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Board of Education meets after school stabbing

Online Niel November 2, 2024

SOUTH POINT, Ohio (WSAZ) – Pointers are still reeling after Elementary Principal Bill Christian was stabbed in the school last week.

Board president Tifanie Arbogast said “our beloved Mr. Christian will make a full recovery and is excited to be reunited with his staff and students.”

Ashley Pennington, the mother of a student at South Point Elementary, said she was grateful for Christian’s courage.

“He put his life on the line, and that’s what I consider a true hero,” Pennington said.

Schools have been closed following the incident, and students in the district are expected to return to classes on November 6.

A Board of Education meeting went into executive session Friday to discuss the safety measures that will follow at the school.

As they exited executive session, Arbogast said “we have taken additional security measures to ensure the safety of all students and staff. We are continuing to increase the police presence at all buildings.”

South Point Police Chief Chris Majher said increased attendance will be seen during homecoming week.

“I want to reassure the public, my child will go back to school on Wednesday. I have no fears, no more fears than I had before as a parent,” Chief Majher said.

Meanwhile, parents are preparing to send their children back.

“It’s kind of scary for them to go back to school. But as we parents talked to them and you know I explained to them that everything will be fine. I think it will be good for them to go back to school,” Pennington said.

School officials said they could not provide details about the executive session for student safety reasons.

Chief Majher said parents felt they were being kept out of the loop even though things were going “smoothly” at the site. To ensure this does not happen in the future, he will add a “Public Communications Officer” position to his department to help with future communications.