The 2024-25 school year is off to a great start in Elmore County! All our schools are bustling with staff and students settling into their schedules and routines.
The issue of school safety – physical and psychological – is a major area of focus for Elmore County. Physical safety involves protecting students from violence, exposure to weapons and threats, illegal substances, etc. Psychological safety efforts promote building trust among staff, students, and families, and creating an environment that empowers students to report safety concerns. Keeping our schools safe allows students to concentrate on academics and extracurricular activities, thus helping them to reach their full potential. Specific actions we take to improve school safety include the annual update and Board approval of our Student Handbook and Code of Conduct. We have implemented a threat assessment process to help us manage safety-related situations on school campuses.
All Elmore County Public Schools staff are expected to wear a photo identification badge while on campus. All visitors must be checked in through the Raptor Visitor Management System and wear a printed photo identification badge at all time while in the building. A retired law enforcement officer has conducted a security audit of all school system facilities to identify areas for improvement, and we are addressing these areas. Finally, additional school resource officers (SROs) are in place throughout the system. Even with these safeguards in place, we still depend on our staff and students to remain diligent and heed “if you see something, say something” by reporting suspicious activity to school administrators.
Finally, mental health resources for students and staff are readily available. We have implemented the Teen Mental Health First Aid program at the high school level. This program teaches students how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental health and substance abuse use challenges among their friends and peers. Plans are in progress to expand this training during this school year. Students at all grade levels are encouraged to reach out to their teachers, counselors, or other trusted adults on campus when they need help of any kind. Our employee assistance program is offered through American Behavioral/Uprise Health. We also partner with other agencies to provide services and/or make referrals as needed.
Elmore County is committed to providing high-quality instruction in a safe environment and the necessary academic, social-emotional, and mental health support for our students and staff. Our goal remains: Every Student Empowered – Every Student Succeeds.
Richard Dennis is the Superintendent of Education for Elmore County Schools. He is a 1983 graduate of Holtville High School. He served 21 years as a high school principal at Holtville High, Wetumpka High and most recently, Prattville High. He and wife, Leslie (also an educator) have three sons and a daughter.
