District examines, strengthens security measures

In the days since last week’s tragic shooting in a Connecticut elementary school, Marcellus administrators have joined with local law enforcement agencies in investigating ways to strengthen the security procedures already in place to protect students and staff in our school buildings.

On Tuesday, Dec. 18, administrators met with Marcellus Village Police Chief Robert Wicks, School Resource Officers Earl Smith and John Scanlon, and Keith Watkins, head of buildings and grounds for the district, to discuss the Dec. 14 siege at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., and its implications for other schools. The conversation continued later that evening during the regularly scheduled Board of Education meeting, when Superintendent of Schools Dr. Craig J. Tice provided an update.



As a result of these talks, several security enhancements will be implemented across the Marcellus campus before students return to school Jan. 2.

“We realize some of these changes will take some getting used to,” Dr. Tice said. “They might disrupt the routines to which many in the district – parents, students and staff – have grown accustomed. But we believe our families are willing to do what is necessary to make our facilities as secure as possible.”

The changes include:

• Activating the buzzer-intercom systems already in place for all main offices. Parents will have to “buzz” into the school and identify themselves to school personnel before gaining access to the building.


• Requiring all teachers to lock their classroom doors and all staff to wear identification badges.


• Working with the SROs, local law enforcement, New York State Police and the OCM BOCES Safety Department to update the school safety plans (usually reviewed in January), and complete the school security survey for all facilities.


• Working to secure a grant with the Marcellus Village Police Department for a new photo identification system that requires all visitors to present a driver license. The license is then scanned to produce a photo visitor’s badge and run the person’s name through a criminal background check. (Chief Wicks has secured similar grants to buy SRO radios that link directly to emergency dispatchers, as well as emergency equipment to access locked facilities.)


• Conducting periodic staff training sessions: “go-home-early” drill on Jan. 18, to reinforce existing safety procedures such as access card badges, outside staff supervision at arrival/dismissal, etc.); front office staff/receptionist safety training at OCM BOCES on March 15; and an emergency simulation, mock evacuation with staff, etc., on March 28.


• Researching (and possibly installing) a security window near the high school’s main entrance, to be used in conjunction with the camera-intercom system. This would replace the front desk in the lobby.


• Reviewing student supervisory staff assignments for each building, in order to provide increased adult supervision during the arrival and dismissal of students.


• Providing community and parent information regarding school safety at the upcoming Community Budget Forum (Feb. 13) and Town Meetings (March 14, 20 and 25), as the district anticipates additional security upgrades in the 2013-14 school budget process, including the possible addition of a third school resource officer; inside and outdoor security cameras; the ID screening equipment, etc.

"As we learned from the heartbreaking events in Connecticut, no school safety plan can protect everyone in every situation,” Dr. Tice said.

Dr. Tice thanked all of the law enforcement agencies that reached out to Marcellus Central Schools, including the Marcellus Village Police Department, the New York State Police and the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Department, and said he remains confident the new measures will improve the safety of district buildings.

“The safety of those in our care remains our top priority,” he said.