Northmont Schools to hold shooter exercise
Northmont City Schools students will participate in a full-scale safety drill that will include officers shooting blank rounds.
The event will be conducted at the middle school Wednesday and will include multiple safety agencies and health departments.
The schools and the city of Clayton Public Safety Department will partner with emergency response teams from Englewood, Union, the Ohio State Highway Patrol and Premier Health to conduct the drill.
New Ohio requirements mean schools must conduct a full-scale exercise every three years in every building, according to Jenny Wood, information officer for Northmont City Schools.
The middle school will be the first in the district to conduct the drill, which will focus on staff and student training. There will be several emergency vehicles at the school to support the event.
Students will be on a twohour delay Wednesday. The school day will start at 9:45 a.m., and the drill will last the duration of the day. The students will be given detailed information at the start of the school day and will remain under Northmont staff supervision throughout the experience, according to a release.
Students and staff will participate in various activities. Basic first aid, provided by Premier Health medical specialists, will be taught to students during the drill.
Law enforcement officers in attendance will shoot off blank rounds so students can hear the sound of gunfire. The blank rounds will help give avenues for the students to discuss their experience of the drill with staff and law enforcement.
“Northmont is very sensitive to the fact we are trying to provide important and mandated safety training while balancing the needs of our staff and students with these experiences,” said Leslie Hobbs, student services director.
Students and staff will discuss what happened in small group discussions at the end of the drill. Counselors and school resource officers will be there to answer questions from students and staff.
District officials encourage parents to talk to their children about the day’s events, to stay safe beyond the school setting and to alert the school of any concerns. Contact this reporter at 937225-0730 or email Emily. Kronenberger@coxinc.com.