Dr. James Hanna, superintendent of Rossville Consolidated School District and chairperson of the Clinton County School Safety Commission, has been named the 2026 Indiana School Resource Officers Association (INSROA) School Safety Leader of the Year, an honor recognizing exceptional leadership in creating safe, supportive, and inclusive learning environments across Indiana schools.
The annual INSROA award is presented to a non-sworn school safety director, administrator, or manager who demonstrates outstanding commitment to district-wide safety initiatives, emergency preparedness, collaboration, and positive school culture.
Hanna’s selection reflects decades of leadership in education and school safety, both within Rossville Schools and throughout Clinton County. As superintendent, Hanna has emphasized a proactive approach to school safety through enhanced emergency planning, staff training, interagency coordination, and student support systems.
Under Hanna’s leadership, Rossville Consolidated School District has strengthened its school safety infrastructure while maintaining a student-centered culture focused on relationships, prevention, and communication. The district’s mission of fostering student success has guided efforts to create an environment where students feel safe, supported, and connected.
Hanna currently serves as chairperson of the Clinton County School Safety Commission, a collaborative organization involving school corporations, law enforcement agencies, emergency management officials, and first responders throughout the county. The commission has worked to improve unified emergency response planning, active-threat preparedness, threat-assessment procedures, communication systems, and coordinated training among schools and emergency personnel.
Through his leadership, the commission has promoted countywide collaboration between schools and emergency agencies, emphasizing unified command structures, regular safety drills, updated facility mapping, technology integration, and comprehensive emergency preparedness planning. The commission has also focused on mental health supports, multidisciplinary threat assessment teams, and proactive intervention strategies designed to identify concerns before crises occur.
In addition to his work locally, Hanna has shared his expertise at regional, state, and national school conferences and has assisted other school corporations in strengthening their own safety practices. He has been recognized as a leading voice in school safety, helping guide discussions on comprehensive safety planning, school corporation police departments, emergency preparedness, and the importance of building positive school climates.
Colleagues throughout Indiana have recognized Hanna for his collaborative leadership style and unwavering commitment to students. Earlier this year, he was named the Indiana Association of Public School Superintendents (IAPSS) District III Superintendent of the Year, an honor awarded by fellow superintendents for professional achievement and service to education.
With four decades of experience in education as a teacher, principal, and superintendent, Hanna has consistently advocated that school safety extends beyond physical security and must also include strong relationships, mental health awareness, effective communication, and a positive school culture.
The INSROA School Safety Leader of the Year award recognizes those principles and honors leaders who work tirelessly to ensure schools remain places where students and staff can learn, grow, and thrive in a secure environment.
“School safety is not the responsibility of one person or one agency,” Hanna has often stated. “It is built through partnerships, preparation, communication, and a shared commitment to protecting and supporting every student.”
For the Rossville Consolidated School District, the recognition serves as a testament not only to Hanna’s leadership but also to the collective efforts of educators, law enforcement officers, first responders, mental health professionals, parents, and community members who work together each day to keep students safe.