School Police
The mission of the Ozark School Police is to ensure that students and staff have a safe and secure learning environment in which to learn and teach, enabling each student to achieve his or her maximum potential and future success.
Meet Our Officers
Sgt. John Wilkerson
- 23-year veteran of law enforcement
- Retired from the United States Army, Military Police
- Served 3 years as a Patrol Deputy with the Christian County Sheriff's Office
- Served as an SRO since 2018
Assignment: Director of School Police and Sergeant with the Christian County Sheriff's Office
Jimmy Andela
- 30-year veteran of law enforcement
- Served in the areas of patrol, narcotics, criminal investigations and community services
- Retired from Springfield, Mo. Police Department
Assignment: Christian County Deputy Sheriff and SRO assigned to Ozark elementary schools
Email: jimmyandela@ozarktigers.org
Darren Combs
- 26-year veteran of law enforcement
- Former Christian County Patrol Deputy and DARE instructor
- Served as an SRO since 2003
Assignment: Christian County Deputy Sheriff and SRO assigned to Ozark Junior High
Email: darrencombs@ozarktigers.org
Amanda Fry-Ryan
- 20-year veteran of law enforcement
- Former Capitol Police Officer in Illinois
- Served as an SRO since 2007
Assignment: Christian County Deputy Sheriff and SRO assigned to Ozark High School
Email: amandaryan@ozarktigers.org
Dan Novakovich
- 12-year veteran of law enforcement worked in areas of patrol, gang unit and DEA Task Force
- Served as an SRO since 2023
Assignment: Christian County Deputy Sheriff and SRO assigned to the Ozark Innovation Center
Taylor Wheeler
- 8-year veteran of law enforcement
- Served in areas of patrol and criminal investigations
- Former Ozark Police Officer
- Served as an SRO since 2023
Assignment: Christian County Deputy Sheriff and SRO assigned to Ozark Middle School
Lockdown Information
Our top priority at Ozark School District is to keep our students and staff safe. Though we hope it never happens, in the event of lockdown or other emergencies, we have thorough plans in place to keep all students and staff safe. Please familiarize yourself with these plans and procedures.
Lockdown Procedures
Code Yellow
Code Red
Code Red = No one is allowed to enter or leave the building. Students & staff remain in the classroom.
STUDENTS
- Move away from sight
- Maintain silence
- Do not open the door
ADULTS
- Recover students from hallway if possible
- Lock the classroom door
- Turn out the lights Move away from sight
- Maintain silence
- Do not open the door
- Cover windows
Evacuate
Shelter
Active Shooter
Lockdown Updates
What Parents Need to Know
BEFORE a School Emergency
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Ensure emergency contact info is accurate and current.
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Become familiar with school/district web and social media sites where emergency info is posted, and other communication channels (e.g. mass notification, SMS text, etc.)
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Talk with your child about the importance of following school procedures in the event of an emergency.
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Emphasize that cell phones should not be used during an emergency unless directed to do so by a teacher/adult.
DURING a School Emergency
- Trust that school is FIRST doing what is needed to protect students; communication will follow.
- Remain calm; monitor information sources
- Natural instinct to want to rush to child’s school. DON’T. Phone lines, staff and roads are needed for emergency response. Parents will not be allowed on campus.
- Do not phone or text child. Sound, vibration or conversation could put students in danger. Students need to be paying attention to instructions from trained staff.
AFTER a School Emergency
- Parents and guardians will be directed to child’s specific location for parent reunification.
- Parent Reunification Plan: Students will ONLY be released to parents/guardians, or other pre-designated persons identified on emergency contacts. Reunification process is time consuming. Please be patient.
- Listen to and acknowledge child’s concerns. Provide reassurance child is safe and additional prevention efforts are being put in place.
- Seek help from school or mental health professionals if concerns persist.
School Safety Overview
School Safety
School safety is an important topic and is our top priority at Ozark School District. We have very strict procedures and policies in place to ensure all of our students and staff members are safe and secure while at school.
Here is a checklist of measures in place to keep students and staff safe:
- The District employs six school police officers
- The District has a school tip line for school-related situations
- Every school has a secure entry and visitor check-in procedure that includes identification badges for guests
- Increased awareness of maintaining secured entrances through the Stop the Prop initiative
- All schools have comprehensive emergency management plans
- Each school participates in quarterly emergency drills for intruders, tornadoes and fire
- School and community police officers regularly visit the school
- Increased training on mental health and behavioral risk assessment
Run Hide Fight
Ozark School District trains students and staff in the Run Hide Fight concept for intruder drills.
