Gentry schools consider armed intruder plans

— School administrators have begun work on an updated armed intruder policy for the Gentry School District.

According to an email sent from superintendent Randy Barrett to the school principals, meetings to discuss the policy were to commence when classes resumed last week.

Also included in the email was a document prepared by Barrett as a starting point for discussion which dealt with the following basic parts, based on the acronym ALICE, of a possible procedure proposal:

◊ Alert - including the order of calls made to 911 and local authorities, to staff and to the administrative office;

◊Lockdown - including instructions related to the implementation of a lockdown at all campuses;

◊Inform - including possible methods of informing staff of intruder location and actions;

◊Counter - including methods to counter an armed intruder when in immediate presence of the intruder; and

◊Evacuation - including evacuation plans for each school and for various activities and places on the campuses.

Also included in the discussion piece was possible student pickup locations, statements to the media and cooperation with law enforcement and emergency responders.

According to Barrett, law enforcement officials will have opportunity to aid in the creation of armed intruder procedures and will be fully informed of new policies and procedures which the schools would use in the event of an

News, Pages 1 on 01/09/2013