Schools’ lock-down drills designed
to help prevent similar occurance here
By:Laura Toto
Hillsborough schools have taken steps to help prevent violent incidents such as Monday’s school shooting that killed two students at Santana High School in Santee, Calif.
While saying the chance of a similar incident here is slight, school officials have taken precautionary steps, such as the "lockdown" drills the schools have been conducting for the last two years. The drills have been performed in all of the schools this year and are scheduled twice each year. Last year only some of the schools conducted the drill.
During lockdown drills the classrooms are secured, children sit in a "safe zone" away from windows and doors, and all students remain under the supervision of an adult.
The district has been practicing lockdowns "in response to a number of school-related atrocities," Superintendent Robert Gulick said. "It started last year as part of a very comprehensive district safety program."
But the lockdowns also address the possibility of other types of emergencies, such as a hurricane or a tornado.
"We are living in different times," Dr. Gulick said. "We are prepared to do what we can do."
The drills consist of a standard code message used throughout the district which is announced over the loudspeaker. When the message is announced, the doors are locked and the children gather in their safe zone until a direction is given and the drill has ended.
If a student is away from their classroom when the drill begins, "every student is to immediately go to the closest space where there is an adult present," Dr. Gulick said. "Teachers are trained to check the hallway."
There is also a crisis management team that checks other spaces and moves around the building. Those teachers are trained by the police department and mental health services to respond appropriately to an emergency situation.
"The whole thrust of the drill is to give people experiences that will simulate those emergencies," Dr. Gulick said.
Auten Road Elementary School Principal Hal Blackstone conducted the school’s first drill in January. Letters were sent to parents informing them when the drill would take place. Parents received another letter after the drill was completed.
"Part of the whole program is to alert the children when there are emergencies," Mr. Blackstone said.
The children know how to act during fire drills when they leave the building, but a lockdown is meant to keep them inside the building and away from the windows.
The children are spoken to as if the lockdown is a drill for a natural disaster, not a hostage or intruder situation, because the intent is not frighten the children, Mr. Blackstone said.
"We are all aware anytime that happens (the shootings in Santana High School), people are alerted and their senses are more keen," Mr. Blackstone said. "Fortunately, we are in a school where that is not likely to happen. But it can happen in places like Hillsborough."
In addition to the lockdown drill, Triangle Elementary School is also trying another anti-violence approach, "Bully Proofing."
"Bully Proofing" was introduced to the students in the 1999-2000 school year. It teaches children and staff what a bully is, how they behave, and how to help the bully or the victim. The program gives the children the tools they need to help create a safe learning environment. At Triangle Elementary, a bully is defined as someone who teases or bothers another child, makes fun of them, or is physically intimidating.
The key to bully proofing is the "caring majority," the 98 percent of the children who are not the bully or the victim, school leaders say. These children have the ability to seek out an adult or to intervene while the situation is happening. The children are encouraged to be the "caring majority" and help the bullies and the victims.