The computer generated image of the front of the new school. The main glass facade will be bullet-resistant, one of the many efforts to secure the new building.
Mason plans for updated security in new school
If you have turned on the news recently, you have likely heard politicians debating gun control and school safety across the country. Given the significance of the Parkland, Florida shooting that lead to 17 deaths, and the following March for our Lives marches across the country, it is no surprise.
With the upcoming construction of a new George Mason High School providing an excellent opportunity to change the school, many security updates are planned with these recent events in mind.
Current security measures at George Mason include schoolwide alarms, staff security badges, an armed school resource officer, and schoolwide security cameras. The school cameras can also be remotely taken over the Falls Church City Police Department so the police can see inside the school in real time.
Increased security measures will include bullet resistant glass on the front facade of the school, and more levels of security. This will require visitors to travel through several doors, all of which will be able to be locked down remotely from the central office.
Every student is used to lockdown drills, but the new school building will be different. Lockdown drills will still be in place, but additional drills will be conducted as well.
“The drills might look like, ‘okay class, instead of a lockdown drill, we’re gonna practice barricading a door with desks,’” said superintendent Dr. Peter Noonan.
The school administration has also chosen to implement a program called ALICE, which focuses on fleeing rather than locking down. This includes training for teachers on how to deal with a potential intruder situation.
Security changes at the new building will not exclusively be physical changes.
“School safety starts from the the home,” said Falls Church City police chief Mary Gavin.
To increase the mental safety of students, the new plan calls for an increased look at the welfare of students. This will include creating a student tip line, increasing the amount of social workers, and expanding the amount of attention given to student mental health.
With these new measures, the school administration is optimistic that they can ensure the safety of students and staff within the building, while maintaining the focus on learning.