School districts finish first year with armed staff; Ohio invests in more training
The 2023-24 school year is ending, and more than 60 Ohio districts are wrapping up their first year with armed teachers on campus.
The state has invested an additional $78,000 in active shooter scenario training for armed staff. These funds will purchase Mobile Modular Shoot Houses from Kontek Industries to provide realistic training, according to WBNS-10.
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The Ohio School Safety Center wants the houses ready by summer so armed staff can complete the mandatory scenario-based training.
67 school districts in 36 Ohio counties have armed staff on site, 21 of which are in the Miami Valley.
Benjamin Logan Local Schools, in Logan County, has 17 staff members trained as part of the armed response team across its three buildings, according to WBNS-10.
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“We want this to be a deterrent for an active shooter and we feel very confident that we have put everything possible in place to make it as safe as possible for students and staff,” Benjamin Logan Local Schools Superintendent Jon Scheu said.
The identities of the trained staff members are confidential, but they include people in different positions like administrators, teachers, secretaries, and custodians, WBNS-10 reported.
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Scheu said it could take sheriff’s deputies 10 to 15 minutes to respond to an emergency because the district is in rural Logan County.
“When you are talking 10 to 15 minutes, I mean that sounds like not maybe that great of time that law enforcement would arrive, but these active shooters, it takes a matter of seconds and they have done enough carnage to shock the world and it is all the essence of time,” Scheu said.
Armed staff members are required to complete a 24-hour training course, with an eight-hour yearly refresher.
The following Ohio school districts have armed staff, Miami Valley schools are bold:
Adams County Christian School
Knox County Career Center Schools
Antwerp Local Schools
Licking County Christian Academy
Barnesville Exempted Village School District
Mad River Local School District
Bellaire Local Schools
Madison Local Schools
Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Local School District
Manchester Local School District
Belmont Harrison JVSD
Mansfield Christian School
Benjamin Logan Local Schools
Maplewood Career Center
Bridgeport Exempted Village School District
Mars Hill Academy
Bright Local School District
Martins Ferry City School District
Caldwell Exempted Village School District
Miami Valley Career Technology Center
Calvary Christian School
Morgan Local School District
Carrollton Exempted Village School District
New Lebanon Local School District
Clay Local School District
Newcomerstown Exempted Village School District
Claymont City School District
Noble Local School District
Clinton-Massie Local Schools
Ohio Hi-Point Career Center
East Guernsey Local Schools
Old Fort Local Schools
Eastern Local Schools District
Parma City Schools
Edgerton Local Schools
River Valley Local Schools
Edison Local School District
Rolling Hills Local School District
Fairlawn Local School District
Russia Local School
Fort Loramie Local Schools
Sidney City Schools
Gallipolis City School District
Southern Ohio Educational Service Center
Garaway Local Schools
St. Clairsville-Richland City Schools
Geneva Academy
St. Mary’s City Schools
Hardin-Houston School
Streetsboro City Schools
Highland Local Schools
Switzerland of Ohio Local School District
Indian Creek Local School District
The Greater Dayton School
Indian Lake Local Schools
Tri-Valley Local School District
Jackson Center Schools
Trumbull Career and Technical Center
Jefferson County Educational Service Center
Tuscarawas Valley Local School District
Jefferson County Joint Vocational School
Upper Scioto Valley Local School District
Kenton City Schools
Warren Local School District
Kirkmont Presbyterian Church/ Preschool
Wheelersburg Local School District
Williamsburg Local School District