CHAPEL HILL – It seems like school violence keeps happening more frequently in the United States. In an effort to help keep our local schools and students safer, Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools has commissioned an outside security consultant to review its policies and procedures.

Despite the increased security put in place in schools nationwide in response to the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012, an article released this week by the Associated Press found that there has not been a significant reduction in the number of U.S. school shootings.

“When something happens somewhere else, we are thinking about how we would prevent it, or how could we prevent it? [School safety] is always on your mind, especially with more school shootings happening. It is not even just school-based, they are in community places,” said Jeff Reilly, Coordinator of Student Services for CHCCS and Chair of the Superintendent Safety Council.

The AP’s analysis found that there have been at least 11 school shootings this academic year. There have been about 500 school-associated violent deaths in the past 20 years, not accounting for recent shootings at colleges and universities.

“One of the things that we have talked about doing is having some assessments done of the schools and of the district. That is one of the priorities we have had for the past year,” Reilly said.

This month, safety consultant Michael Dorn, of Safe Havens International, and his team are working with CHCCS to improve its crisis preparedness and campus safety. Reilly said the cost for these services is just under $37,000. The group will produce a preliminary report of its findings in about a month.

Safe Havens International worked with Orange County Schools in 2013

“We are going to a have some analysts come through over the next couple of weeks and walk through each of our schools, review of practices, our emergency operations plans, talk with staff and do a survey of each school,” Reilly said.

These efforts are part of the continued work of Superintendent’s Safety Council, which was created last spring. It is a collaboration across the school system and also with the Chapel Hill Police Department and the Carrboro Police Department.

The Council meets regularly with Carrboro Police Chief Walter Horton and Chapel Hill Police Chief Chris Blue.

Related Stories
‹
Familiar Topics, Concerns Shared at Joint Orange County School Board Meeting
Orange County Commissioners heard updates from Orange County Schools and Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools leaders' at a recent meeting.
Despite Familiar Challenges, CHCCS and OCS Excited for Start of New Year
As there are each year, Orange County’s K-12 school districts each face exciting and challenging aspects as a new year begins on Monday. While the last few years have been abnormal, some aspects of the back-to-school period will be familiar, despite some new wrinkles. Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Superintendent Nyah Hamlett had a busy week […]
Chapel Hill-Carrboro, Orange County School Leaders Discuss School Safety
While the country is still recovering from a recent school shooting in Michigan, the incident has sparked renewed discussion of school safety both nationally and locally.
Orange, Chatham County School Districts Closed Monday Due To Hazardous Weather
Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, Orange County Schools and Chatham County Schools will all be closed on Monday, Mar. 16, due to forecasted hazardous weather conditions. The trio of local school districts sent out alerts to their families on Sunday night to share their decisions and warn of the impending weather. “Monday’s weather forecast calls for […]
CHCCS, Orange County Schools on 2-Hour Delay for Thursday as Districts Monitors Overnight Precipitation
With the threat of wintry mix and freezing temperatures on Wednesday night, Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools announced it will operate on a two-hour delay for Thursday morning.
Orange County Schools Cancels Wednesday Classes Over Road Conditions; CHCCS, Chatham Plan Returns
The Orange County Schools district shared an alert with families and students on Tuesday saying instruction for Wednesday is canceled.
CHCCS on Remote Learning, Chatham and Orange County Schools Closed After Weekend Winter Storm
After Winter Storm Gianna dumped several inches of snow across central North Carolina Saturday, school districts across the community have announced closures for Monday, Feb. 2. Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools will have a remote learning day on Monday. Middle and high schoolers will use synchronous instruction, meaning teachers will meet with students through live virtual sessions. […]
Remote Learning Day 5 for Orange County Schools; 2-Hour Delay for CHCCS, Chatham County
Orange County Schools will hold its fifth and final available day of remote learning on Friday, while CHCCS and Chatham have two-hour delays.
Orange County Schools Continues Remote Learning, While Chatham County Cancels Class for Thursday
Orange County Schools students will see another day of remote learning on Thursday, Jan. 29, as the district said it would continue to prioritize caution as below-freezing temperatures led to lingering ice in the community.
Orange County Schools Cancels Class for Tuesday; CHCCS Issues 2-Hour Delay, Sets Normal Operations For Wednesday
Orange County Schools will hold no instruction on Tuesday, Dec. 9, over concerns for road conditions, while CHCCS will operate on a delay.
›