“We will work to make sure our teaching parents are well trained, well equipped and able to handle our students,” he said.
Former Adriel CEO Kay Wyse resigned last month following complaints about the school from law enforcement and former staff members.
Hanes previously served as the school’s principal for more than two years and started as the CEO in late February. Now, he’s responsible for the school, residential facility and services Adriel offers at its three satellite locations, including foster care, adoption services and family preservation.
The Adriel School in West Liberty is a residential treatment facility for troubled youth and serves about 50 students on any given day. The students come from across Ohio and range from 6 to 21 years old.
“The kids that live here experienced abuse, neglect and have been given a very difficult childhood,” Hanes said.
Law enforcement has criticized the school for allowing students to run away from the campus on a regular basis, but Hanes said he won’t allow it anymore.
The agency’s former director previously told this paper that if a student walked off the campus with a suitcase packed, she couldn’t stop them from leaving.
Hanes said he would stop the student because in that situation they could harm themselves or someone else.
“You can restrain students when the situation calls for it,” Hanes said. “You have that right and ability to do that.”
Former employees said they had been told to not call 9-1-1 during emergency situations. Hanes said while that is not the first response he’d like to see, every staff member always has that right.
Every case is handled on a individual basis and needs to have the best interest of the students and staff members first, he said.
Hanes is also working to establish an advisory council of 20 to 25 members to improve relations with the community. The village of West Liberty had a similar group that worked with the school until Wyse took over as CEO in 2011.
The new group will include local leaders and law enforcement from West Liberty and Logan County, Hanes said, as well as representatives from the school’s satellite locations.
“I’m really privileged to be in this position,” Hanes said. “It’s really all about the path forward.”
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