The Coweta

County School System received a pat on the back Tuesday night from the

Georgia Emergency Management Agency director.

Gary McConnell

said the county is one of the few in the state that has an approved school

safety plan.

Board member

Smith Pass helped spearhead the efforts of getting a safety plan at all

the schools. Pass helped start the school board's Safety Committee in

1995.

"The Coweta

County School System did not achieve this goal alone," said Pass.

"Establishing a comprehensive school safety plan to protect Coweta

County students was a collaborative community effort that utilized the

insight and expertise from school personnel, emergency management, public

safety and other first responders."

Legislation

signed by Gov. Roy Barnes in 1999 directs GEMA to provide training and

technical assistance on the issues of school safety to the education,

emergency management and public safety communities of Georgia. The law

requires every public school in Georgia to develop and implement a wide-ranging

safety plan.

In addition

to receiving accolades from the state, the school board also honored the

school resource officers who help patrol the schools.

Superintendent

of Education Richard Brooks thanked the officers and said the school system

is a lot safer thanks to their efforts.

Pass added

that the children in the schools bond with the officers and have role

models to emulate.