe of required intervention.
• #7 - Request a review of federal, state, and local laws/policies governing special
education procedures for students and how these laws/policies are implemented in
CCPS. Request a Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) audit to review
the Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requirements (special education) and
VDOE’s mandates regarding IDEA.
• #8 - Explore the benefits and disadvantages of an anonymous reporting and messaging
system for students to alert school personnel to concerns regarding student and/or
school safety, for possible implementation in 2019-20 school year.
• #9 - Centralize the school enrollment process for students, either during high volume
periods (e.g. summer) or year around.
18WORKING GROUP #1
PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN CHESTERFIELD SCHOOLS AND
CHESTERFIELD POLICE
Revision: October 22, 2018School Safety Task Force: Working Group #1-Partnership between Chesterfield County Public
Schools and the Chesterfield County Police Department
Working Group #1 Members: Chair John Erbach (Chesterfield School Board, Dale District)
Matthew Botset (Bermuda District)
Lisa Madison (Bermuda District)
Katrina Goodman (Clover Hill District)
David Necessary (Clover Hill District)
Melvin Diaz (Dale District)
Nicole Wilcox (Dale District)
Dave McCoy (Matoaca District)
Ron White (Matoaca District)
Mona Siddiqui (Midlothian District)
Michael Young (Midlothian District)
Chris Winslow (Task Force Member)
Senator Rosalyn Dance (Task Force Member)
William Davenport (Task Force Member)
Colonel Jeffrey Katz (Task Force Member)
Dr. John Deitrick (Task Force Member)
Staff Facilitators
Dr. John B. Gordon III (Chief of Schools)
Glen Pike (Safety & Security Assistant Manager)
Major Brad Badgerow (Chesterfield Police)
1EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Objectives and Scope of Work
A. Current Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Chesterfield Schools
and Chesterfield Police
B. School Resource Officers in Chesterfield schools
1. Role of School Resource Officers in schools
2. Cost/Number/Coverage of School Resource Officers in schools
3. School Road Traffic Management (and Parking Lot Traffic Management)
C. Communications Among Schools and Public Safety (to also include Chesterfield Fire
and EMS)
D. Discussion Regarding Chesterfield Police Protocols for Arrests on School Property—to
include discussion of protocol for arrests for off-property behavior
Key Recommendations
● Recommendation 1 - The role of the School Resource Officer should be clearly defined
to the staff, students, and the school community.
● Recommendation 2 - Chesterfield County Public Schools should revise the current
communication plan to building administration with the creation of a school command
and emergency systems position and a school safety app that can be used in the school
setting.
● Recommendation 3 - Chesterfield County Public Schools and the Chesterfield County
Police Department should release an Annual Transparency Report that details school
safety statistics and strategies that were used to resolve threats.
● Recommendation 4 - Chesterfield County Public Schools should develop a five-year
budget plan to increase School Resource Officer coverage to all schools with a focus on
the elementary level. This plan should include a recommendation from the board to
advocate for the General Assembly to provide an exception for recently retired law
enforcement to retain their retirement benefits if they serve as School Resource
Officers.
● Recommendation 5-Chesterfield County’s Sheriff Department should serve as a back-
up/substitute for SRO absences.
2BACKGROUND
Working group #1 of the School Safety Task Force was tasked with
examining the relationship between Chesterfield County Public Schools
and the Chesterfield County Police Department.
Chesterfield County was one of the first school divisions in the Commonwealth of Virginia to
institute the service of full-time school resource officers in schools. As a focus of this working
group, Chesterfield County Public Schools wanted to review the last Memorandum of
Understanding that was signed in 2016. From the May 23, 2018 presentation to the full School
Safety Task Force, it was noted that:
● 84% of Virginia High Schools have full time School Resource Officers,
● 73% of Virginia Middle Schools have full time Schools Resource Officers
● only 4% of Virginia Elementary Schools have full time School Resource Officers
● 31% of Virginia Elementary Schools have part-time School Resource Officers
In Chesterfield, there are 30 School Resource Officers that jointly report to Chesterfield County
Public Schools and the Chesterfield County Police Department. It is important that School
Resource Officers engage with the community and build positive relationships with students.
