Our elementary school just practiced our first "intruder alert drill". This is great, but there needs to be steps taken for improvements made, like classroom doors replaced. Ours have the glass panes, so locking them is pretty much pointless. We also need some sort of outdoor survelience since they are building a halfway house for former prisoners right down the street. Yes, this will house sex offenders. This is only a couple blocks from the school, along with two taverns in the area. I have been asked by a teacher to bring this up to the superintendents office as well as the new city manager. Ok, but where do you start???? She suggested having the city manager come for a walk thru. Guess I still need to talk to the principal first and hopefully get some backing.

At our school we have 2 LOCKDOWN DRILLS per year. LOCKDOWN PROCEDURE can be initiated by any number of things, gunshots, an intruder on campus, national crisis, etc.

It entails all of the rooms closing and locking the doors, pulling down the shades, turning off the lights, and all the students moving to one corner being VERY quiet.

It's a very difficult thing to explain to the younger kids (kindergarteners and first graders) without scaring them, especially when we have to explain that if someone is outside the door, even a classmate, knocking, yelling to be let in, we can't let them in for any reason.

I feel so much better now! The waters are still muddy but I feel like the principal, PTO, and district are working together on this issue instead of fighting over who's going to pay for it. Thanks for giving me some resources to look into. It took a lot of the gut-reaction/emotional stuff out of it and gave me something concrete to focus on. Very helpful!

Anne, without reading the above posts, I'm responding directly to you. Good for you and your community for understanding that it's always better to be safe than sorry. I can only imagine the challenges of an older building.

Many states have passed school safety requirements with a deadline for compliance. I'd suggest searching online for your state. Since there is a huge national movement toward safer school buildings, further searching may shed some light on how other communities have responded.

Do your school board members attend an annual conference? These conferences are usually broken down into seminars. Your BOE members can choose which seminars to attend based on local needs.

Finally, who pays for it? Ideally the school district would. But if they can't afford it and the PTO can help raise funds to meet this very important need, I would recommend that you investigate the possibilities with an open mind. One major purpose of a parent group is "to enhance the learning environment." A safe, secure building certainly enhances the environment.

[ 10-24-2006, 01:45 PM: Message edited by: CrewChief ]

Great, thanks for the quick response. I completely agree but wanted my thoughts validated before I butt heads.

District should pay for ALL safety measures, committees, supplies, training ETC. That's why the state and fed govt collect taxes. (not the only reason).

Our PTA/PTO's have helped with Emrgency Supplies (bandages, water, food, first-aid supplies)

Tell your school district to do their job and they pay for it- ITS THEIR JOB- to educate your children and provide a safe and secure atmosphere (building, campus, etc)


Ixna on the you pay.