Board confirms annual school threat assessment team as required by law

The Chatham School District board approved its annual school threat assessment team roster, a required step the superintendent said is mandated by law.

Superintendent Dr. Lehman described the team's responsibilities: implementing and reviewing threat-assessment protocols, emergency response plans, and ensuring mental-health representation. The roster includes Randy Allen, director of safety and security; Allison Brennan, counselor at GMS; Kayla Hassell, psychologist; Marnie Countryman, social worker; Vern Foley, chief of the Chatham Police Department; and the superintendent.

Dr. Lehman said the team has been “instrumental in grading our 27 event crisis plan and outlining those details,” and noted the statutory requirement that the team include certain positions. A board member suggested considering adding the local fire chief as a named participant; Dr. Lehman replied that the listed positions are the ones required by law but the district can include other local partners in practice.

A motion to approve the team roster passed on a voice vote with all members voting yes. The approval was presented as a legal compliance item to allow the district to continue safety planning and crisis-response work with specified mental-health and law-enforcement representation.