These positive relationships and overall expectations are a key component of Chesterfield
County Public School Administrators and School Resource Officers having a shared vision of
working together for the betterment of our students.
3RECOMMENDATIONS
For subcommittee work, Objective A (Current Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between
Chesterfield Schools and Chesterfield Police) and Objective D (Discussion Regarding
Chesterfield Police Protocols for Arrests on School Property—to include discussion of protocol
for arrests for off-property behavior) were combined due to the Working Group’s belief that
the two subcommittees were closely related.
The subcommittee that reviewed the Memorandum of Understanding between Chesterfield
County Public Schools and the Chesterfield County Police department included the following
members: Jeffrey Katz (Chair), Rosalyn Dance, William Davenport, Katrina Goodman, Dave
McCoy, and Mona Siddiqui. Research for this subcommittee included how parents would be
notified of arrests on school property, who would be present for police interviews, and
understanding the role of the School Resource Officer in arrests and the perceptions of law
enforcement. Mr. Wendell Roberts, Chesterfield County School Board Attorney, also
presented to working group one on characteristics and key components on August 6, 2018.
The subcommittee made the following recommendations to working group #1:
Development of a trusting relationship between the SRO and students
Development of student knowledge of the role and expectations of the SRO
Creation of a community outreach plan centered on increasing community understanding
of the role of the SRO
Facilitation of a partnership with school counselors and staff to better engage students
4Members of the subcommittee (Objective B) who reviewed the role, cost, and participation of
school resource officers included the following: Nicole Wilcox (chair), Brad Badgerow, Matthew
Botset, Melvin Diaz, John Erbach, and Ron White.
The subcommittee distributed a survey on June 12, 2018. The survey questions focused on the
location, role, and communication protocols of school resource officers in schools. The survey
had a total of forty-three participants that included twenty-five school resource officers and
eighteen principals.
Based on the survey results, the subcommittee made the following recommendations to
working group one under training for administrators and school resource officers to include:
SROs should have the ability to maintain confidential files within their office as well as conduct
confidential interviews
School Resource Officers should be centrally located and should be easily accessible to the
staff and students
Establishing a clear line between school rules and the law
Clearly communicating the role of the SRO and the SSO to the staff, students and the school
community
Role of the SRO:
• Be a visible deterrent
• Develop relationships with and mentor students
• Handle situations when the law has been broken by students inside and outside of the
school
• Provide law enforcement education
• Be a positive connection between the law, community and school
• Establish open, continuous lines of communication
• Be present when and where large groups of students gather (lunch, busses, assemblies,
etc.)
• Be an integral part of the safety, emergency and threat assessment teams
SROs should be utilized:
• As a support to administrators, not as an additional administrator (clear distinction of
the law)
• As a mentor to students
• As an additional presence where the majority of the student body is present (lunch,
busses, assemblies, etc.) but not to take the place of a staff member
• To provide education regarding various legal topics (driving, practical law, etc.)
5The subcommittee recommended that the community has knowledge of the differentiation of
a School Security Officer (SSO) and a School Resource Officer (SRO):
SSO vs SRO
• SSO upholds school rules, SRO upholds the law
• SSO can be utilized for administrative tasks such as removal of a student from a
classroom and lunch duties etc.
• SRO should be aware of administrative actions but should get involved only when the
behavior has escalated to legal levels or in a mentor capacity
Additional recommendations from the role of the SRO subcommittee included:
The addition of designated mentorship caseloads for School Resource Officers working in
conjunction with School Staff
Expanding School Resource Officer coverage to all schools with a focus on the elementary level
Having the Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Department serve as a back-up/substitute for SRO
absences
Development of a five year-budget plan to increase School Resource Officer coverage to all
schools with a focus on the elementary level
6The subcommittee (Objective C) that reviewed the communication protocols amongst schools
and public safety included the following members: John Dietrick, David Necessary, Glen Pike
(chair), Lisa Marie Madison, Chris Winslow, and Michael Young.
As noted in the public presentation to the full School Safety Task Force, Chesterfield County
Public Schools wants to ensure that there is constant communication with principals and that
we are focused on improving school safety through means such as key distribution, safety
training, use of Gaggle for student Google Drives, and safety inspections completed for DCJS.
