ATLANTA — Georgia has created a website to deliver safety resources and any updated training to all public schools and community partners.
It's called the Georgia Center for School Safety, and it's a partnership between the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) and the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMA/HS).
Parents and anyone else can now review any Georgia school's safety training plan, resources and guidelines online. The department said online and in-person training is available on active shooter response, bus safety, de-escalation, emergency operations planning, school safety assessments, severe weather and more.
“Student safety is our absolute top priority,” State School Superintendent Richard Woods said. “I appreciate the partnership and expertise of GEMA/HS as we work together to ensure schools have the resources they need to focus on prevention and ensure a safe and secure environment for the students, faculty, and staff in Georgia’s public schools.”
The department said they worked through a Bureau of Justice Assistance STOP School Violence Grant, which "improves school security by providing students and teachers with the tools they need to recognize, prevent, plan, and respond to violent acts."
According to the education department, Georgia schools must have a safety plan and conduct drills. They also offer Mental Health Awareness Training but only for Georgia educators. They are hoping to expand that program.
“Georgia continues to advance when it comes to school safety,” said GEMA/HS Director Chris Stallings. “Thanks to our partnership with the Department of Education, we’ve updated the School Safety Plan Template and Guide to ensure that schools have guidelines on creating their own plan for natural and man-made disasters.”
Student safety has been a major topic of discussion for schools across metro Atlanta. The Cobb County School District recently passed a measure creating a new position that allows some employees to carry a gun on school grounds with the superintendent's approval. The measure, however, does not include teachers.
And in Clayton County, there are discussions of making clear backpacks mandatory, adding more metal detectors at schools and hiring more school resource officers.
To visit the website, click here.