There will be some noticeable changes around several school campuses when students return next week. Campuses will have a single point of entry. Buildings will be numbered. K-9s will be making the rounds, sniffing out pats on the head.
“School safety has always been at the forefront of what we do,” Schools Superintendent Wayne Gent said. Attaining that level of safety has necessitated a strong relationship with the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office and the two municipal police departments – all of which provide law enforcement staff at each of the county’s traditional and charter schools.
With the additional funding approved by the county’s voters earlier this year, the Sheriff’s Office is able to provide at least one deputy on each campus as well as have a few extra on standby as needed.
“We thank our voters,” Gent said, adding, “this gives us the best level of protection.”
The funds have also gone to hire more counselors and mental health support staff to better address students’ needs and challenges.
Sheriff Mascara noted that his team has worked diligently in the wake of the Marjorie Stoneman Douglas shooting in Parkland to bolster security at schools and rise to the mandates put forth by the state.
“We are far ahead of the curve,” Mascara said, adding that he is encouraged by the strides the community has taken to help students understand there are consequences for their actions.
Criminal incidents and behavioral issues declined by the end of last school year, though the number of threats made has continued to increase. Many of the threats are made via social media and off-campus, but the Sheriff’s Office is obligated to investigate each one just the same.
“We take these threats very, very seriously,” Mascara said. “Don’t play the fool at school.”
District wide, nearly all criminal and behavioral incident indicators were fewer during the second semester than those in the first semester.
The exceptions were the number of campus security checks and school threats.
There were fewer bomb threats, felony and misdemeanor arrests, and fights, to name a few indicators.
Along with hiring more deputies assigned to schools, the Sheriff’s Office brought on two new K-9 units, Rosco and Justice. Both are trained with juveniles in mind and non-aggressive, and are able to sniff out narcotics and firearms.
Rosco is a 2 1/2-year-old golden retriever and partnered with Dep. Jeff Ward.
Justice is a 6-year-old female black lab/pointer mix paired with Sgt. Wade Courtemanche.
She is also trained for tracking subjects and would be deployed to help find a missing student.
While they’re not specifically trained to be therapy dogs, they are very sociable and can help put students at ease.
“You’d be surprised what a dog does at a school,” said Major Brian Hester, who has been the Sheriff’s Office point-person on implementing the state mandates following the Parkland shooting.
Technology is also playing a role in improving security at the schools. Teachers will be trained on a new app for their phone that can be used as a panic button of sorts. Not only can teachers use the app to alert authorities to a situation, but also to provide details, report their room as a safe zone, and provide other information.
Students will also have access to other apps to make reports to law enforcement.
“Our biggest resource is our kids,” Gent said, explaining that much of what could happen doesn’t because the kids speak up and tell authorities when they hear something that isn’t right.
Just as grown-ups are encouraged to say something when they see something that doesn’t seem right, the students are receiving the same message.
“We want students as committed as us” to ensuring safety, Gent said.