The most troubling part of starting this message is that I have to write the words “once again” to describe the horrific shooting that occurred at the high school in Florida. On behalf of the entire Board of Education and all of our staff, I offer our most sincere condolences to the families of the victims of this terrible tragedy. Our hearts go out to all of the students and staff at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida.

Today, I’m attending the National Superintendents Conference along with more than 600 superintendents from around the country. The discussion of school safety, violence in society, and what needs to be done to stop these tragic events has taken over and consumed this conference.

When these types of events occur it is not uncommon for organizations to evaluate their own emergency plans. There are two very important parts to consider; how we respond if there is an emergency and what practices we have in place to prevent the emergency from ever happening.  I would like to offer the following. Continue Reading…