What is Run Hide Fight?
Run Hide Fight is a safety protocol recognized by law enforcement and the Department of Homeland Security. The Ozark School District chose to implement the Run Hide Fight method because it shows students and staff they have options in threatening situations. The District believes that knowing your options — run, hide or fight — increases your chance of survival.
What is Ozark School District currently doing to implement Run Hide Fight?
- All schools, grades PK-12, have quarterly intruder drills where faculty and students discuss what they should do in the event of a crisis and incorporate the Run Hide Fight concept.
- District administrators and staff participate in a multi-agency active shooter simulations.
Resources
Run Hide Fight Video
Run Hide Fight is a safety protocol recognized by law enforcement and the Department of Homeland Security. The Ozark School District chose to implement the Run Hide Fight method because it shows students and staff they have options in threatening situations. The District believes that knowing your options — run, hide or fight — increases your chance of survival.
Shown to students at Middle School, Junior High and High School levels, and to all District staff, the video is designed to teach and empower students and staff to know how to react should they ever find themselves in a threatening situation — whether that be at school, at a restaurant or at the grocery store.
This video is also designed as a tool for parents and the community as a whole. Parents may want to watch this video and discuss it with their children. And while the video is made for older students and adults, some parents may consider showing this video to their elementary-age children.
Talking with Elementary Students
Parents of Elementary Students
Your child will not watch the Run Hide Fight video at school. However, depending on the age and maturity level of your child, you may want to show this video to your student at home and engage them in conversation.
- Carefully consider what the benefits would be to showing your child the video. While some elementary children would benefit from watching the video, it could be harmful to others.
- Most children love school and see it as a safe, happy place. Let’s protect them from emotions they might not yet understand.
- Early elementary school children need brief, simple information. Give examples of school safety like reminding children about exterior doors being locked and emergency drills.
- Upper elementary and early middle school children will be more vocal in asking questions about whether they truly are safe and what is being done at their school. They may need assistance separating reality from fantasy.
- If you decide to show this video to your elementary-age child, here are some things to consider:
- Dinnertime can be a good time to discuss this topic with children. It does not create anxiety before school and it gives the child plenty of time to ask questions and process the information before bedtime.
- Reassure children they are safe. Emphasize that schools are very safe. Let children talk about their feelings, help put them into perspective, and assist them in expressing these feelings appropriately.
- What the child should understand is that if they feel they are in danger, they have permission to get away. If they see a bad person with a gun or someone hurting others, it’s time to run to safety.
- The Fight option in Run Hide Fight is for adults. Telling a child to fight in this situation is not recommended.
- Children should know that being afraid is a completely normal response to an emergency. They should also understand that even though they might be afraid, they can still take measures to protect themselves.
- When we are frightened, not wanting to move is a normal response. Taking deep breaths is a very effective way to help control anxiety during a scary situation.
- Questions to consider asking your child after watching the video:
- How does this video make you feel?
- How do you think you would react if you were in a threatening situation?
- What can I do (as a parent) or the school do to make you feel more confident?
- If you are concerned about what to do or how to react, who could you talk to?
Talking with Older Students
Parents of Middle School, Junior High and High School Students
Your student has or will watch the Run Hide Fight video at school. Middle school and high school students will have strong and varying opinions about the causes of violence in schools and society. They will share concrete suggestions about how to make school safer and how to prevent tragedies in society. If you want to follow up with your student, here are some talking points to consider:
- How did you feel when you watched the video?
- How do you think you would react if you were in a threatening situation?
- What can I do (as a parent) or the school do to make you feel more confident?
- If you are concerned about what to do or how to react, who could you talk to?
- Not every question has to be answered. It often depends on the age of your students and their maturity level. You know your child best.
- Emphasize the role students have in maintaining safe schools:
- Not providing building access to strangers, reporting strangers on campus
- Reporting any information relating to a school threat
- Communicating any personal safety concerns to school administrators
- Accessing support for emotional needs
- This could also be an opportunity to discuss proper protocol to report threats (i.e. reporting to parents, tip line, faculty/staff and even law enforcement). Examples include: direct/indirect threats; potential bullying or harassment; sexually explicit information; the impact of sharing information through social media.
- Talk to your child about your neighborhood and the area around the places they often visit (school, shopping malls, restaurants, movie theater). Identify safe places, such as a church or fire station, they could run to if they had to run away from an emergency situation.
More Information
Parent Resources
Raising children can be hard, especially in the digital age with social media. Here are some tips and resources to help you out:
Social Media Privacy & Safety Tips
Reporting Issues on Social Media