By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH and
CHELSAE CORDIA
Staff Writers
As area school districts prepared to return to classes this month those efforts have included active-shooter training for their faculty and staff at Poplar Bluff, Twin Rivers, Neelyville and Dexter schools, as well as others.
"We have actually done some the last couple of days," said Poplar Bluff Superintendent Scott Dill. " ... Some of the buildings have already participated (but) with multiple campuses, scheduling can be difficult."
The remaining buildings, he said, will have training "scattered throughout the year on our professional development days" as part of "our in-service."
Dill described it as a constant process.
"We're always learning and growing to keep our kids safe," Dills said.
The Dexter School District also recently held its active-shooter training inside its high school, with assistant superintendent Gavin Miller playing the role of the active shooter during the simulation.
"I'm holding a real pistol," said Miller, who described sounds of gunfire in the background. "You have three or four people in the hallway trying to get out. People were bleeding and asking for help. I knew they were coming for me. It was very intense."
The purpose of the exercise, according to Miller, was to allow new and experienced Stoddard County law enforcement officers an opportunity to practice their emergency response skills in the event a real active shooter situation were to occur.
"As a superintendent, I'm grateful they wanted to use our campus, our buildings, our hallways, to train right where our kids are in case something were to happen," Miller said.
Multiple Stoddard County law enforcement agencies, including the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Bernie and Dexter police departments and the Missouri Department of Conservation, participated in the exercise.
Miller said he and his hostage, who was played by a teacher, were locked inside a classroom as officers swept the halls, searching for them.
"(The hostage) was screaming for help. I'm telling them to shut up or I'm going to shoot you," he said. "Our goal was to make it as real as possible for law enforcement."
Training, Miller continued, is important in any career, whether someone is teaching students, driving a school bus or maintaining the buildings.
"The more training a law enforcement officer can get will help them be better equipped mentally and physically down the road," Miller said.
Dexter Police Chief Trevor Pulley agreed with Miller. He said attending training events that are as realistic as possible is key to ensuring preparedness in case of emergency.
"It's very important training for the officers and for the school district to keep kids safe," he said, noting that this, along with ALICE, or Alert Lockdown Inform Counter Evacuate, training are necessary in today's world.
Miller said following the simulation, he continues to believe schools need student resource officers, and teachers and staff should be trained to respond to active-shooter situations. He said the scenario was hectic, as well as emotionally demanding, for all who were involved.
"It taught me we can't rely on locking the door," Miller said.
According to Dill, the Poplar Bluff School District is fortunate to have school resource officers from the Poplar Bluff Police Department on three of its campuses.
The SROs, he said, originate the training and make sure the police department is "aware of everything we're doing."
The Neelyville School District completed active-shooter training prior to the start of the last school year, said Superintendent Brad Hagood.
The district, he said, participates in the training every other year, with in-house training occurring in the off year.
Twin Rivers School District, according to Superintendent Jeremy Siebert, also hosts a training each year for its faculty and staff. That training took place on Monday.