Silent alert help schools support students after trauma

GAHANNA, Ohio — A new partnership between Gahanna Jefferson Public Schools and the Gahanna Division of Police and Fire aims to give teachers a quiet alert when a student may be experiencing the effects of trauma, allowing schools to respond with added compassion and flexibility.

The initiative, known as Handle With Care, is part of a growing effort across Ohio to support children who have been involved in potentially traumatic incidents, such as domestic violence, car accidents, fires or medical emergencies.

Under the program, first responders who encounter a child at the scene of a distressing event can submit a confidential notice to the school district. The message includes only the child’s name and the phrase,“Handle With Care.”

“There are no details about the incident,” said Crystal Jones, a school resource officer with the Gahanna Division of Police. “It’s confidentially just the student’s name and ‘handle with care.’”

Jones, who serves at Jefferson Elementary, said that even a routine medical call involving emergency vehicles can feel overwhelming for a child.

Once the alert is received, a designated team in the district — including principals, counselors and administrators — notifies teachers and other staff who work directly with the student.

Teachers are not given details about what happened, but the notification is designed to help them adjust expectations and approach the day with added care.

“If a student comes in without a book bag, and we know that we’ve gotten a Handle With Care notice, we’re not necessarily going to question, ‘Why did you forget your book bag?’” said Scott Schmidt, principal of Jefferson Elementary. “Instead, we make sure that student has what they need for the day.”

Schmidt said the system helps prevent classroom disruptions and allows staff to proactively support students who may be struggling emotionally.

“We’re here to care for the students and kind of avoid that unintended escalation,” he said.

Assistant Superintendent for Gahanna Jefferson Public Schools, Jill Elliott, said the broader goal is to offer ongoing support for children who may be navigating difficult home situations or adverse childhood experiences.

“We want to make sure that we are responding in an appropriate way to our students that are experiencing adverse childhood experiences,” she said.

The Handle With Care initiative is supported by the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services and is currently in use in dozens of school districts across the state.

Gahanna Jefferson Public Schools is among the latest to implement the program.

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