Superintendent of Decatur schools discusses safety protocols in case of potential threat

DECATUR, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — The Decatur School District has safety plans in place to stay ahead of any potential threat.

“We pride ourselves in making sure that our teachers and staff are fully trained in what to do in the event that we need to implement intruder protocols,” Dr. Steve Watkins, superintendent of Decatur School District.

Teachers and students have lockdown drills.

“Pull the drapes down, move the students to a safe corner of the room and wait for the all-call,” Watkins said.

According to Bradyunited.org the proportion of public schools practicing active shooter, or lockdown, drills increased from 40% in 2007 to 95% in 2017.

The purpose of it is so everyone can know what to do in the event of an emergency.

Watkins says they use a safety app called LockNow where they can communicate.

“It’s on their phones and they can hit the app, and it will notify or send it to all the phones that are connected to the lockdown app, notifying them that there is a situation, we need to instigate our lockdown protocols,” Watkins said.

The district also uses the ParentSquare app to keep parents in the know if there’s an incident on campus.

“Hopefully within a few minutes of us entering into a lockdown protocol, that message goes out to parents because we feel it’s very important to keep them informed.” Watkins said. “Obviously, we will follow up with an all-clear message as soon as we’re all clear.”

If the school has to use a reunification protocol , parents are notified of the secured location.

School resource officers walk around the buildings, one at the elementary campus and the other at the middle and high school.

There are security cameras on all of the entrances, parking lots, and hallways.

The district also makes sure to know who is visiting each school by giving visitors badges.

“So it’s easy for people in the hallways to look and immediately recognize whether that person has been through our check-in system because they’ll have a badge that’s easy for them to see,” Watkins said.

If you are visiting, the school has safety measures in place where they have keypads and electronic closure on all doors.

The school also has double vestibules at all of its main entrances.

“They come in through the main door, and then they’re in that vestibule until they’re buzzed through by a staff member into the office, not into the hallways, but into the office,” Watkins said.

For Decatur students dealing with a traumatic situation, they can also use the STOPit platform app to talk with a licensed counselor.

There’s also a social worker on campus.

“She’s available as well. Our counselors and teachers are all trained to know what procedures they need to follow to get those students the help that they need with whatever individual they need,” Watkins said.

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