By SUSAN RUMBLE

Special to The Press

When Parkland Assistant Superintendent Dr. Rod Troutman presented a midyear goals review to the board at a recent meeting, safety and security concerns were at the top of the list.

He said the district offers professional development opportunities to staff for the active assailant protocol which includes the directives to run, hide and fight.

District representatives meet regularly with local entities and committees at the township and county levels to discuss emergency preparedness and management.

Troutman reported Parkland is working to implement Act 18 of 2019 for the 2021-22 school term.

Act 18 is a requirement for additional professional development in a classroom-based approach to identify signs and symptoms of trauma in students.

Teachers undergo training to recognize trauma, resist the recurrence, and promote resiliency.

Director of Communications Nicole McGalla said the goals of Act 18 are to maximize physical and psychological safety, facilitate recovery of the child and family, and support their ability to thrive.

Troutman said school counselors are receiving training on programs related to anxiety and depression as a result of COVID-19 and other events.

He said the school services staff has been working closely with the director of health and wellness, Sheri Deeb, to make certain district buildings are cleaned and disinfected.

“The virus is not being spread within the school buildings, which reflects the success of the health and safety plan, and the efforts of the school services staff,” Troutman said.

He noted staffing has been challenging this year due to COVID-19 related absences.

Troutman said the human resources department is striving to respond to overall staffing needs, and particularly, to the recruitment of more substitutes for the district.

“This is a daily challenge,” he said. “On a positive note, the district has added over 35 subs during the pandemic. The volume of subs needed due to staff quarantines, etc., makes this a very challenging year for our schools.”

In another matter, the assistant superintendent said the district is expanding the use of social media to recruit more staff from minorities.

He said the administration is working on creative strategies to attract candidates from diverse backgrounds.

Troutman said Parkland aims to evaluate and enhance the process for recruiting, hiring, and retaining high quality staff within the district.