COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

P.O. BOX 2120

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120

SUPTS. MEMO NO. 94

May 7, 2004

INFORMATIONAL

TO:	Division Superintendents
FROM:	Jo Lynne DeMary Superintendent of Public Instruction
SUBJECT:	School Security Officer Training

In the 2002 session of the General Assembly, legislation was passed requiring all School Security Officers (SSOs) employed in Virginia schools to successfully complete entry-level and in-service training to be certified.

The Virginia Center for School Safety (VCSS) in the Department of Criminal Justice Services worked in conjunction with the Virginia Crime Commission and the Virginia Department of Education to develop the School Security Officer Certification Training Program. This program will be administered by the VCSS utilizing a cadre of instructors from school security departments throughout Virginia.

We are seeking your assistance to provide qualified instructors for the training. The Virginia Center for School Safety will coordinate a Train the Trainer Workshop May 24-27, 2004,in the Richmond area. School divisions wishing to have certified trainers are asked to assign potential candidates to the training by registering online at www.vaschoolsafety.com.

A list of instructor qualifications is attached. The initial instructor training will be limited to 25 candidates. Successful trainers will coordinate on-site certification training as needed by their respective school divisions. Additional Train the Trainer sessions will be scheduled as needed.

Large school divisions with a number of SSOs employed are strongly encouraged to have a certified trainer on their staffs in order to facilitate training sessions. DCJS will assist with these regional sessions, whenever possible. School divisions that do not wish their personnel to be trained as instructors will be required to send their SSOs to regional SSO Certification Workshops.

The 32-hour workshops will be scheduled at the discretion of the VCSS as needed, and as availability of instructional personnel permits. There will be no cost to attend either the instructor or the officer certification training. All materials will be supplied by the VCSS.

If you have any questions concerning either training program please contact Steve Clark at 434) 947-2938 or Donna Bowman at (804) 371-6506 at the VCSS. Additionally, you may contact Arlene Cundiff at (804) 225-2871 at the VDOE.

JLD/ADC/klr

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/administrators/superintendents_memos/2004/inf094a.pdf