IN THE PARK HILL SCHOOL DISTRICT
Park Hill School District has approved the introduction of School Protection Specialists (SPSs) at the elementary level.
The district will introduce SPSs in its elementary schools starting next school year.
School Protection Specialists will be provided to the district through a partnership with Strategos International and they will provide Park Hill with four SPSs for rotation at every elementary school in the district.
“While we partner with our local police departments for our School Resource Officers at the middle and high school level, these new specialists for the elementary level will be specifically dedicated to our elementary schools,” the district said in a recent newsletter to patrons.
Specialists will be meeting district teachers and staff in early August and will meet students and families as school starts.
The specialists will rotate between three elementary schools and be in their assigned schools every day.
School Protection Specialists will be uniformed as Strategos employees, with visible duty gear and weapons. This mirrors the district’s School Resource Officers at the middle school and high school levels.
Here are some things that SPSs will do in Park Hill elementary schools:
•Recognize and respond to security threats or breaches
•Recognize and respond to emergency situations and safety hazards
•Assist in crisis response per PHSD guidelines
•Observe and monitor school bus loading/unloading and car rider lines
•Monitor and enforce PHSD access control procedures
•Patrol and monitor school grounds
•Implement and enforce security procedures
•Respond to unauthorized persons attempting access
•Engage in conflict resolution and de-escalation techniques
•Coordinate with law enforcement agencies
•Maintain firearm safety and training
•Maintain awareness of threat intelligence such as online threats, social media and reports from staff/students
