A lockdown at a school sparks fear in the hearts of parents, and can be very scary for the kids involved too.
Lockdowns are increasingly necessary and all schools do the drills to be ready. In Bradford today, one of those drills took place and displayed the various levels of security schools now have.
It could be an ordinary school day, but without any notice an intruder can pose a threat to staff and students, forcing the principal to place the school under lockdown.
As police are called, teachers check the halls for students and lock classroom doors. Students are quickly ushered to a safe and secure spot in their classroom.
Alyssa Anderson, a Grade 8 student, says they have to “make sure we're quiet and find a safe spot.”
Upon arrival, police search the halls for any intruders and make sure students and teachers are safe
“We'll make sure doors are locked and we don't want to be able to hear or see anything,” says Const. Elisabeth Aschwanden.
Lockdowns are rare but they do happen. This past May, St. Joseph High School in Barrie was placed under a lockdown after there was a report of man wandering the halls with a gun. In the end police found the man but determined there was no weapon. It’s a scary and real possibility and that’s why at St. Charles Elementary School in Bradford, staff, students, and police taking part in the drill.
“Ever since Columbine it became a real need in our schools and we never know when something could happen and we just want to make sure we are prepared,” says principal Joe Almeida.
Aschwanden adds, “We don't want chaos in our schools and we want to make sure our administrators are able to what they need to do and then the police can attend school as quickly as possible.”
A lockdowns is the most serious response. Schools can also be placed under a hold-and-secure while police search for a suspect in the surrounding area or shelter in place for any type of environmental threat. These drills are held in the fall and spring and are not meant to scare students, but rather make them aware.
“Regardless of what the threat level is we want them to feel comfortable at school,” says Aschwanden.
“It makes me feel safer because if I didn't know where to go I would be more nervous than I already am,” says Anderson. “So it’s better for us to know where we have to go and stay.”
And for parents, the drills provide some reassurance that procedures are in place.
“I am happy that they practise,” says Rachel Bayliss, “although it’s a horrible thought.”
The province requires schools to practise lockdowns at least two times a year. It must be as real as possible and students are never aware of when a lockdown drill will happen.
