Englewood Super Says Safety Is ‘Paramount,’ Security Under Review

Englewood school officials review safety procedures and emergency plans on a regular basis, but Superintendent Donald Carlisle says there are always ways to improve.

“There’s not a parent in America who is not grieving with those families of the community of Newtown, CT,” Carlisle said in a statement posted on the Englewood Public School District’s website in response to the shooting rampage at Sandy Hook Elementary School that left 20 children and six adults dead. “Since the tragedy at Columbine all school districts, including ours, have put in place security measures, including specific emergency plans, in the event of a tragedy such as happened [Friday].”

Carlisle said Englewood students and staff take part in regular safety drills, and that the district has security officers in all the every school and security greeters at “every school door.”

“We also have a system to notify parents in case of an emergency by telephone and email, which was just upgraded,” Carlisle said.

In November, officials announced the district was changing the way it communicates with parents and staff in the wake of Superstorm Sandy by using a new robo-call system to keep parents and staff informed of emergencies and reinstating what Carlisle called “the old-fashioned telephone chain” as a backup to that system.

After the massacre in Newtown Friday, Carlisle said that improving security in the district is something officials continue to strive toward, in spite of the measures already in place.

“We are in the midst of conducting a full system review of safety and security measures district-wide, which will include an outside security consultant to provide an independent assessment,” Carlisle said.

The superintendent also said protecting students and staff members is “paramount.”

“While no plan is foolproof, I want to assure you that events such as the one that occurred [Friday] in Connecticut only reinforce our commitment to keep our children and staff safe.”

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