West Plains, MO. – Matthew Orchard, Director of Human Resources & Student Services at the West Plains School District has earned a School Safety Specialist certification through the Missouri School Boards Association (MSBA) Center for Education Safety (CES) Academy.
Topics at the School Safety Academy included support systems for behaviors, legal aspects of school safety, trauma-informed and mental health resources, intervention and de-escalation, emergency preparedness and plan building, behavioral risk and threat assessments, and cyber security fundamentals.
In this role, Orchard will provide safety and security services to the district, buildings, school grounds, and areas adjacent to the schools to ensure the best possible teaching and learning environment. He will collaborate with the School Resource Officers (SROs) in the district and with outside agencies, including law enforcement and emergency first responders. Orchard will also assist with emergency crisis planning and response and provide safety and security training for all district staff.
Orchard has served as the West Plains School District Director of Human Resources & Student Services since 2022.
