Baldwin County Schools adding school safety director position

The Baldwin County School District is creating a school safety director position.

MILLEDGEVILLE, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — The Baldwin County School District is adding more safety measures by creating a new position.

The position of  ‘School Safety Director’ will proactively ensure a safe and secure school environment.

Safety remains a concern for school leaders in the district, and that’s why Superintendent Dr. Noris Price says the position is important.

“We will have somebody that is solely devoted to school safety,” she said. “Someone who will be on-site, familiar with all of our facilities, and will be able to respond if we have any type of emergency.”

Price says after the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas and several meetings with other school leaders, she knew more measures had to be taken.

The duties previously fell under several people who had other responsibilities.

“We’ll have someone who is walking our facilities, making sure that all the doors are secured, ” she said. “For example, they’ll assess any possible threats that we’re not thinking about.”

Qualifications for the position include having a first aid/CPR certification and a minimum of 10 years experience in Law Enforcement.

Maj. Scott Deason with the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office says the requirements are a must.

“We have four deputies stretched out through the six schools they have,” he said. “It will help with that, and a lot of times the presence is a deterrence.”

Teachers like Mandy Hopkins say the school district already has safety measures in place that make her feel safe, like cameras and panic buttons, but Hopkins says you can never be too safe.

“I think in this day and age, we need as much support as far as safety goes,” she said. “Our teachers and our children are our top priority.”

The School Safety Director Position is part-time for now, but that could change by the end of the year.

The application will go live on Monday.