OREGON, Ohio — Following last Friday's shooting outside Whitmer High School's football game versus Central Catholic, school officials across northwest Ohio are stepping up security for their Friday night football games.
Clay High School will be hosting Whitmer High School this Friday. Officials from both schools are working together to make this game as safe and normal of an experience as they can.
Oregon Schools' superintendent Hal Gregory said they already have intense safety protocols in place but like many districts, they are stepping things up tonight.
Here are some new and updated procedures being implemented, beginning this Friday.
1. Fans will NOT be allowed to bring in large backpacks/bags. Small purses and bags are allowable but nothing large.
2. Fans will NOT be allowed to bring in any type of food or beverages, specifically drinking containers. We have had issues lately with alcohol being brought in by our adult fans.
3. No one will be allowed on the sidelines except the team, coaches and those with a sideline pass. We will be monitoring the sidelines closely.
4. All students in grades K-8 must be accompanied by an adult. We have been experiencing a large number of students being dropped off without parents or a supervising adult attending the game. If there is any kind of an emergency, these students do not have a responsible adult chaperone. If we have an issue with a student who does not have a chaperone attending the game, that student may have the consequence of not being allowed to attend future games or events throughout the year.
On top of Clay and many area schools stepping up security, they are also supporting the Whitmer community.
"We are supporting Whitmer High School anti-gun violence with orange accessories to our blackout night that we have had planned for a long time," said superintendent Gregory.
"We are friendly rivals on the field but we want Whitmer and the Washington Local community to know that we are supporting them as well by wearing orange also," added James Jurski, principal of Clay High School.
On top of the additional security measures, about a dozen officers will be on scene at the game.
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