January’s not over yet –– and there have been more than 10 shooting-related incidents at schools across the nation.
The latest shooting, on Tuesday at Marshall County High School in Benton, Ky., involved a 15-year-old boy firing inside a school, killing two and injuring several others. Other incidents this month included a shot being fired that resulted in a window being shattered and no injuries on Jan. 10 at California State University in San Bernardino, Calif.; and a 16-year-old boy shooting a 15-year-old girl at Italy (Texas) High School on Jan. 22.
Observing from many miles away at the tragedies that have made headlines, local school officials say they are ready if such an incident happens here.
“Each report of school violence affects us all very deeply and our hearts go out to all affected by such tragedy,” said Bradford Area School District Superintendent Katy Pude. “Therefore, school security is very important to us all in the BASD and we continually look at measures to make our schools as safe as possible for our students and staff.”
School staff members are trained each year on the ALICE program, which stands for alert, lockdown, inform, counter and evacuate.
“We also employ two resource officers in our district and work very closely with the Bradford Police Department in conducting these trainings and drills,” Pude said. “Our buildings are secured during the school day with visitors required to report to the main office to acquire a pass prior to being allowed access to classrooms.”
The buildings are also monitored by security cameras so that potential intruders can be detected, she said.
“We continue to make improvements to our facilities as per current guidelines and update our emergency protocols on an annual basis as we work to ensure the safety of all in the Bradford Area School District,” Pude said.
At the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, officials are very concerned about a shooting happening in this part of Pennsylvania, Pitt-Bradford spokeswoman Pat Frantz Cercone said.
“That’s why we train constantly and remain on alert for any development that might create harm for our students, faculty and staff,” she said.
University officials offer students various tips to protect themselves, including staying in well-lit, well-traveled areas; walking with someone instead of being alone; keeping apartment and car doors locked; being aware of surroundings; reporting to campus police suspicious activity or suspicious-looking people; and becoming familiar with the locations of the emergency phones on campus, Cercone said.
“Whenever we get the opportunity, we tell parents that we take the safety of their sons and daughters seriously,” she said. “We emphasize that our campus police officers are well-trained and that we conduct regular drills and trainings so we all know how to respond appropriately during an emergency so we can keep everyone safe.”
At the nearby Otto-Eldred School District, Superintendent Matthew Splain said officials rely on local law enforcement, state police and the McKean County Emergency Management Agency to assist the district in preparing for the worst through plan development, training and drills.
“School safety planning is an area in need of constant review and revision,” he said. “We are trusted to keep kids safe.”
In Elk County, St. Marys Area School District Superintendent Dr. G. Brian Toth said visitors get his or her driver’s license scanned to identify if he or she has a police record. People must also enter each building via a single, secure entry point, requesting access via an intercom, he said.
Back in McKean County, the school board at Smethport Area School District is considering renovation to the elementary and high schools that will include a more secure entrance and improved visitor access process, said Superintendent Dave London. The proposal calls for a secure computerized building access system that will change exterior locks and the installation of alarms to the exterior doors.
In Potter County, the safety committee at Coudersport Area School District has been updating the all-hazards plan, which includes sections for the planning process, prevention and mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery, said district Superintendent Jackie Canter.
What’s more, school officials in December sent a letter to parents letting them know of the emphasis school administrators have on learning more about planning, preventing, mitigating, and responding to incidents of crisis, emergency and disaster, she said.
“Unfortunately, violent acts do happen in schools across the nation,” London said. “Certainly you hope that it never hits home in your school district. As school leaders, all we can do is have our students, staff and community as prepared as possible for a tragic event and hope that we never have to use the preparations.”
