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Daigneault
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By GALEN HOLLEY
Staff Writer
The Grenada School District is reevaluating its safety procedures and policies to ensure student safety in the wake of the school shootings in Connecticut.
“Whatever the situation we encounter, we feel confident we have a plan for it,” said Superintendent Dr. David Daigneault.
Last week a Grenada Middle School student was caught with a loaded handgun at school, and Daigneault said he was determined to make sure it never happened again.
The student is now in the process of appearing before youth court, Daigneault said. After that, the school will decide what disciplinary action to take, he added.
Director of Students Tim Wilder said earlier that school policy called for expulsion in such cases.
As Daigneault spoke Wednesday, he was preparing for a meeting with Grenada police, sheriff’s deputies, firefighters and personnel from the Emergency Operations Center.
“We’re going to talk things over, make sure we’re all on the same page and make sure we have complete communication,” said Daigneault. His cell phone was abuzz with texts and e-mails from local emergency responders and district administrators in charge of security.
First defense
Earlier this year, emergency personnel were given a tour of all Grenada’s school facilities. They saw with their own eyes the layout of each campus, including where the blind spots were, where potentially safe areas were and which areas needed special attention.
“They combed over the buildings thoroughly, and they know each nook and cranny,” said Daigneault.
It isn’t easy for a person to gain access to Grenada schools, Daigneault said. The doors are locked at all the schools, except for the main entrances.
When someone enters the main doors, they’re usually greeted. “The procedure is then for the greeter to escort the visitor to the school office, where they will be asked to sign in,” he said.
“We have at least two levels of encounter when a person enters the building,” said Daigneault.
In a small town like Grenada where front office personnel recognize regular visitors, they aren’t going to give local moms and dads a hard time, but they are going to be more vigilant in light of the Connecticut tragedy, Daigneault said.
Another line of defense are the five security officers who patrol the four schools. They’re employees of Safe Security in Grenada, which works on a district contract.
For the full story, see the printed edition of the GrenadaStar.
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