Today has made me re-evaluate my procedures.

[demtenjeep]

the thing that struck me was the shooter was a former student-had been through the drills and knew the procedures and likely where the largest classes of hiding students

I have a classroom at the end of the school. There are entrance and exit doors on either side of my classroom. While those are remained locked during the day but if someone wanted in,wouldn't be very hard.

In my classroom I am blessed with two doors. One is locked always because we do not use that door. However, students do not respect that other classes are teaching/learning when they are in the hallway and often that door gets knocked at always some student gets up and opens the door to see who is knocking. I usuallly tell them to sit down and re-teach that we do not open that door...usually i get the back and forth "I was just seeing.......

Tomorrow we will be discussing how to tighten up procedures. Cell phone volume must always be turned off. No exceptions. We are supposed to take them but in a situation like this I might suggest they contact family to let them know location but they must text so no voices are heard. I am not sure where to hide them because my room is in the back of the hall. I guess we will have a huge discussion at the beginning of each class tomorrow.

[Fred Sanders]

1. It is called terrorism for a reason; you have been terrorized. Not a good feeling I wager.

All you are doing is slightly increasing your odds of not being shot while increasing the odds of everyone else.

With respect.

[BigmanPigman]

2. I am sure your site will have a staff meeting to discuss this within the next week.

After Sandy Hook we had one at my Elementary School when we returned from Winter Vacation. My idiot principal didn't even know that our classroom doors only locked from the OUTSIDE until I raised my had and let her in on that lovely little fact.

[Sailor65x1]

4. I can't tell you how many times

I've gone into a school (Or even another facility) to do training and found exactly that. Doors that can't be secured from YOUR side.

[Freelancer]

3. So, you're putting this discussion before students?

The responsibility to protect them is on we adults. Decide what tweaking needs to be done with law enforcement, psych professionals, and other adults. Then get the kids together and inform them about what's going to happen. If they have questions, show them the reasoning behind the changes. That's the best you can do. The partition between being a kid and being an adult is real, and there for a reason. This is on us, not them.

[BigmanPigman]

5. Some students' input and perspective can be quite useful.

I would definitely at least listen to what they have to say. They know how each other thinks better than we do sometimes.