As the anniversary of Sandy Hook approaches, we pray for the victims and families that suffered unspeakable tragedies that morning. We pray for peace as a Catholic school. We pray that we continue to live in faith and not fear. Pray for our strengthened faith in God and faith in understanding that All Saints Catholic Academy is a safe and secure school. We also take this as a time to be mindful of our own school safety strategy.
In 2007, All Saints Catholic Academy consulted with Duncan Higgins, a school crisis planning facilitator. In 2009, the school then implemented a wide-ranging emergency plan. This plan was generated a full three years before the tragedy at Sandy Hook. This comprehensive emergency plan is reviewed and updated annually to ensure that it is current and meets the needs of our school. Security is a dynamic and complicated process. As a school, and as a board, we are constantly revisiting and reviewing our emergency and security plans. No plan, worked to the finest detail, is 100% or ever simple. Nor should it be, because if we are lulled into thinking we have all the answers, we are not objectively assessing the plan. We, as a board, recognize this. We have put into place a plan that addresses the majority of our school population for the majority of situations. What we have in place are reasonable and adequate security steps. What we have in place is a safe school.
The board and school administrators, with the assistance of professional security consultants, have identified those situations and individuals that pose the highest risk to our school population. Unfortunately, individuals known to Sandy Hook, Columbine, and the Navy Yard perpetrated the majority of the mass shootings. Some examples of the highest risk individuals that the board has identified are parents in heated custody battles, parents in heated divorces, disgruntled parents, disgruntled employees, and, unfortunately, disgruntled students.
Drills are held monthly and staff is aware of procedures and responsibilities have been assigned. These steps have been laid out, not only for an “intruder” but also for medical emergency events. Have you seen our “AED”? It is located in the hallway next to the copier room. Did you know that along with standard adult pads, there are pediatric pads? Of course there are, we are a school full of children! Did you know that there is a stash of Epi pens in the kitchen, just in case? How about the Virtus Training that all volunteers spending time alone with students need to take? Did you know that the faculty and staff are CPR certified?
As you can see the scenarios are endless. We, as a board and a school, take the safety of your children seriously from the big intruder to a small-but-deadly peanut. The safety of
your child is of the utmost importance to us. You bring your child to us and entrust us with, not only with their academic health but their spiritual and physical safety. I trust the school so much that I drop off my three children and husband there throughout the school year.
This is a dynamic process that through thorough investigation of the many aspects of safety brings forth a safety plan for all. We vow to regularly and continuously scrutinize areas of risk as well as strategies to mitigate them. We encourage you to reach out to us; but please know that no particular change is “simple”. We need to play out all the scenarios and identify scenarios that are more likely and the highest priority.. Our school is safe and we have taken reasonable and adequate steps. We live in the faith that God will protect us and that He has given us the tools and knowledge to seek out and implement the necessary steps to keep all of our children safe. May God bless you, your family and thank you for trusting All Saints Catholic Academy to keep your child safe!
The board has announced a revision to its visitor policy effective immediately. Click here if you would like to view it.
– Marlene Handler, Board of Trustees, Vice Chair
___________________
