Middle grades education students gained valuable field experience during a school safety seminar hosted by the Rowan County School System.
Dr. Kimberlee Sharp, a professor of middle grades and secondary education, along with eight middle grades education majors, participated in a four-hour professional development seminar titled “Enhancing School Safety: An Operational Guide for Preventing Targeted School Violence” at the Rowan County Board of Education during the spring semester. This seminar, aimed at school personnel, was led by Rowan County School Resource Officer Larry Robinson and agents from the U.S. Secret Service’s National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC), an organization dedicated to studying and providing training on preventing targeted school violence, funded by Congress.
The seminar covered several key areas:
1. Research and trend data on school violence post-Columbine High School shooting in 1999.
2. Behaviors in students that school staff and community members should recognize to prevent crises.
3. Recommendations for schools to create effective violence prevention plans.
Dr. Sharp reflected positively on the seminar, noting its informative nature. She highlighted the absence of a definitive profile for a student attacker, emphasizing that various traumas or stressful events can contribute to a student’s risk of committing acts of violence. She stressed the importance of community awareness and intervention to prevent tragedies.
The programs offered by Morehead State University’s Department of Teacher Education equip students with a solid foundation in education best practices and pedagogy, preparing them for successful careers.
In the accompanying photo, middle grades education students are seen participating in the school safety seminar at Rowan County Schools. The image includes Larry Robinson, Rowan County Schools Resource Officer, two agents from the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security’s National Threat Assessment Center, and senior middle grades education students from various locations.