The subcommittee that worked on the role of the SRO shared with the communication
protocol subcommittee the following information that was gathered relating to
communication protocols of other school divisions. Research was conducted with other
school divisions such as Hanover, Henrico, Loudon, Virginia Beach, Hampton in order to
provide information on the communication protocols between the school system and local law
enforcement agencies and emergency services departments. The following communication
protocols were listed:
Henrico County:
● Weekly meetings with the police supervisors of the SRO division.
● Daily phone conversations with the SRO supervisors.
● Monthly meetings with all the SROs.
● Direct cellphone and computer contact with all the school SRO during normal school
hours as well as after hours.
● Weekly meetings with representatives of the Police Department, Fire Department,
Sheriff’s Department and County Mental Health to review any Crisis Intervention during
the previous week involving students.
Hanover County:
● The Coordinator for School Safety and Security has direct contact with via phone
and text messaging from each school and reports directly to Senior Staff of the
school division.
● After hours all communications between the schools and Sheriff’s department is
conducted through the Coordinator.
● Each school bus is equipped with radios and can communicate directly with the county’s
emergency communications center (EEC).
● The Coordinator also has radio capabilities in their vehicles and can in emergencies
communicate directly with the EEC.
● The Coordinator acts as the liaison between the School Division and Emergency
Services, they communicate with the PIO of both the School Division and the Sherriff’s
Department regularly.
7Loudon County:
● The Directors of the Security and Safety Department have daily phone contact with the
school level SRO’s as well as their supervisors.
● The department has Security Officers that conduct after hours building checks via
vehicle patrols and they can contact the county EEC via radios.
● The Security and Safety Directors also are equipped with vehicle radios and can monitor
radio traffic in the district.
Virginia Beach:
● The Safety and Security Department have radios issued to each school and auxiliary
office that allows them to communicate directly with emergency services via the EEC.
● The Directors in the department have commutations via 800 mghz radios with the EEC
as well.
The communication protocols subcommittee issued a survey on July 4, 2018 to principals and
their school resource officers, looking for their feedback on communications between building
level administration and school resource officers. A total of four school resource officers and
twelve principals participated in the five question survey that included inquiries about modes
of communication, access to calendar and rating the overall communication between
administrators and school resource officers. The subcommittee made the following
recommendations to working group #1:
Creation of an improved communication plan to building administration
Designation of a school command and emergency systems communication position
Based on discussions from the August 6, 2018 working group one meeting, additional
recommendations from this subcommittee include:
Chesterfield County Public Schools should revise the current communication plan to building
administration with the creation of a school command and emergency systems position
Development of an Annual Transparency Report from the Chesterfield County Police
Department and Chesterfield County Public Schools that details school safety statistics and
strategies that were used to resolve threats
• Report criteria should include:
▪ Semester threat data for the elementary, middle, and high school level
▪ CCPD and CCPS strategies that were used to resolve threats
8APPENDIX
Working Group #1 Website
http://mychesterfieldschools.com/school-board/school-safety-task-force/working-group-1-partnership-
between-chesterfield-schools-and-chesterfield-police/
Working Group #1 Meeting Dates
● May 15, 2018
● June 18, 2018
● August 6, 2018
Working Group #1 Resources
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1wmi5zHIcnKsj4RRiPUtXKfb80fmtJvA_
May 23, 2018 Presentation to School Safety Task Force (follows)
95/18/18
School Safety Task Force-Working Group #1
Partnership between CCPS and CCPD
Dr. John B. Gordon III-Chief of Schools
May 23, 2018
Scope of Work
● Memorandum of Understanding between Chesterfield
County Public Schools and the Chesterfield County
Police Department
● School Resource Officers
● Communication Protocol Amongst Schools and Public
Safety
● CCPD Arrest Protocol on School Property
● Questions and Answers
2
Memorandum of Understanding
● Historical Context:
○ Last MOU was signed in 2016
○ New Leadership in CCPD and CCPS
● Key Characteristics of MOU:
○ School Resource Officers
■ 84% of Virginia High Schools have full-time SROs
■ 73% of Virginia Middle Schools have full-time SROs
■ 4% of Virginia Elementary Schools have full-time
SROs/31% have part-time SROs
3
15/18/18
Memorandum of Understanding
● Mr. Wendell Roberts-School Board Attorney, has reviewed
several sample MOU’s and received state guidance
● DCJS sample is being used, but tailored for CCPS
● Collaboration with County Government for consistency
● Revised Draft is being developed with input from Task Force
and Community
4
Memorandum of Understanding
Potential Items to be included in the NEW MOU:
● CCPD and CCPS Protocols for active shooter, suspects or
crimes near schools, domestic violence that affects
students
● CCPD Interview Protocol of Students
● Use of Drug Dogs in Schools
● CCPD Restraint Methods
● Arrests of students on school property for non-school
related incidents
5
Memorandum of Understanding
Potential Items to be included in the NEW MOU:
● Concurrent Investigations for incidents that are both
school related and crimes
● Roll of CCPD in Gaggle Investigations
Goal is to have MOU finalized for the beginning of the 2018-
2019 school year.
