There’s a new face of the Bald Eagle Area School District – one hired to help protect our schools, students and staff.
Meet School Resource Officer Terry McCaslin who said his goal is to bring his longtime experience in law enforcement to the district to help prevent from threats or to be a resource for students in need. He started in the position at the beginning of the year.
“Protecting staff and students will be one of my top priorities – whether from themselves or an outside threat; and keeping weapons, drugs and alcohol out of school and off the property; getting to know kids; and building a good relationship, so law enforcement isn’t looked at as a domineering threat,” McCaslin said.
McCaslin comes to the district after serving 23 years for Pennsylvania State Police. After graduating from Bald Eagle Area High School in 1989, he studied criminal justice at Penn State for four years while working with campus police. In 1993, he graduated from the state police academy and worked at four stations during his tenure. He was also a firearms instructor. McCaslin retired from PSP in 2016 and became a security officer at Mount Nittany Medical Center. He resigned from the hospital in November to take the SRO position at BEA.
In the new position, McCaslin will be tasked with traveling around the four elementary schools and combined middle and high school.
“I just like being around kids,” he said. “You just got to be nice to them, be respectful and open up a line of communication with them, so they feel comfortable and safe coming in to speak to you about things.”
McCaslin’s main office is located at Bald Eagle Area Middle and High School.
