The Screven County School System plans to conduct Intruder Alert Drills over the next several weeks as students, teachers, and parents deal with ongoing concerns in the aftermath of the Apalachee High School Shooting.
In a letter to parents Tuesday, Screven County School Superintendent Jim Thompson said:
Over the next couple of weeks, we will be conducting intruder alert drills at all 3 of our schools. Each school principal will provide more specific information about that school’s drill, including the day that it will take place, to students, parents, and staff.
Beginning this school year, all schools in Georgia are required to hold intruder alert drills and report the completion of those drills to Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMA) each year before October 1st (OCGA 20-2-1185). Over the past several years, Screven County Schools has utilized the Centegix Crisis Alert System to complete intruder alert drills at each school in cooperation with our local law enforcement, emergency personnel, and GEMA as a part of our local School Safety Plan. We appreciate the strong support of all of our local and state law enforcement and emergency agencies as we continue with this practice. Please be aware that future drills may be unannounced to the general public in order to better assess the effectiveness of our safety and security measures.
The safety of everyone in our schools is my top priority. The recent, tragic school shooting in our state is a painful reminder that no school is completely safe from the possibility of violence; therefore, in addition to all of the physical safety measures that may be in place, the entire school community must maintain a sense of “safety awareness” at all times. In our school system, we devote a great amount of time and energy in safety training for staff and students. I ask that parents, guardians, and caregivers make sure that the students in their care understand the following items:
- Students should report to a school staff member immediately when they have knowledge that another student or other individual has brought or is planning to bring to campus a weapon, drugs, or anything that could cause harm to another.
- Students must be responsible in their speech, writing, and social media use. Threats of harm by any means will not be tolerated. Screven County School System, with the assistance of local and state law enforcement, thoroughly investigates all threats of harm that are made to other students, staff members, or to the school in general. Students that are found to have made these types of threats will be punished and may be prosecuted.
I am proud of the steps that we take each day to improve school safety and security, and I am committed to continuous improvement in this endeavor. I appreciate everyone’s cooperation in helping us continue to ensure that the Screven County School System is a safe place where everyone matters, everyone learns, and everyone succeeds!
Jim Thompson
Superintendent
Screven County School System
