The Fort Osage School district prepares staff and students for a variety of emergencies. Preparations are an intentional act by multiple groups.

People involved in those preparations are district officials, law enforcement (federal, county and local), administration, and teachers. Assistant Superintendent Dr. Steven Morgan leads these conversations at the district level.

“I speak multiple times a week with either the school resource officer, our safety first committee, the sheriff’s department…” Morgan said. “I meet quarterly, which is about every other month, with the safety first team in each building.” 

These meetings happen quarterly with the safety first team. These help with preparing for procedures, for emergencies like intruders or fires. 

“Each building has a team of teachers, administrators and support staff that make up the safety first team for their building.” Morgan said.

OTMS has a Safety First team. Principal Robbie Shepherd leads this team of staff.

“We meet and talk about all the potential dangers to help us be more prepared,” Robbie Shepherd said. 

When thinking about these potential dangers, it is important for students to know these procedures that are practiced during drills for the real world incidents that might occur. Eighth grader Gabriella Castillo has been involved in these drills.

“I believe the emergency drills we do now will help me throughout being independent or on my own,” Castillo said. 

While students are not part of these discussions, they are the focus when thinking about potential dangers at OTMS (active shooters, tornadoes, fire, etc.) it is.

“Safety is the first priority. It comes before educating your kids; it’s the number one thing on our minds that kids are safe. They can’t learn if they don’t feel safe …, so we go through extreme measures to make sure that’s the case, not just training wise,” Morgan said.