After Deadly School Shooting, North Fork Districts Talk Security

NORTH FORK, NY — After 17 people were shot and killed and numerous others injured Wednesday after a former student opened fire in a horrific act of mass violence at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, local school officials on the North Fork are mapping out strategies for amped up security.

David Gamberg, superintendent of both the Greenport and Southold School districts, discussed extensive plans with Patch.

"We are in the process of implementing a range of steps with regard to the safety and security of students and staff in both Greenport and Southold," he said. "In some ways we are collaborating to share resources, and in other ways each district has unique issues and responses to those issues."

Both districts, he said, have secured the services of Dr. Melissa Reeves to develop a "robust crisis plan for both districts. We have teams of our mental health and administrative staff working with Dr. Reeves on these plans," he said. "It should be noted that Dr. Reeves is a premier expert in the field of school safety with a national reputation."

The districts' work with Dr. Reeves will extend into professional development opportunities when both districts meet on March 16 to "unpack the plans and launch into more in depth training schedules for the staff of each district," Gamberg said.

In Southold, Gamberg said ongoing work with the district's capital project includes moving all administrative offices to the front of the secondary building by the main entrance, meaning that all visitors to the building would not travel unsupervised throughout the building to get to various destinations, such as the offices of the principal or director of special education. Other aspects of the capital project will include parking lot lighting and surveillance cameras throughout the district, he said.

In addition, Gamberg said the district is looking into staffing considerations that would enhance security as part of the 2018 to 2019 budget.

"A visitor ID management system and some surveillance cameras will also be installed when SMART bond funding comes through from the state," Gamberg said.

In Greenport, Gamberg said, an "extensive analysis of the policies and procedures that are followed to better ensure the safety of students and staff," has begun. "We are also looking into staffing considerations that would enhance security as part of the 2018 to 2019 budget."

In the more immediate future, Gamberg said, the district is exploring the way in which the building is secured in terms of entrance and egress throughout the school day.

"Considerations are being made to adjust the way students, staff and visitors enter the building to ensure that all doors other than the one entered remain locked at all times," he said.

Greenport, he added, is awaiting final approval from New York State to implement its share of the SMART bond which amounts to about $100,858 worth of grant money to replace exterior doors, provide for a swipe card system for staff members and add a visitor ID badge management system.

"There are other structural changes to the physical building and campus that are being considered through both grant money and the general fund budget. This work is ongoing and recommendations will be forthcoming this spring," Gamberg said.

Parents, rocked by the news of yet another school shooting, had heavy hearts as they brought their students for classes Thursday.

"Today I’m thinking of the teachers and faculty in my boys’ school and all schools around the country," said mom Lauren Gilbert of Mattituck. "The weight that they have on their shoulders is unimaginable. It used to be that they would have to protect them from bumping their head or getting a scraped knee. And even then that was quickly consolable. But now they have to have a plan as to where to hide the children if someone decides to open fire on innocent lives that have just begun."

She added that as she dropped her children off at school Thursday morning, Dr. Anne Smith, superintendent of the Mattituck-Cutchogue School District, was standing outside.

"We don’t normally see her at that time and I know it was her way of saying, 'I’m here,'" Gilbert said. "And as much as I appreciated that and think she does an incredible job, I wish I didn’t have to see her face this morning. It was a reminder of what is going on in this country and my eyes started to tear."

As a parent, Gilbert said she and others strive so hard to shield children from what they can, while still letting them experience life.

She had a message for the staff of her children's district: "To the staff and faculty at Cutchogue East, you have two pieces of my heart in your care and I fully trust you all to care for them and protect them in every way you can. . . Thank you for welcoming my boys with a smile today while I know how hard that is on a day like today. Thank you for opening your arms and hearts while in the back of your mind praying you will be able to protect them. Thank you for bearing the weight of providing a good education while also providing a plan for an unimaginable situation. Thank you for being a 'parent' to my boys."

Dr. Smith described the Mattituck-Cutchogue School District's response to Wednesday's tragedy.

She said she sent a comprehensive email to all faculty and staff regarding their critical role when tragedies hit schools around the country, sharing the importance of routine and listening to children who may have been exposed via the news and social media to images and news that are hard to understand.

"Most important is assuring the children that the adults know what to do in an emergency," she said. "We also reminded everyone about the importance of reviewing all safety and security procedure with their students."

The Mattituck-Cutchogue School District, Smith said, has three full time security personnel and those staff members also met and reviewed all practices.

In addition, faculty meetings were held to check in on how the students were responding to the tragedy, as well as to remind the adults about remaining vigilant at all times, she said. The secondary staff will also be reviewing the protocols of reporting any concerns they hear about or notice for safety and for mental support, Smith said.

"We hold regular safety meetings, keep our safety and emergency response plans up to date and have just updated ours for board review next month," Smith said. "Yesterday afternoon as part of our comprehensive work this year on wellness and mental health our secondary staff had a workshop on the topic of remaining connected and in tune with students social emotional needs. This was prior to the events in Florida."

The district, Smith said, has a larger wellness and safety larger goal that addresses concerns.

Included are the new security entrance at Cutchogue East, a new license requirement for entering the district's buildings, and an expansion of security cameras throughout the inside and outside of buildings.

"We recently met with local law enforcement to review and plan for ways to expand our communication in the event of an emergency," Smith said.

And, she said, the district posted the following message its website and building Facebook Pages: "We join the families and members of the Broward County Schools in mourning and with support. There is no explanation that will help us to process or understand this tragic loss of life and trauma. Like the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary, we are one with all schools and all educators and families in our country."

The district's Board of Education will hold a moment of silence Thursday evening, the post said.

