Dear Calhoun Community,
The Calhoun Police Department is investigating two separate incidents involving 13-year-old students at Calhoun Middle School pertaining to threats of violence. One incident involved information posted on social media concerning violent threats. In the second incident, the student made threats directly towards the student body to an administrator.
This is in the early stages of these two separate investigations. The Calhoun Police Department will update as more information becomes available. Note that we are in constant communication with Chief Pyle and School Resource Officers Lieutenant Waycaster and Corporal Crider. We appreciate that students are reaching out directly to their teachers and principals with information that will assist in this investigation and future instances. We encourage anyone to reach out with information about school safety.
Calhoun City Schools, in collaboration with the Calhoun Police Department, is unwavering in its commitment to maintain a safe and secure environment for all students. As part of this effort, each campus has been designated as a Calhoun Police Precinct, increasing the visibility of local law enforcement and providing additional support. For the 2024-2025 school year, we have welcomed three new officers to our school resource program: Corporal Courtney Wilkerson and K-9 officers Sergeant Krackle and Sergeant Ellie. These additions, alongside Lieutenant Waycaster, Sergeant Graham, Corporal Crider, and Captain Housley, provide daily support to ensure the safety of all schools.
These K-9 officers play a dual role in our schools: they offer social and emotional support as compassion animals while also serving in a preventative capacity, detecting and alerting officers to the presence of drugs and weapons. Their presence on school campuses helps deter potential threats and promotes a safe learning environment.
Calhoun City Schools believes that school safety is a shared responsibility. We are grateful for the collaborative efforts of students, parents, teachers, administrators, and community members, all working together to ensure the safety of our schools. To aid in this effort, we continue to make use of Anonymous Alerts, a tool that allows individuals to report bullying, school safety threats, mental health concerns, and other issues privately and quickly. The Centegix CrisisAlert system has been in place for several years and empowers our staff and law enforcement to respond confidently by providing precise alert locations, immediate incident notifications, and full-campus coverage. Each of our employees wears a crisis response badge that can instantly activate a school lockdown or emergency response if ever needed.
In the event of a crisis, Calhoun City Schools is committed to ensuring clear, timely, and effective communication. All official communication during a crisis will come directly from the district to maintain accuracy, consistency, and transparency. We will use multiple mass communication channels to provide updates to parents, staff, and community members, reaffirming our commitment to keeping everyone informed while safeguarding the well-being of our students and staff.
All crisis communications will follow district-approved messaging protocols, and updates will be shared as new information becomes available. We ask for your partnership in helping us maintain a safe environment for all by adhering to district policies, including prohibiting weapons, drugs, vapes, and other prohibited items on school property by state law and school board policy. Together, we will continue to prioritize the safety and security of Calhoun City Schools.
Each school and school system is required to have emergency plans to protect students, staff, and visitors. Calhoun City Schools annually develops safety plans with the Department of School Safety, Gordon County Emergency Management, and the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency. Calhoun City Schools takes a proactive approach to emergency preparedness, ensuring our schools are ready for any situation. This includes regular drills, specialized training, and frequent safety updates. The School Safety Plans cover but are not limited to:
Regular Safety Drills
Lockdown Procedures
Intruder Drills
Fire Evacuation Drill
Severe Weather Drill
Transportation/School Bus Drill
Staff Training Programs
CPR/AED and Stop the Bleed
Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events (CRASE) Training
Bomb Threat Management Training
De-escalation Training
Suspicious Activity Reporting Training
Severe Weather Training
Annual Review and Update of Emergency Plans
Advanced Video Surveillance Systems
Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Resources
We daily monitor and manage visitors to the building and routinely check for locked exterior and interior doors. Additionally, the plans include procedures for complete campus evacuations and parent reunification if necessary. For the safety of students and staff, the exact locations of reunification sites will be shared with parents once students are safely transported.
The primary goal of school safety planning is to protect every student, staff member, parent, and visitor. While your school principal can discuss general safety plans with you, specific details of these plans will not be publicly disclosed for security reasons. Each school reviews and updates its safety plan annually to ensure the highest safety and security standards are maintained. Thank you for your trust and support as we work together to keep our school environment safe and nurturing.
Calhoun City Schools