Nodaway Valley approves SRO plan

While only their part of the agreement is complete, Nodaway Valley approved a contract with the City of Greenfield for a School Resource Officer during their Wednesday, June 12 regular meeting in Fontanelle.

The school board looked at the possibility during May’s meeting, knowing a contract may soon be coming to them to vote on.

“You look in the contract, and the resource officer is not there for discipline reasons. You have to be certified [as a school administrator] for that. They’re there for supports and resources,” Superintendent Paul Croghan said. “They can help with truancy and doing home visits.”

The contract states the school will pay the city $25.94 per hour (plus FICA and IPERS) for the first 40 hours the school resource officer works each week. By design, Nodaway Valley’s goal is for the officer to not have set hours, but to be a regular presence in all three school buildings. The annual bill is not to exceed $50,000.

The board reviewed pieces of data, including attendance rates and office referrals that showed a portion of the need for a school resource officer.

Croghan said in May that an individual in a school resource officer position would focus on building positive relationships with students in all buildings with the desired outcome that students make good, positive choices. The officer would act as a resource for students and staff. There would be an education aspect to the position as well, where the officer would educate students and staff on safety-related topics.

Croghan recommended re-evaluating a school resource officer contract two years into the agreement.

The Greenfield Police Department has a goal of filling out a staff of four police officers, the superintendent said in May. The right officer has to be in place for the school resource officer idea to work smoothly.

Nodaway Valley has requested the services of a licensed social worker from Green Hills AEA. The AEA indicated they had a prospective fulfillment of that position, however it has not yet worked out.