May 13, 2025

Dear Citizens and School District Community,

The Defiance Police Department, Defiance Fire and Rescue and Defiance City Schools

prioritize student safety. Ohio law requires schools to complete three (3) school safety

drills annually. Ohio law also requires a Full Scale Functional Drill every three (3) years.

A Functional Drill entails great planning and coordination with law enforcement, fire and

rescue, school officials and numerous other agencies. A Functional Drill could involve:

evacuation, shelter-in-place, transportation to another location and reunification with

families. This year we will be conducting a Functional Severe Weather Drill. This drill is

an excellent training exercise for all agencies involved in the unlikely event of a true

emergency. The Functional Drill will take place on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. This drill

will enable all schools within the district to participate and engage in meaningful school

safety protocols and procedures.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Sincerely,

Robert Morton, Superintendent