6
25/18/18
School Resource Officers
● CCPS was the first locality in the state to have SROs at every
middle and high school
● CCPS currently has 30 SROs
● SROs jointly report to CCPS and CCPD
● SROs should engage with the community and build positive
relationships with students
● CCPS Administrators and SRO’s must have a shared vision
7
School Resource Officers
SRO Training includes:
● DCJS holds training for new SRO’s
○ 4 day training on school safety,school law, threat
assessment, adolescent development, effect of trauma
● Use of force
● Implicit bias
● De-escalation tactics
● Critical Incidents
● Training for dealing with students with special needs
8
School Resource Officers
From the CCPS Perspective:
● SROs are to be visible in high volume areas: arrival, cafeteria,
dismissal
● SROs are not responsible for discipline
● SROs intervene on issues of student, staff, and school safety
● SROs may or may not be involved in traffic monitoring
CCPS receives additional support from law enforcement and
emergency services such as the Sheriff’s Office and Fire
Department
9
35/18/18
Communication Protocol
and Public Safety
● CCPS is consistently monitored/strong partnerships
● Constant Communication with Principals
● Constantly looking to improve safety:
○ Key Distribution
○ Safety Training
○ Use of Gaggle-scans student Google Drives
○ Secure Buildings, not Porous Buildings
● Safety Inspections completed for DCJS
10
CCPD Arrest Protocol
● Finalization of Protocols will be detailed in NEW MOU
○ When parents are contacted
○ School Notifications
○ Police Interviews-dependent upon student age and
circumstances
● CCPD must arrest for a violation of the law
● Schools are places to develop positive perceptions of law
enforcement, while still maintaining order
11
Homework for Working Group #1
● Educate the Community on CCPD and CCPS Partnership
● Formation of sub-committees for scopes of work
development (6 members in each sub-committee)
○ MOU Development and Arrests in Schools (Chair-Katz)
○ Role of the SRO (Chair-Wilcox)
○ Communication Protocols (Chair-Pike)
12
45/18/18
Homework for Working Group #1
Each Subcommittee tasked with the following:
● Research in the Field-includes best practices that fit
Chesterfield County
● Relevance and Tailored to Chesterfield County-historical
context, community input
● Committee Reports and Submission Timelines
Next meeting is June 18, 2018 at 4:00 P.M.
