FAIRHOPE, Ala. — Fairhope High School has been awarded an Alabama Safe Schools Award of Excellence.

FHS is one of 11 schools across the state to receive this award. The only other Baldwin County school to receive one this year is Central Baldwin Middle School in Robertsdale.

The award has been presented for the past nine years by the office of Attorney General.

“Following the nation’s worst incident of violence on school property at Columbine High School in Colorado, The Alabama departments of Education and Public Safety worked with my office to provide the state’s public and private schools with resources that would help them create a team of community resources and expertise that are, in my opinion, crucial to school safety efforts,” King stated in the announcement press release.

This is the first year FHS has submitted a nomination form for the award, said FHS Principal Beverly Thomas. She credited the hard work of Assistant Principal Brian Williamson, Fairhope Police Department juvenile officer Shane Nolte and FPD K-9 officer John Hamrick for the award win.

Williamson oversaw the annual update of the school’s safety plan, she said. He also prepared the award submission.

“Our committee does a good job,” Thomas said, commenting on the school’s Safety Planning Committee, which is comprised of school administrators, counselors teachers, support personnel and students, parents, clergy and representatives from the police, sheriff and fire departments as well as medical and mental health arenas.

The safety plan is a comprehensive, 89-page report that covers every type of emergency one could imagine: bomb threats, vehicle accidents, earthquake, fire, riot, hostage situation, shooting and suicide, to name just a few. Facility security and evacuation are covered from a variety of perspectives, and responsibilities for who should do what are thoroughly outlined.

The state safety award has seven criteria: law enforcement/local emergency officials collaboration; crisis management preparation and training; school resource officer; substance abuse education and random drug testing of students; mentoring initiatives and community participation; law related education; and other safe school innovations.

The submission also required a recommendation letter from a local law enforcement official, which was written by then-Interim Police Chief Terry Sanders. His letter included several examples of the department’s interaction with the school, including a mock shooting exercise, field trips that inform students about general government operations, juvenile rights and the consequences of criminal behavior as well as several opportunities for officers to serve as guest speakers in classes on a variety of topics related to safety.

Thomas was appreciative of the relationship the school had with the police department.

“Shane (Nolte) does an excellent job,” she said. Nolte is on campus every day. She added that the students responded positively to the K-9 dog when Hamrick brought him on campus.

“Our kids do a good job, too,” Thomas said. “They want a safe school and provide a lot of tips knowing that we will not compromise their confidence.”

The attorney general is scheduled to be at FHS at 8:45 a.m, Tuesday, Sept. 29.

Other Alabama schools who are receiving the school safety award this year are: Greenville High, Cedar Ridge Middle, Chestnut Grove Elementary, Blountsville Elementary, Honeysuckle Middle, Brookhaven Middle, Prattville High, Oak Mountain Middle and Hoover High.

“We honor the hard work of these students, staff, parents and administrators of these schools, and recognize their efforts to prepare themselves to deal with an emergency situation,” King stated. “I commend the outstanding efforts of these schools and their communities. They stand as an example and inspiration as we work together to make schools safe for all of Alabama’s students.”