Two local school officials receive national awards

Two officials representing the Fox Chapel Area and Chartiers Valley school districts have received national awards for their contributions to safety and service.

The awards were issued by the National Association of School Resource Officers.

John Bruner, a school police officer with Chartiers Valley, received the Regional Exceptional Service award. David McCommons, an assistant superintendent with the Fox Chapel Area, was honored with the Safe School Leadership award.

The two were informed of their honors in June.

“I truly attribute this award to my mother, Nikki,” said Mr. Bruner, of Buffalo, Washington

County. “She’s taught me patience, empathy and to be open-minded and that is what is needed to be a school police officer these days. I don’t care if a student is Black, white, gay, straight, if they come from Syria, India or even Cleveland. I will care for that student.”

The resource officers group said the Regional Exceptional Service award is given to “individuals for continuous and sustained service to the school community above and beyond that expected of a normal SRO or school staff member.”

Mr. Bruner was the Greene County district attorney in the 1990s before joining the South Strabane police department. He left that role after 20 years to become a school officer and safety coordinator in the Keystone Oaks School

District.

His duties include securing funding for the school district and working with counselors and student services. He also teaches psychology classes to students in grades 5-12. The classes help students understand why the human brain can make poor choices.

“When you want to learn how a clock works, you take it apart and see what makes it tick,” Mr. Bruner said.

The class first came together as a Neurology of

Addiction course at Keystone Oaks in response to a vaping issue. It has since evolved to encompass internet safety and the feelings associated with accomplishing goals.

“This job is wonderful; it’s a calling,” Mr. Bruner said.

Mr. McCommons, of Oakmont, is entering his 14th year as an assistant superintendent. He was nominated for the award by Joseph Kozarian, the Fox Chapel safety and security coordinator. In a letter to Mac Hardy, NASRO’s director of operations, Mr. Kozarian praised Mr. McCommons for being instrumental in combining the school’s police force with the police departments in O’Hara and Indiana.

Mr. McCommons worked with the school board to add safety measures such as additional cameras, visitor screening and the Omnigo police reporting system.

The Safe School Leadership award is given to “individuals that are willing to support and further develop the SRO partnership, exemplify leadership, innovation, dedication and proactive measures to enhance the safety of the school community,” according to NASRO.

“I’m humbled by the award, but this is really a team effort by our officers, administration, school board and staff,” Mr. McCommons said. “[Mr. Kozarian] was kind enough to move this forward. It’s really not about me; it’s about what we do as a team.”

Mr. McCommons was adamant about school officers having a positive and patient attitude in their work.

“The thing I’m proudest of with the school police is that our officers and Joe Kozarian make it about relationships with kids and are not seen as disciplinarians. They are seen as someone they can go to,” he said.

The award ceremony, which was scheduled for Aug. 6 in Dallas, will take place on that date but will be held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic.