Page 2 - Demo

District seeks input on arming staff guardians
By Matt Reed, BPS News
The Brevard County School Board would like to hear more from Brevard Public Schools’ staff and families before deciding on a proposal to arm staff guardians who could stop school shooters.
The board’s process will include surveys, staff meetings and town-hall style meetings with the public across the Space Coast. The board tentatively will vote on the proposal May 8.
BPS employees can attend any of the following meetings with a BPS badge. The public is invited to attend any of the three town-hall style meetings.:
Tuesday, April 24
Palm Bay High
District 3-Tina Descovich
5- 6:30 p.m.— Staff only (BPS badge required) 7- 8:30 p.m.— Public
Monday, April 30
Bayside High, Palm Bay
District 5-Andy Ziegler
5- 6:30 p.m.— Staff only (BPS badge required)
Tuesday, May 1
ESF (BPS Headquarters)
District 4-Matt Susin
5- 6:30 p.m. — Staff only (BPS badge required) 7- 8:30 p.m. — Public
Monday, May 7
Jackson Middle, Titusville
District 1-Misty Belford
5- 6:30 p.m. — Staff only (BPS badge required) 7- 8:30 p.m. — Public
BPS surveyed district employees to gauge their eligibility and willingness to participate in the guardian program. It received 1,780 responses from all types of staff. The 707 responses from eligible administrators, support staff and other school-based professionals (those who do not work as classroom teachers) indicated a high enough level of volunteerism to field an initial class of guardian trainees, if the board chooses to proceed.
An additional survey will measure how many support, oppose or are undecided about the proposed guardian program. School board members will consider these results when making their decision.
The proposed armed-guardian program was enabled
by the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Safety Act, which lawmakers intended to make Florida schools safer. If approved, the guardian program would be one of four layers of school protection implemented at Brevard Public Schools.
A video by Sheriff Wayne Ivey, who manages BPS district security, explains the four-pronged strategy which includes:
• Education, awareness and the STAR intervention program (Success Through Awareness and Restoration).
• Hardening of facilities with fencing and security equipment.
• More school resource officers.
• The armed-guardian program, which Ivey named the
Sheriff-Trained On-Site Marshal Program (STOMP).
For more information about the guardian program, please visit the Frequently Asked Questions page on the BPS website. New information will be added as it becomes available.
BPS NEWS is a publication of Brevard Public Schools.
Superintendent
Desmond K. Blackburn, Ph.D.
School Board Members
Chairperson: John Craig, District 2
Vice Chairman: Tina Descovich, District 3 Misty Belford, District 1
Matthew Susin, District 4
Andy Ziegler, District 5
Published by the Division of Government and Community Relations
Assistant Superintendent: Matt Reed Editor: Jennifer Wolfinger
Graphic Designer: Daniel Jankowski
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