Advanced Active Shooter Training Partnership Announced

GREENVILLE, Wis. and RALEIGH, N.C.,, Jan. 07, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- School Specialty, Inc. (OTCQB:SCOO) ("School Specialty", "SSI" or "the Company"), and North Carolina State University’s Office of Professional Development, a unit of the McKimmon Center for Extension and Continuing Education, jointly announced today that it will offer CEUs and certified transcripts for the SSI Guardian Advanced Active Shooter Training program. Chip Futrell, Director of Continuing and Professional Education commented, “We look no further than today’s headlines to see why this training is desperately needed. Our search for a training partner led us to SSI Guardian, a subsidiary of School Specialty, Inc. --they have set the new standard with their Ph.D.-authored, evidence-based curriculum, professional instruction model and curriculum mapping. The professional qualifications of their instructors clearly make the program stand out from others. Premier credentialed and specialized security experts, paired with academics, ensure educational integrity.”

The training’s content has been reviewed and approved by the NC State University Police Department. Futrell added, “In SSI Guardian, we have a partner who exceeds our rigorous academic standards, and continues our policy of thinking nationally and acting locally as this training is offered throughout the United States.”

“With this announcement, NC State again leads the nation in bringing critically needed information to those who need it most,” commented SSI Guardian President Michael A. Yorio. “SSI Guardian needed a partner who possessed not only a top-drawer academic reputation, but demonstrated expertise in education and training on a national level. We found that NC State has set the national standard in land grant research, continuing education and extension activity. Their history has been providing teaching, research and extension that truly make a difference. They now are leading the way in keeping our children and teachers safe.”

Alice Warren, Vice Provost for Continuing Education, noted, “We were impressed that research is at the core of the Guardian program.  They do not teach opinion or emotion, nor do they guess. We have never seen anything like this program for the K-12 space which goes far beyond the basics. The focus on threat identification, situational awareness and core attributing factors to school shootings is unique and desperately needed. This partnership will empower people with the highest levels of skills and knowledge which will ultimately save lives. NC State and the McKimmon Center for Extension and Continuing Education are proud to be part of that important work.”  

About School Specialty, Inc.
School Specialty is a leading distributor of innovative and proprietary products, programs and services to the education marketplace. The Company designs, develops, and provides educators with the latest and very best school supplies, furniture and both curriculum and supplemental learning resources. Working in collaboration with educators, School Specialty reaches beyond the scope of textbooks to help teachers, guidance counselors and school administrators ensure that every student reaches his or her full potential. For more information about School Specialty, visit www.schoolspecialty.com.

For further information: 
NC State University’s Office of Professional Development, 919.515.2261

Individuals available for interviews: 
Mr. Michael Yorio, President, SSI Guardian, 202.676.7166
Mr. Chip Futrell, Director, Continuing and Professional Education, NC State University, 919.515.8179