What Reynoldsburg schools are doing to become safer
REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio (WCMH) — The Reynoldsburg City Schools' safety and security team said it has made some major strides.
In the past, its primary function was physical safety, but over the last few years, members have taken a more holistic approach with their students.
The safety and security team is comprised of 13 members who work closely with the district's social workers.
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Director of Safety and Security Jim Ramsey said safety is not just checking doors – it's taking care of the mental health and well-being of the students.
Ramsey created a student safety committee where he and committee members meet to discuss safety and other important topics. Because of this, he said the school culture is changing for the better.
'When I first got here, the students, you'd walk into a building, and they always seemed like they were on edge, just not knowing what was going to happen from day to day,' Ramsey said. 'You can walk into the buildings now and students are happy to be here. Just that kind of change is what we were looking for.'
Senior Chevon Brown said she didn't care about school when she entered high school; that changed when members of Reynoldsburg's Safety and Security team proved they cared.
'No matter what they have going on in their own life or what's going on around the school building, if one of us needs them, they're always there for us,' Brown said.
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According to Robert Ervin, Reynoldsburg's safety specialist, they're not there to police kids. He said they're there to support them and make sure they're safe, both physically and mentally.
'I'm a father, so when you step in the building, I treat all the kids like they're my own,' Ervin said. 'I just have a special part in my heart for that and just the empathy and the solid advice we try to give them to make them better people, to make the world a better place.'
According to the district, over the last two years, fighting and weapon incidents have decreased by 74% because students have decided they want a safer school environment.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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