"The safety and well-being of students is our top priority. As you send your children to our schools, our staff is ready to love and care for them. If we can further support you and your family during this difficult national time, please contact a teacher, a trusted staff member, your child’s principal or me directly," Smith said.

Parents speak out

Parents agreed that action needs to be taken.

Southold mom Jill Franke believes any teachers or staff that would want to be trained to carry a firearm should be able to do so. Franke said she'd be willing to organize a raffle or fundraiser in memory of her brother Jon, a state police officer, "to raise money for their training, license and pistol."

Other parents also offered suggestions on how to combat the violence.

"It's crazy," said Marc LaMaina, whose kids attend school in Aquebogue. "Everyone needs to come to terms that the government is not going to help us protect our children in school."

Parents, teachers, school social workers, school administrators and even primary care doctors, if the situation calls for it, need to be on the same page for each child, he said.

"Be it a yearly screening or quarterly for high risk kids, such as those with excessive detention/suspensions — no situation is the same. Yesterday's shooter was expelled, then came back to the school and murdered. If there were procedures set in place for him to get the help he needed, would it have worked? I'd take the chance on it working," LaMaina said. "I don't want to have an armed security guard at my kids' school. But given the current climate, I am a bit embarrassed to say it, I'd like to see one. Keeping people that don't belong at the school — an expelled student, for example — can be done."

Cutchogue mom Gwen Groocock agreed. "There is no point on waiting for our elected officials to do anything, because clearly that is not going to happen. We need to do something ourselves, and that starts at school," she said.

She added: "Every school needs to proactively budget for and create its own security plan. And we should have resources to help with that, so that each school isn’t reinventing the wheel. Imagine a kind of master list of security options."

The physical security aspect should be considered, she said, ranging from the minimum of all doors but one locked, and a security monitor at the one entry. . . to increasing security such as armed security monitor, through to CCTV, metal detectors, interior locking security doors, panic buttons, and staff trained in defense. On the social/psychological side of security, she added, "there should be school-based mental health screening and more resources for guidance counselors, plus some kind of social reporting system. Kids could alert counselors to social media posts that indicate potential trouble."

Groocock said she believes it’s striking that in most every case, there were people who knew that the killer was troubled, and even reported concerns to authorities. "But nothing was done. These events begin months, if not years, before the actual shooting, with mental illness or social/family troubles. This component is very underrated but so important because it doesn’t just stop or slow down an active shooter, it could prevent disturbed people from becoming violent in the first place."

Schools could choose from the list and plans according to budget and consensus, she added.

Talking to kids after violence

Gamberg said he shared guidelines provided by Reeves with both districts "for how we should respond to our students in wake of such terrible incidents."T hey will also be shared on the districts' websites. Following are the guidelines, from the National Association of School Psychologists:

"High profile acts of violence, particularly in schools, can confuse and frighten children who may feel in danger or worry that their friends or loved-ones are at risk. They will look to adults for information and guidance on how to react. Parents and school personnel can help children feel safe by establishing a sense of normalcy and security and talking with them about their fears," the guidelines said.

1. Reassure children that they are safe. Emphasize that schools are very safe. Validate their feelings. Explain that all feelings are okay when a tragedy occurs. Let children talk about their feelings, help put them into perspective, and assist them in expressing these feelings appropriately.

2. Make time to talk. Let their questions be your guide as to how much information to provide. Be patient; children and youth do not always talk about their feelings readily. Watch for clues that they may want to talk, such as hovering around while you do the dishes or yard work. Some children prefer writing, playing music, or doing an art project as an outlet. Young children may need concrete activities (such as drawing, looking at picture books, or imaginative play) to help them identify and express their feelings.

3. Keep your explanations developmentally appropriate.

• Early elementary school children need brief, simple information that should be balanced with reassurances that their school and homes are safe and that adults are there to protect them. Give simple examples of school safety like reminding children about exterior doors being locked, child monitoring efforts on the playground, and emergency drills practiced during the school day.

• Upper elementary and early middle school children will be more vocal in asking questions about whether they truly are safe and what is being done at their school. They may need assistance separating reality from fantasy. Discuss efforts of school and community leaders to provide safe schools.

• Upper middle school and high school students will have strong and varying opinions about the causes of violence in schools and society. They will share concrete suggestions about how to make school safer and how to prevent tragedies in society. Emphasize the role that students have in maintaining safe schools by following school safety guidelines (e.g. not providing building access to strangers, reporting strangers on campus, reporting threats to the school safety made by students or community members, etc.), communicating any personal safety concerns to school administrators, and accessing support for emotional needs.

4. Review safety procedures. This should include procedures and safeguards at school and at home. Help children identify at least one adult at school and in the community to whom they go if they feel threatened or at risk.

5. Observe children’s emotional state. Some children may not express their concerns verbally. Changes in behavior, appetite, and sleep patterns can also indicate a child’s level of anxiety or discomfort. In most children, these symptoms will ease with reassurance and time. However, some children may be at risk for more intense reactions. Children who have had a past traumatic experience or personal loss, suffer from depression or other mental illness, or with special needs may be at greater risk for severe reactions than others. Seek the help of mental health professional if you are at all concerned.

6. Limit television viewing of these events. Limit television viewing and be aware if the television is on in common areas. Developmentally inappropriate information can cause anxiety or confusion, particularly in young children. Adults also need to be mindful of the content of conversations that they have with each other in front of children, even teenagers, and limit their exposure to vengeful, hateful, and angry comments that might be misunderstood.

7. Maintain a normal routine. Keeping to a regular schedule can be reassuring and promote physical health. Ensure that children get plenty of sleep, regular meals, and exercise. Encourage them to keep up with their schoolwork and extracurricular activities but don’t push them if they seem overwhelmed.

For additional resources and tips from NASP, click here.

Patch file photos.