District Operations

School Safety

Mission Statement:

The Safe Schools Unit assists school districts in providing and maintaining safe and supportive learning environments through training, technical assistance, and grants administration. In addition, the Safe Schools Unit serves as a liaison between ADE’s Division of Elementary and Secondary Education and school districts’ administration and safety staff, the Criminal Justice Institute, Arkansas School Safety Commission, Arkansas Center for School Safety, Arkansas Fusion Center, and other agencies.

 

 
Our Team:

Jerry Keefer, Director
phone: (501) 683-5266
Email:  jerry.keefer@ade.arkansas.gov

Prior to joining ADE, Keefer worked as a special agent in charge of the Arkansas Attorney General’s Office since 2020. During that time, he supervised various units, including the Executive Protection Unit, Internet Crimes Against Children Investigations Unit, and Digital Forensics Laboratory. Before the AG’s Office, Keefer served in multiple roles (patrol officer, detective, Special Response Team member, etc.) for the Jacksonville Police Department. Keefer began his law enforcement career at Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office in 1998 and served in the U.S. Army before law enforcement. Keefer has completed multiple law enforcement education and training programs, received numerous awards and recognitions, and is a member of the National Association of Chiefs of Police and Arkansas Association of Chiefs of Police. 


Jason Weatherly, Safe Schools Coordinator
phone: (501) 537-5732
Email: jason.weatherly@ade.arkansas.gov

Dr. Jason Weatherly has completed trainings in various areas of school safety, including Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management (BTAM), Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED), Developing Emergency Plan Basic and Best Practices, NOVA Community Crisis Response Team (Basic and Advanced), School Safety Coordinator (Basic and Advanced), and School Site Assessment and Audit. Before joining the Safe Schools Unit, Jason served as a Facilities Project Manager at ADE DPSAFT, where he assessed and inspected construction projects across more than forty-five school districts. Prior to his position at ADE, he worked for the City of Cabot as a licensed electrical, plumbing, and HVAC building inspector. In addition to his contributions to school safety, Jason is an adjunct professor and a member of Alpha Chi, a collegiate honor society.