13
School Safety Task Force-Working Group #1
Partnership between CCPS and CCPD
Dr. John B. Gordon III-Chief of Schools
May 23, 2018
5WORKING GROUP #2
SCHOOL SAFETY
Revision: October 22, 2018School Safety Task Force: Working Group #2- Safety and Security
Working Group #2 Members: Chair: Dianne Smith (Chesterfield School Board, Clover Hill District)
Jim Lupachinno (Bermuda District)
Mark Snipes (Bermuda District)
Sabrina Adams (Clover Hill District)
Jennifer Porter (Clover Hill District)
Leah Claudio (Dale District)
Venson Wallin (Dale District)
Jeff Butler (Matoaca District)
Amrah O’Donnell (Matoaca District)
Pete Landergan (Midlothian District)
Angie Trueblood (Midlothian District)
Chief Loy Senter (Task Force Member)
Kristin Tait (Task Force Member)
Matthew Rock (Task Force Member)
Mark Bowen (Task Force Member)
Michelle Warden (Task Force Member)
Staff Facilitators
Joe Tylus
(Constituent Services and Student Leadership Executive Director)
Emily Ashley Dillon
(Chesterfield County Emergency Management Coordinator)
Captain Andrea Riesmeyer (Chesterfield Police)
1EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Objectives and Scope of Work
A. Role of Chesterfield Schools Office of Safety and Security
a. Role of School Safety Officers
B. Critical Incident and Emergency Management Planning
C. Individual School Prevention Efforts
a. Visitor Management System and Visitor policies
b. Interior and Exterior Security/Video Cameras
c. Video/Door Bell-Entrance System
D. Traffic Management and Parking Lot Traffic Management — to include partnership with
Chesterfield Transportation Department and Virginia Department of Transportation
(VDOT)
Process
The working group met five times over the course of three months. The group, with a desire
to reach out to get both teachers and parents to provide insight to the main concerns of
school safety, first developed a survey to help in this manner. This survey was sent to a
sample number of high, middle and elementary schools (in each of the five magisterial
districts) for this purpose. This survey assisted the working group with refining twenty-six
eventual recommendations that were generated through the work group’s initial discussions.
These recommendations spanned each of the four established objectives.
Members researched these twenty-six recommendations to gain further insight with the goal
of determining what would be brought forward as a priority. After the twenty-six
recommendations had been carefully evaluated, each member was allowed to vote on what
they believed to be the top five priorities to provide the Safety Task Force with a starting point
for evaluation. Due to the recommendations “tying” by the ranking system, there are six total
recommendations that the group respectfully submits to the Task Force to be further studied
and/or implemented. The remaining recommendations that were studied are also
documented in this paper as future work groups are identified to continue to explore the
ongoing topic of how to enhance school safety.
2Key Recommendations
The Working Group as individuals voted on their top recommendations; the top six are listed
in rank order as the collective group1.
• Recommendation 1 Item (SSO-1): Examine School Security Officer Role or Mentor Role in
Elementary Schools.
a. Yield to Working Group #1: Law Enforcement to include evaluating a plan to expand
the number of School Resource Officers to include coverage in elementary schools.
b. Support the current mentor program at Bellwood Elementary School while looking at
ways to increase mentoring support for students, in addition to yielding to the
context of Working Group #4’s research.
While the group completed research on the School Mentors, they did not feel like they
had adequate time to fully examine the subject matter and felt the research from Working
Group #1 and #4 was prudent to evaluate and weigh against any formal
recommendations.
• Recommendation 2 Item (CEMP-2): Ensure that crisis plans, maps, floorplans and overhead
photos are shared with public safety agencies and use common terminology, labeling, keys
and formats.
Currently Public Safety agencies in Chesterfield County do have access to floorplans;
additionally, county schools have submitted preplan information to Chesterfield Fire and
EMS which is also available to the Police Department through Computer Automated
Dispatch (CADS). This recommendation calls for short term to standardize data and
customize an Active Threat Addendum in Crisis Plans and long term to build a three
dimension visualization platform through GIS of county schools to enhance safety and
emergency response capability.
• Recommendation 3 Item (ST-1) Control access to schools through vestibules.
All Schools are to be reviewed by Chesterfield County Public Schools (CCPS) to determine
visitor access from entry point to the main office. If there is no locked vestibule in place
with safety glass protecting students and staff from visitors before they are screened for
access to the school, one shall be installed.
1 Chesterfield Fire and EMS Chief Loy Senter abstained from the individual voting process; therefore, he did not have input in the
final recommendations nor provided research to the 26 overall recommendations.
3• Recommendation 4 Item (ST-9) Panic Button and Options
Research and choose a product, whether app-based or physical alarm-based, that can alert
administrators, law enforcement and other first responders regarding a dangerous threat.
This recommendation is under the auspice of a full review of current PA systems that are
used to contact the front office and current use of hand held radios in schools.
A panic button would be used to supplement or provide an additional option to current
technology.
