Special to the
Opelika Observer
Attorney Gen. Steve Marshall presented Richland Elementary School last week with an Attorney General’s Safe Schools Initiative Award of Excellence for State Board of Education’s District 2. Schools were selected as winners for 2018 from each of the eight state school board districts as well as private schools for each state region.
“In these times, we are all intensely aware of the serious responsibility our schools carry for the safekeeping of our children,” Marshall said. “The Alabama Safe Schools Awards of Excellence is an important tradition of the Attorney General’s Office, to recognize schools throughout our state for dedication and excellence in keeping students safe. With these awards, we honor those who have achieved particularly high standards and set examples that others may follow. We are grateful for their service and commitment to protecting the children of Alabama.”
In presenting the award Marshall said, “The Attorney General’s Office is proud that Richland Elementary School was selected as one of the 10 winning schools in Alabama for 2018. In making this decision, judges cited many things that distinguished Richland Elementary School: strong collaboration with local emergency officials and law enforcement, excellent interaction between school resource officers and students and active participation in safe schools online training.”
“School safety is an area of priority, not only for our school, but our school system as a whole,” said Richland Principal Jeffery J. Johnson. “It has been a goal of our superintendent, Dr. Karen Delano, to increase awareness of our school safety plans to ensure that our students are safe. It is such an honor being recognized as a recipient of the Alabama Safe Schools Initiative Award of Excellence, and I am encouraged that we are making, and will continue to make, the correct choices in keeping our students safe.”
Marshall will present awards for the 2018 Safe Schools Initiative Award of Excellence winners to the 10 winning schools this spring. Other winning schools throughout the state include Orange Beach Elementary School in Baldwin County, Morris P-8 School in Madison County, Nichols-Lawson Middle School in Talladega County, Prattville Junior High School in Autauga County, Eastwood Middle School in Tuscaloosa County, Decatur High School in Morgan County, Hewitt-Trussville Middle School in Jefferson County, Saint James School in Montgomery County and the Lakeside School in Barbour County.