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Safety starts at the door at Anderson Community Schools

Posted at 12:47 PM, Oct 04, 2018
and last updated 2018-10-04 18:31:18-04
All week long, RTV6 is looking into school safety across multiple districts throughout Central Indiana.  We’re asking each district the same questions and bringing you their school safety plan.  We’re working for you, so you know what your school is doing to keep students safe. To see the school safety plans of other districts, visit theindychannel.com/schoolsafety.

ANDERSON, Ind. -- At Highland Middle School in Anderson, Indiana, getting into the building is a process. There are two sets of doors at the entrance, visitors buzz and check-in to be let through to the academic wing.

The security measures don't end there. Once a classroom door shuts, it locks -- meant to keep an intruder out.

“On a normal day, we’ve got 1,500 kids in this building who walk freely, go to class freely, and we have no problems," said Anderson Community Schools Superintendent Dr. Tim Smith. "If there's someone who shouldn't be in this building, roaming the halls we need to make sure that in that 15- to 30-second range, we can secure the class, get the kids out of sight and make sure that they're not in harm’s way," 

Smith said there are security measures in place at every school in the district. There's even crisis training for educators. 

“So our goal is to make sure our staff is prepared to respond and react appropriately to keep themselves and our kids safe if something were to ever happen," Smith said.

School resource officers are in place at Highland Middle School and Anderson High School. There are also metal-detecting wands and more security that is not in plain sight.

Laura Fetty’s son attends Erskine Elementary School.   

“You have to be buzzed in. That's what I like. Because I don't like the fact you could be able to just walk right into a school," Fetty said.

“Every day we have to be on our top priority alertness for our kids and our staff," Smith said.

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