JACKSON COUNTY, W.Va. — As concerns about school safety continue to grow, especially in the today’s climate, Jackson County schools are taking proactive steps to safeguard the well-being of students and staff.
Last week was a challenging time for schools across the state, especially in Jackson County, with several districts facing threats that raised concerns and heightened security measures. Jackson County Superintendent Will Hosaflook emphasized that communication is the most crucial step of keeping everyone safe, highlighting the importance of open dialogue between students, staff, and the community.
“Communication is something that we’ve learned very well in terms of getting the word out,” Hosaflook said. “Not some much getting the word out to every single school, but when threats would happen in a school or outside of a school that was geared towards a particular school, then we would get communication out.”
Will Hosaflook
The Department of Homeland Security and the FBI have stressed to the district the importance of staying vigilant, as threats like this are happening frequently around the country, and they have encouraged schools to use the ” See Something Send Something” app.
“They stressed quite a bit, you know, of course we always have to stay vigilant. These threats are happening everywhere across the United States,” Hosaflook said. “However, we do have the “See Something Send Something” app, and they encourage us, and they encourage our students to use this so we don’t have to duplicate law enforcement resources when you could have two different law enforcement agencies within two different counties working on the same problem. If they send something through that app, then they can dish it out from there.”
Beyond physical security, Superintendent Hosaflook also discussed the importance of monitoring students’ dialogue online. While schools cannot regulate students’ social media activity, recent assemblies emphasized the need for students to be cautious about what they put online, as their post can have serious ramifications. The district takes online threats seriously and encourages parent to actively monitor their children social media accounts.
“One thing, if I can impose anything on anyone listening today, is you have to understand what’s capable with a smart phone and please spot check your children’s cell phones all the time,” Hosaflook said.
Jackson County Schools urge parents to monitor kids’ online activity and report threats, emphasizing vigilance to keep schools safe.