By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Planning for school safety
Placeholder Image

The Bryan County School System staff members recognize that in addition to the vital charge of educating our children, we are entrusted with keeping them safe during the school day.

The safety and security of our children are without question our top priorities. Preparation and early notification of potential danger are key to keeping children safe.

Whether it is a fire, tornado, hurricane, terrorism, or other type of incident, the more prepared our schools are for emergencies, the safer our children will be. In addition to preparing faculty and students through drills and exercises, we also incorporate the local and state public safety agencies in our plans.

Preparedness for everyone begins with a plan of action.

The Bryan County School System has a crisis plan in partnership with public safety agencies, including law enforcement, the fire department, the health department, and local emergency preparedness agencies.

This plan addresses a variety of crises and emergencies such as fires, severe weather, bomb threats, school shootings and accidents, as well as chemical and terrorist activities. Each school develops its own emergency plan which addresses the fundamentals of safety, including alerts and warnings, adequate staff and student education and training in preparedness and first aid, evacuation and sheltering in place procedures, and getting information to parents.

These plans address four major areas: prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery. Every month, schools are required to train, practice, and drill according to their individual emergency plan. The practice drills are documented and recorded with the state and the local school board office.

The safety plans are reviewed and updated yearly by our individual schools, and every two years they are reviewed and approved by The Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA).

The Bryan County School System is also one of 15 school systems that belong to the First District RESA Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities Program Consortium.

The purpose of the SDFSCA is to support programs that prevent violence in and around schools; that prevent the illegal use of alcohol, tobacco, and drugs; that involve parents and communities in preventive strategies; and that are coordinated with related federal, state, school, and community efforts and resources to foster a safe and drug-free learning environment that supports student academic achievement.

Rules set forth in the Bryan County Student Handbook and effective implementation of safety plans ensure a safe school environment.

By Student Services Director Billy McGrath

Sign up for our E-Newsletters
Groups hand out scholarships
RH theater scholarship
Richmond Hill High School senior Jacey Shanholtzer shows her Dawn Harrington Berry Spotlight Award, which was awarded by the Richmond Hill Community Theatre and includes a $500 scholarship. With her are Tom Harris, Ashlee Farris, Brett Berry and Kim Diebold. The award was created in memory of Dawn Harrington Berry, a long time RHCT member and president who died in 2016. - photo by Photo provided.

Three reports recently presented scholarships

Richmond Hill High School senior Jacey Shanholtzer received the Dawn Harrington Berry Spotlight Award, which was awarded by the Richmond Hill Community Theatre and includes a $500 scholarship. The award was created in memory of Dawn Harrington Berry, a long time RHCT member and president who died in 2016.

Garden Club

The Richmond Hill Garden Club recently awarded a $1,000 scholarship to Katherine Wood and a $500 scholarship to Carly Vargas, both seniors graduating from Richmond Hill High School.

The awards were presented May 8 during Honors Night at RHHS.

Wood plans to attend Green Mountain College in Vermont and major in environmental studies.

Vargas plans to attend Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville, Tennessee, to pursue a degree in either environmental studies or biology.

The garden club awards a $1,000 scholarship annually to a local high school senior who plans to major in a field related to environmental concerns, plants and/or gardening.

This year, due to having two exceptional candidates, the garden club awarded an additional $500 scholarship.

Exchange Club

The Exchange Club of Richmond Hill recently named Caroline Odom as its student of the year.

The club each month during the school year names a student of the month, and the student of the year is chosen from among those winners.

Awards are based on academic performance, community involvement and leadership.

Monthly winners receive $100, with the annual winner getting a $1,000 scholarship.

The Exchange Club has been recognizing students for more than 30 years.

Odom will go on to compete in the Georgia District Exchange Club against students from across the state.

Latest Obituaries