Tamaqua to discuss arming staff in March

School safety talks continued during the Tamaqua Area School Board workshop meeting on Tuesday night, including a discussion on arming staff.

The group met a month after the Tamaqua Safety Commission made seven areas of recommendations after its fifth and final meeting in January. These recommendations were briefly shared with board members last month. The seven components are: policies and procedures, prevention, training, facility infrastructure, confronting an active shooter, triage, and access to facility during an emergency. They were further reviewed on Tuesday night.

There was no formal vote or finalization of any recommendation, but there was some new important information.

Arming staff?

The confronting an active shooter recommendation seems to be gaining momentum as the new calendar year moves on. Tamaqua gained national publicity in the past 18 months when it adopted a police that allowed for arming staff. That policy was dropped after lawsuits and a new Pennsylvania law which sent the district in another direction.

“I’m looking at maybe hiring somebody to have a conduit for a safety officer,” Tamaqua School Board President Larry Wittig said Tuesday.

“That officer has multiple tasks. … Along with that, encouraging staff members, any staff; administrative, custodial etc., to take training that’s compatible with (Senate Bill) 621 or any further amendment to 621 in order to comply with the law.”

Superintendent Ray Kinder believes the board can create somewhat of a starting point or a “boilerplate” type of policy by March.

“It can be something that we can set a motion to discuss next meeting,” Kinder said to Wittig.

“It would give us some direction. I’m thinking more along the lines of what you said in terms of a legally and properly (armed personnel), not identifying, have to get this or that training. But I think what you’re looking at is to not say who it is, and not to exclude or include specially anybody.”

Kinder made it transparent that the board will discuss the possibility of arming personnel at the March board meeting.

Prevention

The prevention recommendation includes the mental health, programs that promote healthy living and welfare of the students.

Kinder mentioned that about 30 staff members have attended a training regarding trauma-informed and brain-based care, which is understanding the way trauma affects a child’s brain.

Kinder also said it’s possible to add another trained staff member to the district.

“We anticipate that we will probably be bringing you at least one position that will be an increase in position over last year in terms of working with students and dealing with the issues that complete their learning,” Kinder said.

Access to facility

This recommendation calls for developing a traffic plan that provides a designated path of access or all emergency vehicles and responders, which should be developed in cooperation and input from police and emergency departments.

Kinder said that local first responders have met to discuss items such has routes to take and roads to open or close throughout the area during a hypothetical crisis or emergency. “We have an outline of what we would plan to do and how to control the facility,” Kinder said.

The next board meeting is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.