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School districts finish first year with armed staff; Ohio invests in more training

By WHIO Staff
By WHIO Staff

OHIO — The 2023-24 school year is ending, and more than 60 Ohio districts are wrapping up their first year with armed teachers on campus.

The state has invested an additional $78,000 in active shooter scenario training for armed staff. These funds will purchase Mobile Modular Shoot Houses from Kontek Industries to provide realistic training, according to WBNS-10.

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The Ohio School Safety Center wants the houses ready by summer so armed staff can complete the mandatory scenario-based training.

67 school districts in 36 Ohio counties have armed staff on site, 21 of which are in the Miami Valley.

Benjamin Logan Local Schools, in Logan County, has 17 staff members trained as part of the armed response team across its three buildings, according to WBNS-10.

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“We want this to be a deterrent for an active shooter and we feel very confident that we have put everything possible in place to make it as safe as possible for students and staff,” Benjamin Logan Local Schools Superintendent Jon Scheu said.

The identities of the trained staff members are confidential, but they include people in different positions like administrators, teachers, secretaries, and custodians, WBNS-10 reported.

>>RELATED: Benjamin Logan School board approves training plan for arming teachers and staff

Scheu said it could take sheriff’s deputies 10 to 15 minutes to respond to an emergency because the district is in rural Logan County.

“When you are talking 10 to 15 minutes, I mean that sounds like not maybe that great of time that law enforcement would arrive, but these active shooters, it takes a matter of seconds and they have done enough carnage to shock the world and it is all the essence of time,” Scheu said.

Armed staff members are required to complete a 24-hour training course, with an eight-hour yearly refresher.

The following Ohio school districts have armed staff, Miami Valley schools are bold:

  • Adams County Christian School
  • Knox County Career Center Schools
  • Antwerp Local Schools
  • Licking County Christian Academy
  • Barnesville Exempted Village School District
  • Mad River Local School District
  • Bellaire Local Schools
  • Madison Local Schools
  • Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Local School District
  • Manchester Local School District
  • Belmont Harrison JVSD
  • Mansfield Christian School
  • Benjamin Logan Local Schools
  • Maplewood Career Center
  • Bridgeport Exempted Village School District
  • Mars Hill Academy
  • Bright Local School District
  • Martins Ferry City School District
  • Caldwell Exempted Village School District
  • Miami Valley Career Technology Center
  • Calvary Christian School
  • Morgan Local School District
  • Carrollton Exempted Village School District
  • New Lebanon Local School District
  • Clay Local School District
  • Newcomerstown Exempted Village School District
  • Claymont City School District
  • Noble Local School District
  • Clinton-Massie Local Schools
  • Ohio Hi-Point Career Center
  • East Guernsey Local Schools
  • Old Fort Local Schools
  • Eastern Local Schools District
  • Parma City Schools
  • Edgerton Local Schools
  • River Valley Local Schools
  • Edison Local School District
  • Rolling Hills Local School District
  • Fairlawn Local School District
  • Russia Local School
  • Fort Loramie Local Schools
  • Sidney City Schools
  • Gallipolis City School District
  • Southern Ohio Educational Service Center
  • Garaway Local Schools
  • St. Clairsville-Richland City Schools
  • Geneva Academy
  • St. Mary’s City Schools
  • Hardin-Houston School
  • Streetsboro City Schools
  • Highland Local Schools
  • Switzerland of Ohio Local School District
  • Indian Creek Local School District
  • The Greater Dayton School
  • Indian Lake Local Schools
  • Tri-Valley Local School District
  • Jackson Center Schools
  • Trumbull Career and Technical Center
  • Jefferson County Educational Service Center
  • Tuscarawas Valley Local School District
  • Jefferson County Joint Vocational School
  • Upper Scioto Valley Local School District
  • Kenton City Schools
  • Warren Local School District
  • Kirkmont Presbyterian Church/ Preschool
  • Wheelersburg Local School District
  • Williamsburg Local School District

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