News Release
Public Safety
Matt Blunt, Governor
Mark James, Director


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


For more information, please contact:
Terri Durdaller
Communication Director
Work:(573) 751-4819
Cell: (573) 301-2023

   

Director James Encourages Missourians to View Archived School Violence Program

JEFFERSON CITY, October 23, 2006—Director of Public Safety, Mark James and Homeland Security Coordinator, Paul Fennewald participated in a live broadcast on school violence last week.

Director James is hopeful Missourians will view the achieved program, free of charge on the Education Solutions Global Network.

“I encourage anyone who missed the broadcast to take the opportunity to watch and learn from this educational program that brought a mosaic of ideas to ensure educators, law enforcement and first responders are all collectively planning for emergency school situations,” James said.

Fennewald added one of the most important lessons is to make emergency plans simple and practical so when an adverse situation arises, everyone is not scrambling for a three-inch binder for answers. The plan should be easy enough to memorize.

The program was produced by the Missouri School Boards' Association in cooperation with the Missouri Department of Public Safety and Office of Homeland Security, Enhancing School Safety: A Dialog on Targeted School Violence includes segments of a conversation between Dr. Jim Simpson, Superintendent, Joplin Public Schools and Dr. Carter D. Ward, Executive Director, Missouri School Boards' Association (MSBA) that was recorded after a school shooting in Joplin on October 9. Gov. Matt Blunt provides introductory comments to the program. Other individuals appearing in the program include:

• Mark S. James, Director, Missouri Department of Public Safety;
• Paul H. Fennewald, Coordinator, Missouri Office of Homeland Security;
• Greg White, Cole County Sheriff and former School Resource Officer;
• Melissa K. Randol, General Counsel, MSBA;
• Dottie Mullikin, Director of Prevention, Missouri Department of Mental Health;
• Michael J. Wieland, Assistant Superintendent, Ritenour School District;
• Dr. Glenn Berry, Director, Missouri Center for Safe Schools; and
• Brent Ghan, Chief Communications Officer, MSBA.

There is no charge to Missouri residents for viewing the program until Nov. 1, 2006. Following that date, there will be a fee charge of $8.95 for the broadcast. Technical questions about viewing the broadcast should be referred to ESGN (Voice: 573-445-9945; Internet: esgn@esgn.tv <mailto:esgn@esgn.tv>).

For reading materials on school violence, Missourians can visit our website at www.dps.mo.gov


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