• Recommendation 5-A Item (CEMP-1) Begin a stipend position for a designated safety team
leader at each school, not an administrator. The role of this position would be to conduct
school drills, produce crisis plans, train school staff, and manage related documentation
and maintenance of materials.
This position as School Safety Team Leader was viewed as a person who has passion for
safety and would be a liaison for multiple safety related groups from CCPS’s Safety
Manager and Public Safety. This role would ensure school site safety plans and, most
importantly, training with school site staff stay up to date and monitored regularly.
• Recommendation 5-B Item (ST-14) Implement a partnership between Parent Teacher
Associations (PTA) through the PTA County Council and the Office of Family and
Community Engagement focusing parent-community educational programming on topics
relevant to improving school safety and/or mental health awareness.
This program would connect school and parent resources by way of the PTA. In schools
without active PTA programs, School Security Officers would be able to provide resources
or awareness of outside programs and trainings.
Throughout this document you will find the background research that was conducted for
each of these items as well as the other recommendations. The methodology and
attention to detail the Working Group gave to each of the main objectives is carefully
outlined. The recommendations that are provided serve as a course map and beginning
point on the topic of school safety.
4BACKGROUND
Overview of Group Work and Review
Working Group 2 met formally as a group on five separate occasions
between May and August 2018. In between each of these meetings,
Working Group members researched and generated summaries about
various areas seen as critical for the review of their assigned topic area.
At the initial meeting in May and again with an update in June, twenty-six separate possible
areas for proposals were formally identified. These were grouped within the four broad
categories. Those categories were aligned with each of the four broad objectives to study for
this Work Group. The list of twenty-six items is contained in this document (below) where
there is a summary of each item that was brought forward for the group to investigate.
From that list of twenty-six items, five (six) are listed as recommendations and have emerged
as the top prioritized areas for the Work Group to bring forward to the Safety Task Force.
While the prioritized list was generated, group members wanted to be clear that the other
items were still worthy of review by a third party source within the school division for future
planning purposes.
Part of the task assigned to members of the Working Group was to review current literature
and trends to determine what steps were being taken by other school divisions across the
country. In addition, the Working Group members were requested, once they had an
opportunity to research a topic, to generate a smaller version of a memo-style white paper to
help provide the other Working Group members with information about what had been seen.
The compilation of these documents can be found through the active link in the Appendix.
5RECOMMENDATIONS
Notes for the Reader:
A. Numbers in this section are NOT in any priority order
B. The Letter/Number Codes with each Item were the original organization for the group
work
C. The Headings within the (--) are the original work theme
D. The language after the heading is the recommendation
1-(ST-1 Controlled access to schools through vestibules) All schools are to be reviewed to
determine visitor access from entry point to main office. If there is no locked vestibule in place
with safety glass protecting students and staff from visitors before they are screened for
access to the school, one should be installed immediately.
2-(ST-2 Mass Communication Technology System Option) Platform in which an emergency
notification can be sent to students, faculty, staff, and first responders. The county’s
Emergency Management Department utilizes Everbridge. Contact has been made with
Everbridge to set up a meeting to determine its capabilities on a school level. If not a suitable
match, other options to consider are Rave Alert and Informacast.
3- (ST-3 Social Media Screening Contracted Service Option) Online tools that use analytics to
scan public social media for harmful and threatening language. If a legitimate threat is
evident, the school district is notified almost immediately. Social Sentinel appears to be the
leader in this technology. Other vendors include New Dawn Security and Gobabl. This
technology must be used with caution. Concerns when researching included questions about
controls against violation of students’ privacy and any possibility of data use that could lead to
discrimination for any reason. Adoption of any product would have to be merged with any
existing system that currently monitors students’ Chromebooks.
4-(ST-4 Consider other visitor management systems) Since Raptor visitor management system
is already in place in Chesterfield County schools, unlock its “Emergency Management System”
function and capability while further research on other visitor management systems are
conducted.
6[5-(ST-5 Mass Communication translation services) – While this broad topic was reviewed,
there was no research completed to formulate a formal recommendation.]
6-(ST-6 Improve PA System reach in building and all school grounds) Engage a qualified audio
engineering firm to conduct a NFPA 72 – complaint risk assessment for school outdoor areas.
