From lockdown drills to updated security details, Lee County Schools have started increasing efforts to maintain safety against active shooter threats, as educators and parents nationwide stress that readiness can save lives.
Turn lights off, barricade the doors, close all of the windows, be the farthest person from the door, and do not answer to anyone.
That is the typical lockdown drill (active shooter threat) in public schools, especially high schools. At one time, this was the safest way to ensure the wellness of students during a worst-case scenario. Now, since active shooter threats nationwide have become more prominent in the past five years, protection details and technology have advanced to the next level in Lee County schools.
“We were the first high school to use this new system, and now all high schools are using a system called OpenGate,” Principal Jeffrey Estes of Bonita Springs High School said.
OpenGate is a portable weapons detection system made to not only detect metal, butalso detect size, shape, and width. Every student who attends a Lee County public school has to go through this system before walking onto school grounds. Estes also notes that this year, he changed the bus routes to pick up and drop off students to the front of the school, instead of on the side where the bus ramp was in previous years. Now, all students who do parent pickup, drive, or ride a bus, are dropped off at the same location to ensure everyone goes through the OpenGate detectors.
“We are developing the procedure and the funding source to ensure the consistent use of OpenGate at after-school events,” Rob Spicker, spokesman for Lee schools, said.
Estes said that during homecoming, prom, and football games, or other highly populated events, school personnel move the detectors to that location. This helps guarantee the safety of the school and all attendees at each big events on school grounds.
Lockdown drills mainly happen in the classrooms or during gym periods. If something happens during an extracurricular event or an assembly, what happens to the students if they don’t know what to do or where to go? If they’ve only learned how to protect themselves in an isolated classroom, can the same rules be applied to a larger space?
“If an event were to occur during a football game or other event, it would be my responsibility to direct the cheerleaders on where to go for safety,” Kristin McGuire, head cheer coach at Bonita Springs High School, said. “Those safe spaces are easily accessible when we are at our home field, but during away games, I would direct them to the bus unless the administrator at the hosting school states otherwise.”
BSHS, along with all schools in the district, began using an operation known as Centegix. This is a badge system provided to every employee in the school district. Whena button is pressed, it triggers a signal alerting everyone in the building. Estes noted that the school has had this system for about three years now.
“Let’s say someone has a medical issue, such as a seizure. The person working can click the button three times and it’ll set off the entire system,” Estes said. “It notifies all of the deputies and the administrators in the security personnel at school that there’s an incident.”
This system comes with a GPS locator, so everyone knows where to go immediately. They receive EMS and authoritative assistance within minutes of notifying. If there’s an active shooter or a threat on campus,administrators could click that same button in a different number sequence, and authorities are notified. Then the school is immediately put on lockdown. They use this strategy at all times, especially at sports games and dances. Every teacher and administrator has the option to press the button when necessary.
“It’s pretty awesome that we have that,” Estes said.
When it comes to safety at football games, the amount of deputies vary. During the school day, BSHS has two deputies present at all times. During football games, it has four or more.
“Before every game, an email is sent out by the host school that details emergency plans and evacuation locations,” McGuire said. “Our athletic director forwards that email to all coaches involved in the event. It is our responsibility to reach this email and know where to go.”
McGuire and Estes also acknowledge this year, there are designated safe zones in every area of the school. These zones are marked by signs.
“Every gym, locker room, cafeteria, and gathering space at the schools in Lee County have the same designated symbols,” McGuire said.
The staff trains together to prepare for any scenario during summer hours. Spicker says they primarily focus around events that may happen during school hours, but law enforcement’s first objective is to stop any active shooters at any time.
Lee County schools have multiple drills throughout the school year. Drills vary on the time of day, to ensure students are as prepared as they can be depending on where they are in the school at any given time. Spicker said this is because students will react differently depending on where they are, so, ultimately, they have the survival tactics needed to protect themselves in any situation.
The schools in the district may also hire a guardian — a staff member on campus who is certified to bring a concealed weapon on them at all times. Estes said there are several advantages to this, especially combined with the Centegix system. In the case of an active threat, the guardian can defend the school.
While Lee County is prepared in all these ways, McGuire said she wishes schools outside the district were, as well.
“We travel to so many different schools, and many times I’m not sure where specific locations are,” McGuire said. “It would be very helpful if schools would provide a map for us to know exactly where our evacuation or safe zone is in other schools.”
