School leaders update board on response to student incident

District reviewing safety, communication protocols after threat reported on Dec. 7.

The Tipp City Exempted Village Schools are reviewing communication and threat assessment protocols after recent controversy over the handling of a reported student threat in December.

District administrators including Superintendent Mark Stefanik and human resources director Lisa Tut- tle-huff updated the board of education on Monday on measures taken after public outcry over what parents and board members said was a lack of information shared about a Dec. 7 incident at the middle school.

The board voted during a special meeting on Jan. 4 to not renew Stefanik’s contract after hearing complaints from parents and the community. The vote included a motion that the non-renewal was effective immediately, but Stefanik remains on the job until July 31.

School board members said they did not know about the reported Dec. 7 threat until parents started rais- ing questions over the New Year’s weekend.

The incident was reported on Dec. 8 to Tipp City police, who investigated. The stu- dent was not charged in juve- nile court, according to the Miami County Prosecutor’s Office.

Prosecutors said they were told a group of students was sitting around a table and the student was asked what he would do if he could carry out a shoot- ing. The police report said the student described the type of weapon he would use and mentioned, on added questioning, the name of a student.

When a principal asked the student about the com- ment after it was reported, the student said he would never carry out a shooting, prosecutors said.

“He really didn’t commit any crime,” said Jessica Eichenlaub, assistant prosecuting attorney.

The issue was handled through the school disciplinary process. School offi- cials said they cannot by law discuss the details of the student’s discipline.

Stefanik and Tuttle-huff reported on Monday that a district safety committee would be meeting Tuesday. Discussions have been held with staff about being “hypervigilant” in looking for any dangers, Tuttle-huff said.

set out to do a complete review of our safety plans and our safety protocols to ensure they are consistent … and daily protocols to see if we can enhance any,” Stefanik said.

The district also has been offered assist ance from safety experts at other schools and will use those resources as well, he said. The district contracts with the Tipp City Police Department for police presence in the schools.

Stefanik thanked the police for their cooperation and response when needed.

Police Chief Greg Adkins said Tuesday the department is reviewing building threat assessments and processes to handle threats inside the buildings.

“We are notifying the school district of our intent, and it will be a joint effort with recommendations,” Adkins said.

“The department meets with all school administrators twice in August before school starts, and we review current trends and events from the summer that might affect students coming into school.”

The school district must complete four drills a year per building, including tabletop and full-scale exercises, Adkins said. The police department participates in three of the four drills, the fourth being a hypothetical drill hosted by the district.