District Reviews Security Practices
In the wake of the horrific shooting deaths of 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, Huntington School District officials have been conducting a top-to-bottom review of the district's safety and security practices.
Superintendent James W. Polansky said it was the district's goal "to take every action we can" to provide the community with safe schools. During its recent security review, the district utilized the services of Andrew Fiorello, a Suffolk Police school resource officer assigned to Huntington.
The Huntington School District's Safety Committee convened this week to discuss the findings of the recent security review and to consider additional "improvements to safety and security measures throughout the district," Mr. Polansky said.
The security review included:
• A walk-through survey and audit at every district building by the administration and Mr. Fiorello to identify areas of strength and weakness. Some adjustments have been made to the positioning of security guards. Repairs and modifications to specific doors have also been executed to ensure that they will all close automatically.
• Faculty meetings have been held at all schools to review existing security and emergency plans as well as additional items that have been put into practice with particular attention to door security and episodes involving an intruder.
• Policies involving building "buzz-in" and intercom systems have been reinforced with staff members.
• Valid identification must be presented at all buildings in order to gain entrance.
• Visitors to Huntington High School must now be "buzzed" into the building, similar to the practice at the district's other sites.
• Licenses/identifying items are being collected from those who enter the building for meetings, etc.
• An additional keypad has been ordered for the interior entry doors at J. Taylor Finley Middle School. Once it is installed, visitors will need to be "buzzed" into the building at two different sets of doors.
• Lockdown drills are being held in every building.
• Installation of additional cameras at specific building egresses is under consideration.
• District officials have been in regular contact with Suffolk Police officials and neighboring districts in an attempt to brainstorm ideas and establish systems of communication.
• Mr. Polansky and other district executives have participated in various school safety forums and workshops.
"Sandy Hook has provided school districts with an unfortunate opportunity to review safety and security measures in a tragic context," Mr. Polansky said. "We will continue to evaluate our practices regularly to ensure that we are doing everything we can to protect our staff and students."