Jackson Schools Upgrading Emergency Preparedness

The Jackson County Schools taking steps to improve emergency preparedness and better understand crisis prevention.

Director of Schools Jason Hardy said Gainesboro Elementary School, Jackson County Middle School, and Dodson Branch School all attended the state’s Threat Assessment event in February. He said teachers and administrators learned how to assess the different levels of issues within a school and how to respond accordingly to each.

“We’re glad that I think every building had an administrator, their SRO, and then usually, some of them had a counselor that went or somebody else that represented them,” Hardy said. “The high school did not go, but the high school held their own over Christmas.”

Hardy said Jackson County High School held a session this week to go over how to keep yourself safe in threatening situations. He said the system also has a new Homeland Security Liaison making the rounds and meeting with administrators of each district school.

“That stuff never goes away,” Hardy said. “Always want to be prepared for the worst. I appreciate all of those schools going out and getting training.”

The district has been sharing a Homeland Security Officer with Smith County and another neighboring district. Hardy said it would be nice to have an officer of their own who can focus solely on keeping Jackson County Schools as safe as possible.

“Anytime we’ve had an SRO out, the old one stepped in and I’m sure this guy will do the same thing,” Hardy said. “Routinely gets over in schools just checking things out and coordinating with the principals and the district office, so that’s awesome.”