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District works to ensure safety; In the wake of the elementary school shooting in Newtown, officials say they're taking every precaution
As a father of four children who attend USD 234 schools, Fort Scott Police Department School Resource Officer Toby Nighswonger is confident that Fort Scott schools are a safe place to send his children.
Nighswonger, who is in his seventh year working for the district, said that a good working relationship between the district and the Fort Scott Police Department is what he believes helps make Fort Scott schools safe.
Part of new officer training involves walking through each school in the district, so in case of an emergency, every officer on the force is familiar with the layout of every campus.
He said the vigilance of the staff and students at each school makes him confident Fort Scott schools are safe.
"I'm confident that we've done about as much as we can do to make our schools as safe as possible," Nighswonger said. "But we are always looking at ways to improve while still maintaining a friendly, safe and secure learning environment."
Since the tragedy last Friday in Newtown, Conn., at Sandy Hook Elementary, where 20 children and six adults were shot and killed, USD 234 officials are revisiting their policies and procedures to ensure they are doing the best they can to protect the students and staff at their schools.
"I can't even begin to imagine what those folks in Connecticut are going through," USD 234 Superintendent Diane Gross said. "I want to make sure we've done everything that we can to make sure that we have the measures and steps in place to do as much as we can to prevent that kind of situation from occurring."
Gross was quick to point out that the Newtown tragedy could have happened anywhere.
"If you look at all the reports of the measures that that particular school had taken, the trainings that had been done, the practices and protocols, I don't know that there is anything they could have done differently," Gross said.
"It's unfortunate, but when somebody like that has it in mind to get into a building and do harm and damage, I don't know that there is a way to ensure that that is never going to happen, but we are going to be as prepared as we can be to be able to address the situation."
Gross said it is important that not just staff and students in the district, but the entire community keep an eye out for those who might look like they intend to cause harm.
"I have been in close contact with (Fort Scott City Manager) Dave Martin from the city and the police department and we are doing what we can to make sure that we are monitoring different situations and that we have reviewed all our practices and procedures and conducted drills so that we do have an idea of how we would respond," Gross said.
She said one of the questions that comes to her mind immediately is how she would respond if confronted with a similar situation.
"I'd like to think that I'd probably do things very similar to what that principal in that building did," Gross said. "But I think until you are confronted with that situation, I don't know that you can really say for sure that that is how you would react or respond."
Gross said she was meeting with administrators Tuesday morning, reviewing their crisis and emergency plans during a regularly scheduled meeting, when she was informed a Kansas State trooper arrived at Winfield Scott on an emergency call.
Gross said the emergency, which turned out to be a prank call by a young student, is a "teachable moment" that can be used to let students know what cause and concern such behavior can create.
"Who knows what that child has heard or seen or experienced ever since the happenings last Friday in Connecticut, but I'm sure in their mind they are thinking with this kind of a joke, or prank if you will, no harm will come from this," Gross said. "But it's our job to help educate and use this as a teachable moment, not only with the student, but with the family and community that it is really not a laughing matter."
Gross said that in light of what has happened in Connecticut, one of the things the district and the city is doing is similar to what Pittsburg has done in their community.
"We are going to have an police presence in and around our schools," Gross said. "Not that there are any emergencies that we are dealing with right now, we just want our families and our communities to understand that our schools are a safe place."
Fort Scott's four schools, Winfield Scott, Eugene Ware, Fort Scott Middle School and Fort Scott High School all have locked doors with buzzers at the main entrance that are equipped with video cameras. Office personnel may view visitors before they are buzzed in, but Gross said there also are ancillary doors that, although locked and equipped with buzzers, do not have video surveillance.
"That's something we are going to go back and examine," Gross said. "One of our conversations this morning was, 'If somebody wants access to the building and we are trying to identify who that person is, we are only going to allow them through the door with the video camera. That will be an inconvenience for vendors ... but until we can expand the video coverage beyond that one door, I think we have to take steps."
Gross said they are investigating whether they need to do that and what it would cost.
"It's not so much the cost as it is are we doing the right thing and do we have the coverage we need to ensure the safety of our students." Gross said.
Gross said she contacted the Kansas State Department of Education when she came into the district this year to find out if there was someone who could give the district some feedback or audit district policies and procedures to determine if the district is doing everything it can to make sure kids and staff are safe.
"I want to make sure that we are getting all the information we can to our staff members so that they're confident and secure in the steps that they would take should they be faced with situation like those folks in Newtown," Gross said.
Gross wants to assure Fort Scottians U-234 is taking every precaution to make sure that our students do feel safe and secure.
"I've heard in news reports that kids are 100 times more likely to be safe in schools than they are out and about," Gross said. "I think that is something that our parents and community members should consider and we are willing to work with all the stakeholders to ensure that we are doing what is right for our kids."