Schools are supposed to be places of joy and learning, of personal, academic, spiritual, athletic and artistic growth. Schools should not be places where we remember our dead.
Again this past week, we are sending our tears and our prayers to families just like ours. We remember the families of the 14 students and three teachers killed in the Parkland school shooting; we once again are reminded of the 20 first-graders and six teachers killed in Newtown in 2012; we once again honor the memory of the 12 students and one teacher who were killed nearly 20 years ago in Columbine. All are tragic, senseless losses of life that will haunt us forever.
The reasonable, natural questions are being asked: what can we do to protect our children? What specifically is Salpointe Catholic doing to protect our children?
We want to assure you that we, the leadership, faculty, and staff of Salpointe Catholic take the safety and security of every Lancer very seriously.
Here is what we are doing:
Implemented the anonymous “Hear/See Something, Say Something” tip/text line 520-485-8477 that allows students and members of the community to report any suspicious or questionable behavior directly to school administration
Conducted campus-wide threat assessments by two nationally recognized threat assessment experts, first in 2013, and again in 2017. Implemented recommendations
Hired three security persons, one at each vehicular gate and one roaming security guard on duty before, during and after school
Eliminated unmonitored access points throughout campus. Please note: Copper Street entrance access will change on Monday, March 5. Monitored access to campus through the Copper Street gate will be available from 7:30 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. only. After that time, all students/parents/visitors will be required to access the campus from the Mountain or Glenn entrances
Instituted procedures to collect IDs and require visitor badges for all campus guests
Installed perimeter fencing around the entire campus
Installed campus-wide lighting
Installed interior door safety locks in all classrooms
Integrated campus-wide evacuation/lockdown alarms
Installed monitored cameras campus-wide
Continue to conduct monthly Incident Response Team (IRT) meetings comprised of school leadership, TPD, TFD and other law enforcement personnel
Continue to practice evacuation/lockdown drills regularly
Continue to train faculty, staff, and students in emergency protocols
Adopted SchoolWay app for real-time emergency communications between the school and all parents, students, and teachers. This is our single notification system to communicate in an emergency. To download the app or register online, visit www.salpointe.org/schoolway. You will be notified through SchoolWay every time we conduct drills.
The most important of these safety enhancements is the “See Something/Say Something” tip line. Please be our ears and eyes. Be on heightened alert. You are the greatest resource for keeping our students safe. Don’t hesitate to report any behavior that you think could be threatening or concerning. Don’t wait! Call or text 520-485-8477 with as much information as possible or call the school directly at 520-327-6581.
Thank you for your trust and confidence in Salpointe as we work together for the safety of our Lancer community.