SECURITY ASSESSMENT UPDATE:
As part of our work in keeping students, faculty, and staff safe at Aquinas Catholic Schools, the Diocese provided Joseph M. Cowan, a former FBI agent, to serve as the principal consultant in assessing security for each school in the diocese.
Mr. Cowan provided a thorough assessment of what Aquinas Catholic Schools do well and areas we can improve. As with all things, several of the improvements will require funds and some may be more costly than others. Last semester we applied for a substantial school safety grant, but due to the partial government shut down, we’ve been told it may take longer than anticipated to hear back on what we may qualify to receive.
The areas he commended our work include:
- A thorough and well-developed Emergency Operations Plan (EOP). (The diocese is also using our plan to help guide other schools in developing their own EOP.)
- Enviable partnerships with first responders and the community, including close coordination that strengthens response readiness.
- An established security technology foundation with Avigilon and Verkada video/intercom capability.
- A main-office duress/panic capability tied directly to law enforcement.
- Off-site relocation and reunification planning using a nearby auditorium.
- Demonstrated redundancy and adaptability in staff incident response during real world events.
The primary areas we can control/improve with no costs include:
- Streamlining the visitor protocol, such more diligence in visitors signing in and wearing identification badges while in the building. This would include a parent who simply needs to ‘pop in’ for a minute.
- Renumbering (with larger numbers) all exterior doors.
- Implementing a uniform policy for securing all exterior doors during the school day and after school. This would be continuing to reinforce to teachers, students, coaches, parents, etc. to NOT prop doors open during the school or after school. This could be done be providing a check list for teachers, staff, coaches, and any others using the building, especially after the end of the school day. In short, if you see a door propped open, shut it!
- Keeping classroom doors locked and shut during the school day.
Primary areas needing security upgrades which will come with a cost:
- Redoing the elementary entrances for the main office and recess area.
- Replacing older doors, especially for the library and classrooms that came with the original building design.
- Improved lighting for the back parking lot area at Aquinas.
- Security cameras for both schools.
- Clearly identifying the main office entrance area at the MS/HS.
- Security upgrades to the front office.
These are just some of the main areas we can focus on to improve security. As always, our students, teachers, staff and parents can serve as a first line of defense in reporting threatening activity observed at school, events, or online. The Aquinas family is stronger and more secure when we work together.
Yours In Christ,
The Aquinas Safety Team