Cynthia Forsythe: coordinating school safety
Long-time Franklin County Schools staff member Cynthia Forsythe has been chosen to serve on a statewide level to promote school safety. She will be one of five system safety coordinators, or a SAFE Council regional administrator.
In March Gov. Kay Ivey launched a 10-point plan regarding school safety and security in Alabama.
“One of the recommendations of The Securing Alabama’s Facilities of Education Council was to create School Safety Training and Compliance Teams headed by a regional
safety administrator,” explained Dr. Marilyn Lewis, director of prevention and support services for the Alabama State Department of Education.
Forsythe has been part of a safety task force for the past three years, where she said she has learned a lot about school safety and security and has brought that knowledge back to Franklin County. According to Superintendent Greg Hamilton, her hard work is what led her to this point.
“Cynthia’s dedication and passion for school safety led her to this. She has been diligent for a long time, and we’ve been very fortunate,” he said.
From school resource officers to keyless entry locks and employee badges, FCS has made several security improvements thanks to Forsythe’s efforts. With her new position as SAFE Council regional administrator, she will not only be working with Franklin County but also with eight other counties. She will have 17 school districts and more than 120 schools under her care.
“It’s exciting to be a part of this. We’re really building it from the ground up,” Forsythe said.
Part of what she will be doing is providing training for threat assessments, technology information, law enforcement collaboration and mental health awareness.
“It’s important for agencies to be working together to help provide better safety for our students,” she said.
Safety is a No. 1 priority for Forsythe, who said that she is proud of how involved Franklin County teachers and staff have become in regards to school safety and how important it has become in the school system.
