PICKERINGTON, Ohio — The Pickerington Local School District is taking a proactive step to support students experiencing trauma by implementing the nationally recognized “Handle With Care” program for the upcoming 2026–27 school year.
The initiative establishes a direct line of communication between local first responders and school administrators. Under the program, emergency personnel who encounter a child during a traumatic situation—such as domestic violence incidents, arrests, overdoses, or other adverse events—send a prompt notification to designated school staff.
To protect the student’s privacy, no specific details about the incident are shared. The alert simply acts as a heads-up that the child may need extra grace, patience, or emotional support throughout the school day.
“This new addition strengthens our partnership with other school districts, first responders, and community through the positive impact Handle With Care has on our children,” said Sarah Fortner, Deputy Director of Protective Services for Fairfield County Job and Family Services. “Bringing HWC to Pickerington Local School District is our biggest achievement to date.”
Fairfield County Job and Family Services took ownership of the county’s Handle With Care operations following a request from the Honorable Terre L. Vandervoort. With this expansion, Pickerington joins several other Fairfield County school districts already participating alongside the Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office and the Lancaster Police Department.
Originally created in 2012 by the West Virginia Children’s Justice Task Force and the U.S. Attorney’s Office under the Defending Childhood Initiative, Handle With Care has expanded to more than 500 school districts across 30 states. The program’s core mission is to ensure children receive timely support without being forced to relive or recount their trauma.
