Schools plan safety forum at high school

Vermilion students, parents and residents are invited to a School Safety Forum starting at 6 p.m., March 4, at Vermilion High School.

The entire community is invited to the event, said Superintendent Phil Pempin.

In an open letter to the community, Pempin suggested a possible school security levy and the start of a new a continuing education program for parents through the rest of 2018.

In the short term, the School Safety Forum is a chance for school officials to ask for input from parents and community members on ways to improve security in Vermilion schools.

“The majority of the meeting will be dedicated to gaining input from those in attendance,” Pempin said. “We are hoping to come out of this with a few realistic and plausible ideas that we can immediately apply, and perhaps a few that may take longer to implement, but will ultimately make us a safer school district.

“We are looking for any ideas that will genuinely help us improve and protect our students and staff,” he said.

The Ohio Legislature has approved a law allowing local communities to approve tax levies to pay for school safety.

The Vermilion School Board and administration have told the community the school officials don’t want to ask for new operating money. However, asking voters to approve a safety levy could be an option, Pempin said.

The program also will be the beginning of the new Vermilion “Parent University,” with periodic gatherings at least once a quarter to update parents and school district supporters on what Vermilion schools are doing, Pempin said.

The goal is to help parents become more invested in their children’s education by learning more about how the schools operate, he said.

“One of the messages we hope attendees will take from this meeting is that we can’t do it alone,” Pempin said. “We need active participation from parents and the community to keep our children safe.”

Pempin said anyone with suggestions for improving school safety in Vermilion can speak to any principal or email him at ppempin@vermilionschools.org.

On March 4, the program will include refreshments 6 to 6:30 p.m. Discussion will start at 6:30 p.m. and end promptly at 7:45 p.m. A solidarity vigil for school safety will follow.