Charlotte County Schools introduces ‘Guardians’ to your child’s campus

Charlotte County has introduced armed security to help keep your students and children safe.

This year is the first year Charlotte County Schools had the guardian program in place.

On Tuesday night, the school district recognized the 23 ‘guardians’ that help protect the districts schools.

Prior to the school board meeting, WINK News spoke exclusively with the the Coordinator of Security and Emergency Management, Joe King, and Mike, a ‘guardian’ with the program. This was a questions-and-answers portion, which allowed WINK News reporter Haley Zarcone to ask questions that the community wants answered.

One of those questions is, how is the school district working to ensure that what happened last week in Georgia does not happen here?

The Guardianship Program for Charlotte County schools allows the school district to hire armed security guards for public schools.

It was a program put into action after the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida, which killed 17 students and faculty.

These school guardians are either school employees who work to protect students in addition to their assigned duties or people hired specifically for the program.

“First week of school, the kids were incredible. You had kids fist bumping, you know, the guardians and saying, thank you. You had moms hugging us. You had dad shaking our hands saying, ‘thank you for your service’,” said Mike, a Charlotte County School District guardian.

When Mike goes to your child’s school he has one thing on his mind, safety and security.

He’s one of 23 ‘guardians’ a part of the guardian program adopted by the Charlotte County school district in June of 2023.

“From every age group right up from kindergarten to high school, they they have a clear understanding of what our responsibility is,” said Mike.

“The guardians go through 144 hour training course, obviously put on by the sheriff’s office,” said Joe King, Coordinator of Security and Emergency Management. “Within that, they have a block of legal they have they have de escalation methods. They have gun retention.”

Not required, but many have background in law enforcement or the military.

Before he was in schools, Mike worked in law enforcement in Connecticut. He was there when the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting claimed the lives of students and staff.

“What happened back in 2014 and what our how our agency handled the situation, how the community reacted, how the entire school family rose up and took care of one another,” said Mike.

It takes training, and hard work, but more importantly a love for the safety of your kids

“We have to do everything we possibly can to protect these kids,” said King.

During the school board meeting at 5:30, each guardian was presented with a badge and recognized by the school district.

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