Galloway School District Establishing Safety Stakeholder Committee in Wake of Connecticut Shooting

The Galloway Township School District is in the process of establishing a School Safety and Security Stakeholder Committee to handle changes in security measures in the wake of last month’s school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.

According to Superintendent of Schools Dr. Annette Giaquinto, the committee will be made up of 25 administrators, staff, parents and community members, similar to the district's Superintendent’s Advisory Committee. However, this committee has a single focus, and is not a permanent committee.

“I expect to have several meetings because some of the changes involving our finances will have to become part of the budget,” Giaquinto said.

She said the response from those interested has been overwhelming.

“We have more people interested than we have spots,” Giaquinto said.

The final makeup of the committee is still to be determined, but the district has already received four pages worth of suggestions from the public. The district will implement some of the suggested changes immediately, including making sure the doors to all classrooms and most offices will be locked at all times.

“That’s something we can implement without discussion and without cost immediately,” Giaquinto said.

She added that staff that doesn’t already have classroom keys will be addressed, and that the district will be looking at camera angles and other security measures at all the district’s schools.

The committee is scheduled to meet for the first time next week. Rich Dase and Beverly Evensen will represent the Board of Education on the committee.