A female and a male student hold their hands up in the airFour students smile as they sit at their desksStudents dressed in hospital attire pose togetherA smiling female student dresses as an astronaut and a male student in a wheelchair uses a fire hose with a firefighterBlackford County Schools Fun with Bubbles

Proud Home of the Bruins

Welcome to the Blackford County Schools website. We serve K–12 students of the rural farming communities of Hartford City, Montpelier, Dunkirk, and Shamrock Lakes. Please explore our website, and learn more about our proud tradition of educational excellence as we make a difference and change the world, one student at a time.

A Message from Our Superintendent

Blackford County Schools Community,

Blackford County Schools continued the process of improving student safety with a number of security measures approved by the school board during its meeting on January 29, 2019.

The board approved the second reading of Policy 5611: The Use of Metal Detectors. This policy allows for the use of metal detectors in events of reasonable suspicion, as well as in random searches to serve as a deterrent to bringing weapons on school property. The board developed the policy utilizing language provided by the Indiana School Board Association, and they refined the policy by working with local law enforcement.

Following the policy approval, the board agreed to the purchase of two portable walk-through metal-detection systems. These systems, already in use by Jay County Schools and Mississinewa Schools, provide a simple way to increase the number of students screened in a random search. They stressed during the meeting that the searches will always be in the presence of local law-enforcement officers.

Finally, the board approved the installation of 3M security film on the entrances of Blackford High School. This film creates an additional layer of security that holds glass in place, making it more difficult to penetrate if the glass gets punctured.

These measures are part of a continual process of evaluation and improvement of BCS in the area of student safety. Below is a list of other safety measures and updates reviewed and/or implemented over the past year:

  1. In the summer of 2018, all administrators in the district received training in threat protocols by the Sandy Hook Foundation. They used this information to update school safety plans and procedures within the building.
  2. We made significant upgrades this summer to the school security cameras, software, and hardware.
  3. We installed playground fencing at Northside Elementary.
  4. We made door-buzzer upgrades and placed cameras at Montpelier Elementary.
  5. We removed shrubbery and trees that obstructed views at Northside.
  6. We granted access to district cameras at Blackford County Dispatch for emergency situations.
  7. After the events of October 30, 2018, we conducted meetings to debrief and refine school safety plans with responding officers. Additionally, the district administrative team met to apply lessons learned to all buildings.
  8. We applied perforated, vinyl film to the main entrances at BHS, which obscures outside visibility while promoting school pride.
  9. We participated in a state program for metal detector wands, and are having continued discussions on increased use in random screenings.
  10. Three administrators completed the School Safety Specialist Academy.
  11. The district received a $50,000 annual matching grant from the Department of Homeland Security to offset the salary of our SRO and to maintain/upgrade cameras, buzzers, and other security equipment.
  12. The IDOE audited all BCS building safety plans, with all plans receiving a positive review.

If you have any questions about these measures or school safety in general, please contact me at the central office via email or by calling (765) 348.7550. You may also contact BHS Principal Scott Shimer at via email or by calling (765) 348.7560.

Sincerely,

Chad Yencer

Chad Yencer
Superintendent of Schools