Searcy, Ark., (LP) — Our world is changing every day some good things and some bad. Searcy Schools has always felt safe to many students and parents. With the recent school shootings and mass casualties people find themselves asking well how safe is our schools? The schools have always been a place where students can come and get a great learning experience, and for some searcy schools feeds many less fortunate students. The schools have always gone above and beyond to help out the student body, so what will they do know with all of these new threats and possibilities?
The schools have already put in new measures to keep the schools safer. Mr. Hodges says, “Some of the more temporary fixes are all of the exterior doors being locked and Having the substitutes being at the main entrances to open the doors.” So we have now eliminated a huge threat and made the school much less vulnerable. With the substitute staff members we are hoping to eliminate the possibility of having unauthorized personnel in the school. The students are now required to sign out and date and tell where the student is going and what time they are leaving. Mr. Hodges also explained how he is going to make our school a safer place for students. “Teachers and faculty have been meeting with me to talk about how and what we can do to make the halls safer in between classes.” The school has already performed an ALICE (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate) This is a drill to simulate an active shooter and is intended to help teachers to know what to do in case of a shooter. The main entrances to the building will be redone. The West entrance will have a magnetic door with a camera that will be monitored at all times. The East entrance will have a wall that will have a door that is locked and if someone wants to gain entrance into the main part of the building they will have to sign in with the office. The parking lots will not be fenced in as rumors have said they would they will not.
The student body is aware of the resource officer, Officer Davis. He has been already active in training for these situations. “More officers will be put through specific kinds of classes to better equip them for the job.” He has been active with the teachers and faculty finding weak points in the school. “Working with teachers and faculty to be able to better identify those who may be talking or acting as if they want to cause harm is something that I have been stressing lately.” The school as we know is equipped with a camera system, “We are finding places in the school that may not be able to be easily surveyed with the cameras and adding to those places so that we can quickly identify someone if needed.”
The schools are doing everything in their power to make our days in class safer. The faculty has been working extra hard to be more of a team and work together and do what is needed to keep us safe.
