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TO:
NORWIN PARENTS/GUARDIANS
FROM:
Richard G. Watson, Ph. D.,
Superintendent of Schools
DATE: October 2001
SUBJECT: School District Security
The District shares the nation's concern regarding the terrorist attacks of September 11. While the nation is bracing for some form of retaliation for the military actions of October 7 we must do as the president has urged and “return to a normal life.” However, responsible behavior causes us to evaluate our level of security in many environments, including our schools.
A number of community members have approached the district to inquire if Norwin has plans in place to address a variety of emergencies that could occur at any of our schools. The answer is yes. Be assured that the district understands its obligation to the community and to our children to provide a safe and stable environment. While it is impossible to plan for every potential situation or to guarantee that nothing harmful will happen to any of the district’s 5,200 students at anytime, it is our goal.
In order to create a safe and stable environment, Norwin has in place an emergency plan for the district, as well as plans for each individual building. Procedures are in place for any number of situations. Some situations that we have attempted to address include the following: utility interruptions/outages, fires, floods, bomb incidents, incidents with hazardous materials, hostage situations, demonstrations, and so on. The emergency plans have been reviewed and discussed with personnel at all levels and will continue to be reviewed.
Further the security plans are continually reviewed and updated. Norwin tries to stay current by participating in safety related workshops and seminars. For instance, district personnel will be attending a FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Association) sponsored session on terrorism this month. In addition various staff members have been receiving training in first aid and CPR.
As many of you are aware, districts nation wide (Norwin included), have put in place increased security measures since the April 1999 attack at Columbine High School. For those of you who may not be familiar with Norwin’s increased security measures, they include the following:
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Radio communications systems to improve intra-building and intra-district communications and a direct link to local police.
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Security cameras and buzzer locks at the main entrance to each building to limit access to only authorized individuals.
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Distribution of identification cards for all district employees that they are required to wear.
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Required background checks on all construction workers and identification cards issued to all construction employees on the Norwin job sites.
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Emergency first aid kits in each of the buildings.
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Nurses issued first responders medical kit.
As our nation has become painfully aware, there are no foolproof plans to prepare for every potential situation; however, I wanted to take this time to assure the community that the Norwin School District is alert to our community’s overall security concerns. If you have any questions about specific areas of concerns please feel free to contact the principal at your child’s school or my office. If you have need to discuss how your child is reacting to the circumstances in our country today, please contact the School Psychologist’s office at (724) 861-3000.