Continued from page 1

here to pick up Johnny Smith ,’ ‘ Can I see your ID ?,’ you put it up to the camera and you ’ re buzzed in …”

She inquired about hiring Student Resource Officers ( SROs ), who are armed , uniformed fully sworn law enforcement officers .

The National Association of School Resource Officers ( NASRO ), a not-forprofit organization founded in 1991 , trains SROs to be agents of law enforcement in schools , providing safe learning environments for students . They also often take on the role of an informal counselor , mentor and teacher .

Tim Mains , Superintendent of Pine Bush Central Schools , says he has talked to Town of Crawford Supervisor Charles Carnes inquiring about the cost of hiring SRO ’ s . He says the administration is open to the idea of employing an SRO in Pine Bush schools .

But , he is reassuring the community of the security already in place in Pine Bush schools . In a letter to Pine Bush parents , Mains says :

“... Our motto continues to be - ‘ if you see something , say something .’ When a concern proves credible , we immediately engage our local police agencies , with whom we have excellent relationships . Just two weeks ago , Chief Dominick Blasko of the Town of Crawford Police Department sponsored a conversation among a variety of local and state law enforcement officials along with myself and the district ’ s head of security . We have been and will continue to be vigilant . Student and staff safety remains priority one in Pine Bush .”

He also provided links to resources for parents to talk to their children about mass shootings , including schoolcrisiscenter . org and the American Psychology Association .

At Valley Central High School , Principal Jayme Ginda-Baxter shared this message to the community :

“... We will continue in our efforts as a district to implement and practice our safety on a regular basis - keeping doors locked , maintain reminders about safety drills etc . It is important for students , parents and staff to be diligent in if they hear something or see something

say something to administration or the authorities . Events such as these offer opportunity to talk with our children about the fears and feelings associated with hearing such news . Staff and parents should limit exposure to news coverage for younger children and maintain accuracy in the information for older students and spend time listening to students . Please be aware of any students who may be showing signs of excessive anxiety and contact support staff for help if needed .”

On March 14 , hundreds of students across the country will stage a walkout from their schools to peacefully protest gun violence . Dubbed the “ National School Walkout ,” students will leave their schools at 10 a . m . for 17 minutes to honor the 17 people killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School .

Some schools across the nation are threatening to suspend students who take part in the National School Walkout . In a tweet published on February 23 , the American Civil Liberties Union referenced the upcoming walkout saying :

“ Here ’ s the gist : Your school can punish you for missing class , just like

they always can , but it can ’ t punish you more harshly for protesting than if you were missing class for another reason . # KnowYourRights .”

During the March 14 National School Walkout , the Pine Bush school district will be holding several assemblies and programs for students . Pine Bush high schoolers will take part in the “ Say Something ” initiative where they will be trained on how to recognize signs of an individual on social media who may pose a threat to themselves or the safety of their fellow classmates . Pine Bush elementary students will be taking part in the “ Start with Hello ” initiative that teaches children how to be more socially inclusive and connected to one another .

Both programs are a part of the Sandy Hook Promise , a national non-profit organization led by family members of the victims killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012 .

The March 14 programs kick off National Youth Violence Prevention week , which is taking place from March 19 to March 23 .