Develop scope of work to add / improve wide area and outdoor speaker systems. Evaluate
opportunity to leverage legacy PA systems with an integrated emergency communication
system platform to manage administrative and emergency messaging. Update Crisis
Management Plans with upgraded communication capability.
[7-(ST-7 Visual indicators of P.A. activation in noisy areas within a building like the gym,
cafeteria, music rooms, etc.) – See ST-9]
[8-(ST-8 Improvements with communication between school and learning cottages/ trailers/
field houses on campus)—See ST-9]
9-(ST-9 Panic Buttons and Options) App or physical alarm system that can alert administrators,
law enforcement, and first responders regarding a dangerous threat. Items reviewed
included Guard911 (School Guard), Rave Panic Button, and School Alert by Sonitrol. Guard911
and Rave Panic Button are app based while School Alert is hardwired with panic buttons
placed in classrooms and other public areas throughout the school. Before looking into these
options, a review needs to be made of the current PA system that is currently used to contact
the front office and the current use of walkie talkies. A panic button system could be used to
supplement where current technology falls short.
[10-(ST-10 Radio interoperability plan, allocation, use, and issuance) -- See ST-11]
11-(ST-11 Radio communications Needs Assessment) Ask Motorola Solutions Managed &
Support Services to provide a leveraged and reliable approach to supporting and managing
school communications with predictable operating cost model and performance guarantees.
Specify interoperability with the county’s emergency services radio system. Identify
opportunities to integrate with an open architecture emergency communications platform.
Engage Motorola Solutions’ partners for help with EducationGrantsHelp to provide free grant
assistance for our school communications needs. For funding for the communications project,
sign up for the free grant program. Develop a phased rollout of integrated digital radio
systems across CCPS over a 5 year period.
7[12-(ST-12 Use of metal detectors) – While this broad topic was reviewed, there was no
research completed to formulate a formal recommendation.]
13-(ST-13 Student “tip line” contracted service) Form a project team of school staff, SRO’s &
law enforcement to evaluate three tip-line vendors. Vendor evaluation should include:
• Reachability: For voice, this is measured as the success rate for reaching a live agent,
operator, or dispatcher on the first try without the call being blocked or the caller
receiving a busy tone. For electronic tip lines, reachability includes the tipster success
rate for contacting and receiving confirmation that the tip was received.
• User friendliness: The tip line must be easy to use and not present any challenge for the
user whether using voice or electronic format.
• Timeliness and accuracy of reporting to school officials: Third-party providers should
pass tips to the appropriate officials as soon as they can verify the content and context
of the tip. In emergency situations, timeliness may supersede rigorous verification.
• Timely resolution by school officials: Tracking the timespan between the time the third
party contacts the school and the resolution time for the situation can indicate how
quickly the school responded effectively.
• Anonymity, as appropriate: the general rule is that the tipster must remain anonymous.
However, if the tipster is suicidal or making specific threats, policy should indicate that
the tip line provider is able to identify the tipster to school officials and law
enforcement.
Based on proven experience in the K – 12 and evaluation above, develop a phased approach to
rolling out tip line service to CCPS.
814-(ST-14 Implement a student and parent education program about preventing unauthorized
access to guns) (Adjusted to ST-14 Implement a partnership, aimed at offering
parent-community educational programming, between PTAs (via the County Council) and the
office of Family And Community Engagement to bring consistent programming opportunities
to parents and community members to cover many of the topics being addressed by the
School Safety Task Force.)
Implement programming for parents that would be organized and presented regionally among
similar-age level school PTA groups.
Some possible topics to cover (both with experts inside and outside of the county) are:
• Bullying prevention
• Responsible social media usage
• Suicide awareness/prevention
• How to navigate lockdown/ALARM drills with our kids
• Gun violence prevention program (such as the Be Smart program)
• Positive discipline approaches
• Growth mindset at home
• Life after high school planning for high school-aged students
Possible examples of programming opportunities could include:
• Bi-monthly evening programming, organized regionally with topics relevant to specific
grade ranges (elementary, middle, and high)
• Additional resources available on school and/or county websites
• The inclusion of best practice resources in county-wide email updates
• Digital access to interviews and/or expert trainings
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