School Officials and Sheriff’s Office Hold Safety Meeting

School district administrators, principals and members of the school board recently met with Assumption Parish Sheriff Leland Falcon and Captain Rodney Rhodes to discuss immediate and long-term measures to improve campus safety.

“Our number one priority is to maintain a safe learning environment at each of our campuses,” Superintendent John Barthelemy, Ph.D., said. “It’s important that our leadership works closely with our law enforcement officials to ensure we are collectively doing everything we can to keep our children and our school communities safe.”

The school safety meeting was held at the district central office in Napoleonville.

“Our board felt it was important to be proactive to address concerns,” School Board President Honoray Lewis said. “We have visited other districts to get ideas, we’ve met with community members, and we’re working hand-in-hand with law enforcement. We want to do all we can to keep our campuses safe. We have given Superintendent Barthelemy the green light to dedicate the resources necessary to get the job done.”

Officials discussed the following measures as immediate responses to be implemented for the upcoming school year: portable metal detectors, improved doors and locks, limiting access and entry points for students and visitors, upgrading campus camera systems, implementing zero eyes technology, and creating greater awareness through a “If you see or hear something, say something” campaign.

Long-term safety measures include investments in keyless technology, walkway screens, outside fencing, and secure vestibules with buzzer technology.

“We know that many of our campuses are open and have numerous access points, but we can take immediate steps to keep our classrooms locked and inaccessible from outsiders,” Lewis said. “We can also invest in technology to quickly identify who is on our campuses to improve prevention efforts and response time.” Lewis noted that measures will be taken to give law enforcement immediate access to buildings.

“Eventually, we want to get to where we have a single-entry point to have better controls,” he added.

The officials also discussed measures to strengthen and increase the frequency of school safety drills, improved campus safety procedures, better communication with parents, and better training on debriefing and crisis planning.

“It’s not enough to invest in better systems, we have to do all we can to better prepare our people to prevent crisis situations and to properly manage situations that we might encounter,” Assumption Parish High School Principal Jessica Thibodeaux said.

“We are working with all our staff to make sure they know the expectations and proper actions, and we will be updating them on how to use any new devices added to our campuses,” she said.

Thibodeaux added that a committee on the district’s code of conduct also met following the safety meeting to determine that policies on student discipline, dress code and other student conduct are in line with safety policies.

Those school officials attending the safety meeting included Superintendent Barthelemy Information Technology Supervisor Joshua Naquin, Director of Curriculum and Instruction Britney Allen, Director of Human Resources Shannon Clement, Supervisor of Maintenance Dwayne Aucoin, Director of Student Services Damian Buggage, School Principals Corey Crochet, Stacy Garrison, Ali Gautreaux, Brandee Gros, Niles Riche, Leslie Melvin, Miyoshi Jones-Joseph, Kathi Aucoin, Melanie Bellamy, and Thibodeaux; and School Board Members Electa Fletcher Mickens, Jessica Ourso, Doris Dugas, Jesse Robertson and President Lewis.