Campus Safety after CT shootings

We didn't make any changes, per se, but tried to assure parents that we would be diligent in enforcing the policies that were already in place. Reminders that all parents/visitors must check into the office for a nametag. Anyone without a name tag should be questioned! We already have codes to open our building doors since our campus in general is "open" and people can enter from numerous areas. Our main thing is to keep classroom doors locked at all times. This has been a long time rule but I think staff tend to forget.

We are a closed facility/campus.....buzz in, sign in/ name tags....Yet our front floor is ALL glass!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and certainly not bullet proof! We were lucky to get some of it tinted so as not to blind the front office secretary. We do a couple of lockdown drills a year. I think we should one sooner than later...but I am not on the EPC committee this year.

We do the whole "everyone must sign into the front office and get a nametag", but we have NOTHING in place as far as having to be buzzed in or anything of that nature. The front door to our school is in front of the main office, but they are not connected. Someone could easily walk into the door and down any of the hallways without our secretary noticing. NOTHING against her, but no one can watch the door 100% of the time. It's a huge concern for me!

We work closely with our PD and have a uniformed officer do a random walkthrough at one point daily during the school day. This creates a presence. I've only been here since september and have yet to see how a lockdown is done, but it's in the works. They're also putting more cameras in that actually record as opposed to just transmitting to a screen. Visitors need to sign in and need to wear stickers and are now only allowed in through two points of entry.
Everyone's been empowered to stop and question any unmarked visitor - personally, i'd like to see the admins plant a few moles to see how many people actually do stop them.

The only change I have noticed is new visitor badges and signs around campus reminding visitors to check-in. My campus is completely open, there are 8 seperate buildings. Securing a campus like this would mean full-on prison fencing around our entire property.

All visitors must be buzzed in and sign in etc. After our meeting before break, our prinicpal decided all doors that are on the hallways must remain locked at all times. Classrooms did this anyway, but not my clinic. So now even my clinic has to be locked from the hallway entrance. I am glad they are trying to improve safety etc, but it so annoying for me. I am interupted constantly to open the door ugh!

Read a free 2008 article from NASN School Nurse:

How Well Prepared are Schools to Meet Disasters? School Shootings Require Response of Nontraditional Resources (Henning and Smithey)

Flare
We have cameras as well and have done the "Mole" excercise with pretty good results....Everyone is expected to ask a person if they need help if they do not have a tag or are unfamiliar. We also have an SRO who now parks her cruiser in front of the building...feels good to me and the community has been receptive to it as well.

I am not a school nurse but I have children in school. IN our sleepy little town....(which I am sure will raise the budget next year) They have added an officers to the buildings that their job is to patrol....in uniform and armed. We did have a student bring a .22calibur rifle to the VocTech last year (my children are in the high school)

My children seem comforted...so am I.