WHS students learn to be, and stay, safe
By Tom Ganser
Correspondent
On Jan. 10, Whitewater High School students and staff participated in the most recent component of an extensive school safety initiative for the Whitewater Unified School District. This was the first time that the active training has been provided directly to students.
According to David Brokopp, principal of Lakeview Elementary School who coordinates the school safety program for the school district, the general purpose of the session was to provide WHS students with an introduction to the “options-based” responses to active threats of violence that may occur in a school setting.
The assembly began with a PowerPoint presentation entitled “Increasing School Safety Through Education and Preparation” and narrated by Doug Parker, WHS principal, and School Resource Officer Saul Valadez.
The presentation emphasized that thinking about personal safety is a life-skill that applies to all settings, not just school; that talking about personal safety, although difficult, must happen in order to prepare for the “what ifs” of life and that prior preparation and planning before an event improves reaction and response time.
Students were provided with an overview of steps already taken to enhance the safety of schools and the extensive training already provided to staff.
Strategies to prevent violent situations from happening were described, including following district procedures regarding access to buildings, reporting suspicious activities that are sometimes discussed on social networks like Facebook or Twitter, “trusting your instincts” such as feeling fear in a physical situation and warning signs of emotional distress in classmates such as rejection by and isolation from peers.
Students were provided with a basic framework to understand “Run, Hide, Fight” as the three dimensions of options-based response plans to active threats of violence. The options-based response is endorsed by the Department of Homeland Security, Chiefs of Police, tactical officers and of course, common sense.
The first option, Run, was presented as the preferred option since “avoiding contact with the threat is always the best option.”
The Hide option includes such strategies as securing or barricading doors and moving away from windows.
Fight becomes the last option if it is not possible to run or hide from the threatening event. Fight means such things as throwing objects at the threat, working together as a team to overcome the threat and restraining the threat with body weight, belt, cords, etc.
The presentation ended with four “take away” pointers for the students:
• Be aware of your surroundings;
• Report suspicious activities;
• Trust your instincts, know that training improves your response time and options for action, and;
• Be ready to commit to action by developing a survivor’s mind set.
Read the rest of the story in this week’s issue of the Whitewater Register.
