Anne Arundel County encourages public to get involved in community outreach program #BePresent

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, Md. (FOX 5 DC) - Anne Arundel County Public Schools is inviting the public to take part in their #BePresent initiative which aims to enhance relationships with the community and help make school operations safer.

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Mark Bedell announced the initiative last month, pointing to the rise in serious offenses and weapons possession as evidence of the need for more involvement.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Superintendent tries new strategy to address violence in Anne Arundel Co. schools

"No school system can be great without strong bonds between students, staff, and the community the schools serve," said Dr. Bedell. "Without a doubt, this school district can be great. We need our community to rally around our students to help keep them safe and to build relationships that are so critical to success."

Those interested in taking part can send an email to bepresent@aacps.org. The email should include the school in which the sender is interested in volunteering as well as available times and pertinent contact information.

Members of the team working on the initiative will collect that data and match it to the needs of schools that have been conveyed by principals. Those who will be volunteering at schools will then be given instructions for training and any necessary background checks. Both are cost-free for participants.

Volunteers will work in collaboration with and at the direction of school administrators and will not be present in classrooms or asked to deliver instruction. They will be able to begin in schools once they complete the training and background check.