As Bellefontaine City Schools prepares to usher in the 2020-21 school year next week, a new DARE officer and school resource officer also will be ready to greet students as they get settled in at Bellefontaine Intermediate School and Bellefontaine Elementary School.
Bellefontaine Police Department Officer Isaac Chiles has moved into this new role, and he said he is excited for the new opportunities that it will offer to get connected with the students and staff. He will be assigned to those schools full-time for each day that they’re in session this year.
“While my primary role is working with fifth-graders in the DARE program at the intermediate school, I’ll have the chance to be at both the schools, and I’m looking forward to working with the kids and developing relationships with them,” he said Wednesday.
“Having those daily interactions and getting to know the kids is so crucial to the success of the program, and gives us the chance to help provide guidance and friendship.”
The seven-year veteran of the police department is stepping into this position following former DARE officer and school resource officer Andy Kennedy’s promotion to sergeant earlier this year.
Officer Chiles completed an internal interview process first, and then was introduced to Bellefontaine City Schools administration that included Superintendent Brad Hall, Roger Ely, director of administrative services and transportation, and BIS Principal, Krista Adelsberger, Bellefontaine Police Chief Brandon Standley said.
He’s been actively engaged in recent school district activities by attending meetings, getting to know school faculty, and getting trained on a variety of topics.
Previously serving as a field training officer for the police department, the new DARE officer recently completed school resource officer training and will participate in DARE officer training in Columbus during late September.
A 2005 Waynesfield-Goshen High School graduate who served an Iraq tour of duty with the U.S. Army after high school, Officer Chiles said he grew up with the DARE program at his school on a smaller scale, completing the program in fifth-grade.
“I think it’s great how we’ve been able to grow the program here locally to include not only opportunities for fifth-graders, but also different curriculums for grades kindergarten through fifth-grade and seventh-grade as well,” he said. “There is a lot involved, including the summer camp that we offer.
“While there is a strong focus on drug and alcohol abuse prevention, DARE also teaches kids important life skills and how to make good decisions.”
Officer Chiles joins fellow Bellefontaine Police Department school resource officers Doug Walters at Bellefontaine High School and Allen Huffman at Bellefontaine Middle School.