Alleghany Highlands Public Schools amps up safety, security with first-ever supervisor

LOW MOOR, Va. (WDBJ) - Alleghany Highlands Public Schools is amping up safety efforts with its first-ever supervisor of safety and security.

The supervisor of safety and security is a newly-created position by AHPS after receiving additional state funding. While the district already has school resource officers and drill protocols in place, Superintendent Kim Halterman said this new supervisor will help improve safety practices.

“This position is likely to add to our capacity to do tabletop exercises, reflections after any kind of incident. We want to check on physical safety first. This is a key component of this role and that is a lot of different things from locking doors to making sure our building is locked properly to protect our staff and students,” said Halterman.

The school board approved a job description for the position in December 2023. Once the Virginia General Assembly finalized a state budget over the summer, the school division resumed its plans to fill the position. After reviewing several candidates, AHPS determined Chris Fisher fit best with the high priority the districts places on school safety and security.

“Unfortunately, safety and security of schools has become a more and more important topic. It takes a lot of time and effort. Having someone who is entirely devoted to that is a comfort for our schools, parents and community,” said AHPS Director of Human Resources and Pupil Personnel Fred Vaughan.

“I am excited to start a new career as the supervisor of safety and security for the Alleghany Highlands Public Schools Division. I am grateful to have worked over the last 20-plus years, along with my colleagues both in law enforcement and the school division,” said Fisher.

Fisher has been involved in local law enforcement since 2002. He is a graduate of Dabney S. Lancaster Community College (now Mountain Gateway Community College). Fisher also graduated from Old Dominion University and the Central Shenandoah Criminal Justice Training Academy.

Since 2006, Fisher has worked as a deputy sheriff for the Alleghany County Sheriff’s Office. He currently holds the rank of captain. In his current role, Fisher oversees the school resource officer program, the crisis intervention team, and the community policing program. He is well known in the education community as the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) instructor in elementary schools.

“The passion comes to just knowing that we get through day-to-day operations. Everybody gets to and from school safely and while they’re at school they have a good experience, and they feel safe to come to school and so do their parents. When parents drop their children off, they should have that knowing that they’re going to be safe,” said Fisher.

Fisher believes combining his experience with the unity of the community and networking will create a strong safety threshold for the district.

“One thing I’m big on is training. Training, training, training as much as you can. Training doesn’t make you perfect, but it makes you better. Getting ideas and hearing from the parents, too, and from the staff. What do you feel are some of our weaknesses, what do you feel like are our strong points? Put those things together and then create a model to look forward to the future,” said Fisher.

Fisher began his duties with AHPS Oct. 21. He will work closely with Vaughan. AHPS said it’s continuing to work to obtain grants and other resources to enhance security and safety.

In 2020, Fisher was named the Alleghany Highlands Chamber of Commerce and Tourism’s Ruth Middleton Volunteer of the Year Award winner. He was honored this year as Mountain Gateway Community College’s Distinguished Alumni Award recipient. Fisher has been a member of the Iron Gate Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Squad since 2004 and he’s coached youth sports since 2006. He has been a Clifton Forge Lions Club member since 2010 and a lay speaker at area churches since 2016.