School officials and emergency responders gather regularly to discuss safety in the Westerville City School District. Pictured left to right at the most recent meeting are Blendon Township Police Chief John Belford; Westerville Central High School Assistant Principal Brad Adams; Westerville North High School Dean of Students Ty Stover; and Genoa Township Police Officer and Genoa Middle School Resource Officer Jason Berner.
Twenty-five members of the Westerville City Schools Emergency Management Planning Committee met on September 3 to analyze a district-wide safety drill, which took place the day before in partnership with five police jurisdictions, two fire jurisdictions, all school personnel and every student. Stakeholders on the committee included school officials and representatives from the Westerville Divisions of Police and Fire, the Genoa Township Police and Fire departments, Blendon Township and Minerva Park Police departments, and the Franklin County Sheriff’s office.
The event was part of an ongoing effort to keep safety at the forefront of the educational process. A number of drills are conducted throughout the school year to ensure that students, staff, and emergency personnel all know how to respond in a crisis situation. Debbie Edwards Meissner, Westerville Schools’ Director of Human Resources – Classified, Employee Wellness & District Health & Safety, expressed her appreciation for the strong partnership that exists between the district and police and fire officials, who provide staff training and conduct safety drills throughout the year.