Lakewood Schools Strategies For Preventing School Shooting

LAKEWOOD, OH — Lakewood Superintendent Jeff Patterson recently sent a letter to families detailing how the district handles the mental and physical well-being of students, and how the district prepares for and tries to prevent a school shooting.

"As we are so painfully aware, a mass shooting can happen anywhere. It is our job as a school district to do everything we can to ensure the safety of our students. To that end, I want to share with you some of the strategies we have in place to help address the physical and emotional well-being of our students," he said.

The district's strategies include:

• Conducting drills at schools that prepare students and staff on what to do in the event of an intruder at the building.
• Staff at each school building are trained in the ALICE method of how to deal with an active shooter/intruder. Training is provided by the Lakewood Police Department.
• Social media is monitored for possible threats. Students or adults can make use of an anonymous tip line to alert district staff about concerns. There will soon be a texting app that families can make use of as well.
• Students at all schools have access to mental health services through the district, if the need arises.
• Lakewood High is also the site of a new medical clinic where students, from any school building, can go to see physical and mental health professionals.
• Some staff members have been trained in mental health first aid.
• There are anti-bullying programs at both middle schools.
• District administrators get advance training for crisis situations.

"We will continue to work with our law enforcement officials and security experts to make sure that what we are doing is enough to provide our students schools in which they feel safe, and comfortable about reaching out to one of our staff members when they or someone they know needs help," Patterson said.

Meanwhile, about 75 Lakewood High students walked out of class last week as a political protest for stricter gun control. Additional student walk-outs are planned for the coming weeks.

Photo from Rick Uldricks, Patch