Croton-Harmon High School Installs Intruder Alerts

From the Croton Harmon school district

Red fire alarm boxes are a common sight in schools, but this year, students and faculty at Croton-Harmon High School noticed some similar blue boxes around the halls.

These new “intruder alerts” operate similarly to a fire alarm and will sound school wide alerts, as well as notify village police, when pulled.

CHHS Principal Alan Capasso said school officials take student safety very seriously.

“Unfortunately, it’s a different society than when I grew up,” he said, referencing school tragedies dating back to Columbine and as recent as the Sandy Hook shooting. “It’s fundamental that our students and staff be safe in the school.”

Security after school hours is also being amped up at CHHS this year.

“Now that we have a security person in the evening, we are changing our procedures,” said Capasso. “Beginning at 3:30 p.m., there is only one entrance to the school; all visitors must come through the front door. Our security person will be approaching them, getting their names and the nature of their business before they are allowed to proceed into the school.”

District administrators also continue to work closely with the Croton-on-Hudson Police Department during lockdown drills and other emergency situations.

“It’s a different world we live in and it’s critical that our students are safe,” said Capasso.

Visit the district website, www.croton-harmonschools.org, to view a video about the new intruder alerts.