Gilmer Schools Respond to Newtown Shooting

Gilmer County Schools responded this week to the tragic shooting in Newtown, Connecticut.

FYN spoke with Gilmer County Schools and Sheriff Stacy Nicholson today about reviewing security plans as a response to a mass shooting in Newtown, Connecticut on Friday.

On Friday, December 15th, 28 People were killed including 20 children at the hands of 20 year old Adam Lanza at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut. Lanza reportedly entered the school shooting two 9mm handguns and a Bushmaster .223 assault rifle, but was later found dead in the school. While details of the shooting continue to unfold, many are wondering if their own children are safe from harm.

In an email to FYN today, Director of Operations Eric Hofstetter said while he couldn’t disclose all plans of the school system because of safety issues, the school is remaining vigilant in all security and safety areas by continuously improving its procedures, practices, and facilities. The School System already has a current school safety and strategic goal which can be found on its website.

“We have weekly updates with our school resource officers and quarterly meetings with the Gilmer Sheriff’s Office.,”

the website states.

Hofstetter told FYN, however, that schools have also started providing counseling for anyone with difficulty coping with the Newtown shooting.

“In light of the events that occurred at Sandy Hook Elementary, we have reiterated to our staff strategies to help our students, staff and parents cope with their individual grief as appropriate,”

he said, adding,

“We will continue these services and additional counseling as long as it is needed or requested.”

Also, Gilmer County Sheriff Stacy Nicholson told FYN that the Sheriff’s Office met with Gilmer County Schools this morning to discuss the school safety plan. Nicholson says that the Sheriff’s Office has provided extra patrol at drop-off areas today at Gilmer County Schools and will continue to do so until Christmas Break, though, he says the office will continue to have its deputies perform random patrols at all schools throughout the year.

“As far as I’m concerned we’ll continue to indefinitely have our deputies drop in at different times,”

Nicholson said.

According to Nicholson, the schools already had four school resource officers at Gilmer County Schools, including one “floating” police officer who checks in at all Gilmer County Schools. But in light of the situation, he felt something had to be done to provide more comfort for Gilmer County.

“We are going to continue to have deputies randomly patrol through the schools,”

Nicholson said.

Nicholson said it is hard for any school to be immuned to something like the shooting in Newtown.

“If you have a motivated individual, you might be able to stop them, but you’re not going to be able to prevent it completely. The only thing you can do is do everything you can and hope and pray you’re not next.”