Perkins County Schools goal to prepare and protect

A former student opened fire with a semi-automatic rifle at a Florida high school on Wednesday, Feb. 14, killing 17 people and sending hundreds of students fleeing into the streets in the nation’s deadliest school shooting since a gunman attacked an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut in 2012.

With school shootings on the rise, schools around the country are reviewing and practicing safety procedures. 

Perkins County Schools Superintendent Phillip Picquet said after the Columbine High School shooting in 1999, most schools began implementing lockdown and evacuation policies and procedures.

PCS has had such policies in place for over 15 years, and they are continually reviewed and updated.

Currently, the Nebraska Department of Education is visiting each school district in the state and reviewing their security plans. PCS’s review is scheduled to take place March 2.

One update that has recently been implemented at PCS is the addition of staff and faculty ID badges. 

In a small school such a Perkins County, it seems everybody knows everybody, but Picquet said if a serious situation should happen, it’s not going to be just the local sheriff’s office involved. 

They’re also working on implementing a key card system at the elementary school, which is currently in place at the junior/senior high school. 

He said one of the positives about the key cards is they’re able to keep record of who comes in and out of the building and when. The key cards can also be programmed to work at certain times, enabling them to limit access to the building. 

Not all lockdowns go into effect due to an intruder, Picquet said. If the drug dog enters the building, they go into lockdown. While it hasn’t happened at Perkins County, if a student becomes unruly or out of control, a lockdown can be implemented to protect other students. 

Last month, a lockdown drill was conducted at the elementary building. Parents received an email explaining the basic steps of what would take place. The students were notified of the drill and given the opportunity to ask questions. 

Picquet, Elementary Principal Nicole Long as well as teachers spoke to students and prepared them for the drill. 

Picquet said while they don’t want to scare the kids, they would be remiss if they didn’t discuss the possibilities and corresponding procedures.

“To think it can’t happen in a small community is wrong. We want our kids to be as prepared as possible,” he said.

The basic steps discussed with elementary students included:

• Listen to the teacher in the room and following their instructions.

• Remain quiet.

• If someone enters the room by force, throw things at them.

• If not in a classroom, the door will not be opened. Find the first open door and hide.

Teachers gave students several examples of where they could go and how best to hide. 

• If asked to evacuate, follow the same routine as in a fire drill.

Picquet said plans are in the works for a district-wide lockdown drill.