What our school is doing to keep our children safe...

[cynatnite]

I got this in my email today. I omitted some information about our location and names.

*****

Parents,

As we reflect upon the tragedy that occurred on Friday in Connecticut, we feel this is a good time to communicate the importance of safety for each child at our school and within our district. As you entrust your children to our care each day, please know that their wellbeing and security is of upmost priority to us.

Below I have listed some safety points that are universal within our school. We hope and pray that we are never faced with such a horrible situation, but please know that we do plan for them.

·During recent years the ******* Board of Education and ******* Board of Mayor and Alderman have allotted funds to create secure entrances where all visitors, guests, etc. must check in at the front office, receive an identification badge, and be “buzzed” into the building through the locked doors by school staff.

·The exterior doors to the building remain locked throughout the school day.

·Classroom doors are locked throughout each school day.

·The school conducts safety and security drills, including lock down drills, during the school year.

·The school system employs a full-time school resource officer (SRO) at our school. Officer ******* from the ******* Police Department serves as our SRO.

·Our school’s administrators and office staff carry and have access to system-wide handheld radios to efficiently communicate with each other, including our SRO. Additionally, these radios tie into the Kingsport Police Department radio system if needed during an emergency situation.

·All teachers have in their classrooms a folder that addresses procedures for emergency situations. This information is updated annually and reviewed with staff.

·All classrooms have phones where a 911 call can be placed in the event of an emergency situation.

Though the information above is not an exhaustive list, it details many of the actions and processes in place to ensure safety for all to the highest extent possible. The safety plan is reviewed throughout the year. As horrific as the events were on Friday, it has created an opportunity for us to review our procedures and processes as a staff. Please know that I already have and will continue to discuss the importance of our safety plans and procedures with our staff.

Thank you for your continued support of our school. Please know that your children are our highest priority.

Sincerely,

********

This actually eased my mind. If you didn't get one regarding your child's school, I would call them or your school district and inquire about what they are doing.

I've been to my son's school several times. It does not look like an armed camp. It looks like a school.

[erinlough]

1. These are the school procedures for the school I worked at for 38 years as well.

I am glad they are being careful and assuring students and parents that they are taking every precaution. Make sure your school knows you appreciate it so that it continues.

[cynatnite]

3. I sent a thank you email and told them it eased my mind. n/t

[ellisonz]

2. Most schools have been doing all they can on the security end for over a decade now...

...short of putting multiple armed guards all over campuses there's not much more than can be done. Furthermore, before the gun nuts get here and tell us that teachers should be armed, let me just say, that considering rates of gun theft, gun accidents, and gun violence that more guns is simply not the answer.

Schools need politicians to step up and do the right things, invest in education in this country, and pass some meaningful, progressive gun control reform.

[Recursion]

4. I remember reading that Columbine had a metal detector at the entrance even before the shooting

The heyday of school violence was in the mid 90s; I think that's when a lot of schools started doing check points and metal detectors. Those may have slacked off somewhat as school violence rates fell and budgets got cut.

[ellisonz]

5. Good - then we can increase taxes on gun/ammo sales to re-fund educational budgets.

Agreed?

[Recursion]

6. I'm always in favor of increasing education spending

Currently the taxes go for environmental conservation, but switching that to education is fine with me.

[ellisonz]

7. Not switching, increasing. There's a difference i.e. higher taxes.

[cynatnite]

8. Kicking. n/t