School Security Reviewed in East Hanover After CT Shooting

As school districts throughout the country examine their security procedures after , Superintendent Joseph Ricca of the East Hanover School District said he and the rest of the East Hanover educational community are shocked and grieved over the tragedy.

"This situation is just so tragic, and as a teacher and a school leader, you look at it and can’t even imagine how terrible and devastating it is to the entire community," Ricca said. "It rattles you to the core. You can’t imagine how anybody could enter an elementary school building and commit such a horrible act."

Ricca said he has worked with the East Hanover Police Department to increase police presence at schools, especially at drop-off and pick-up times. "We hope that will make folks feel more safe, secure and comfortable," Ricca said.

School Security

"Our district is one of only six in Morris County that participated in a soft target hardening evaluation through the Prosecutor's Office two years ago," Ricca said. As part of the evaluation, law enforcement officers went through each school building and suggested improved safety procedures and practices.

"They identified any area around the facilities that could pose a safety risk, for all kinds of things," Ricca said. "Going through that process, we were able to identify some things in our security process that were able to be strengthened."

In all East Hanover schools, for example, all doors are locked during school hours. Visitors must be buzzed in, and a school employee is usually at the door to meet the visitor, Ricca said.

Schools also go through two to three safety drills each month, for everything from fire drills to "shelter in place" drills to, yes, active shooter drills.

"The kids don't even know what it is that they're drilling," Ricca said. The teachers have codes they use to communicate what drill the kids should do," so the children are not frightened by words such as "shooting."

Staff are trained at maintaining a calm demeanor, again so the children are not scared. "Think of flight attendants, people who can be in a very dangerous situation but who can remain calm so others can remain calm. That's why we drill so much, so that if, God forbid, we ever have to do it for real, they know what to do," Ricca said.

After the Newton shooting, Ricca said the district will go through "an ongoing and fluid assessment of our protocols."

Ricca also said released a statement to the public advising any parents whose children have questions about the shooting consult the National Association of School Psychologists website.

"Dealing with a traumatic situation, the best thing we can do is to listen to the children, to what they’re thinking and what they’re feeling, and provide support to them," Ricca said.