Even in this heat, summer school at Lake Highlands High School goes on. And wherever there are students, you’ll also find the support personnel keeping things safe and orderly – school resource officers.
LHHS’ officers are outstanding, and their work is appreciated by students and teachers alike. “They respond quickly and they handle every situation imaginable,” said Missie Hendon, who works in the LHHS library and had three children graduate from the school. “We know we can count on them, and that allows teachers and staff to go on about their business educating students.”
Brothers Dave and Matt Clark patrol the hallways of LHHS, along with Chris Gibson and Casey Shelton. Having the same officers assigned to campuses year after year is helpful in developing a strong rapport and sense of trust. The officers say many of the issues they handle arise from tips given to them directly by students. Aside from the standard cases of fighting, theft, and general misbehavior, the officers are trained to deal with drug possession, family violence, child abuse, sexual assault, and bullying.
Sometimes, I hear young moms say they aren’t sure if LH schools are safe because they see police squad cars and uniformed officers at the school. After sending four kids through the system, I know the reverse is true. The kids and teachers are safe BECAUSE we have well trained officers with a strong presence in those hallways.
