Following an incident in which a student at Rochester Memorial Elementary, brought a BB gun to school last week, the Rochester School Committee approved a resolution to help better inform local parents and guardians about the importance of firearm safety storage laws.

The resolution, adapted from the Massachusetts Association of School Committee’s 2024 Resolution #3, was unanimously agreed upon by the committee. It reads, “Be it resolved that the Rochester Memorial School Committee will work with the Superintendent and Chief of Police to create an appropriate communication to parents and guardians that explains the importance of secure firearms storage to protect children and teens from unauthorized access to unsecured firearms, and their legal obligations consistent with Massachusetts safe storage law.”

School Committee member Katherin Duggan said the resolution is meant to inform families in the community of firearm laws and to establish that the school is committed to creating safe conditions for all.

“As referenced, there was an incident last week so [we’re] just looking to reiterate to the community that we take safe storage of firearms seriously,” Duggan said. “You know, just knowing that this is an area where what happens in someone’s home sometimes can cross over into that school environment.”

For their next steps forward, the School Committee will begin facilitating conversations with Superintendent Michael Nelson and Rochester Chief of Police Michael Assad to plan and organize the relevant firearm safety information they intend to share with the community. The committee feels that having these conversations will be the impactful first step they want to take in order to create a more safe and secure environment for the students.