Rossville Consolidated School District Superintendent Dr. Jim Hanna and School Board President Joe Hufford have been selected to present at the COSSBA National Conference, hosted by the Consortium of State School Boards Associations (COSSBA). The national conference brings together school board members, superintendents, and education leaders from across the United States to discuss the evolving challenges and opportunities facing public education.
Dr. Hanna and Mr. Hufford will present a session titled “Prepared People, Not Just Prepared Plans: How School Boards and District Leaders Drive School Wellness, Safety, and Preparedness.” Their presentation highlights the collaborative leadership between school boards and district administrators in building comprehensive school safety systems that prioritize preparedness, training, and coordinated response.
Rossville Consolidated School District, a rural district serving approximately 950 students in grades PK–12 across a 75-square-mile area, has developed a proactive approach to school safety, in part because emergency responders may require 12 to 15 minutes to arrive on campus. As a result, the district has implemented layered safety strategies that emphasize preparation, internal response capabilities, and strong partnerships with local emergency agencies.
The presentation outlines Rossville’s comprehensive emergency management framework, including mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery
strategies. Key elements include annually reviewed emergency response plans, behavioral threat assessment protocols, implementation of the Standard Response Protocol for staff and students, extensive safety technology, and coordinated emergency response teams. The district has also invested in advanced communication systems, campus safety infrastructure, automated external defibrillators, bleeding-control stations, and training programs to ensure staff are prepared to respond during the critical first minutes of an emergency.
Dr. Hanna brings more than four decades of service to public education and is currently in his twenty-sixth year as superintendent of Rossville Consolidated School District. Throughout his career, he has served in numerous leadership roles, including assistant superintendent, principal, teacher, and transportation director. Dr. Hanna has authored multiple journal publications and delivered more than fifty presentations nationally on topics including school safety, crisis response, transportation, artificial intelligence in school operations, and educational leadership.
Mr. Hufford has served as President of the Rossville School Board for more than ten years and has played a key role in guiding the district through significant accomplishments, including the completion of a $20 million construction project without raising taxes for residents. Under the board’s leadership, the district has maintained strong academic outcomes, including a 99 percent graduation rate and an increase in enrollment from families outside the district who choose Rossville Schools.
Their selection to present at the national conference highlights the innovative work occurring in Rossville and underscores the importance of collaboration between school boards and district leaders in ensuring safe, prepared, and supportive learning environments for students.
For more information about Rossville Consolidated School District, visit www.rcsd.k12.in.us.