District adjusts to new protocol
September 13, 2022
New security measures have been taken since the school shooting in Uvalde on May 24, 2022.
“Every since said incident, other events hit closer to home,” Dr. John Sherrill, junior high and high school principal, said. “If students can’t learn in a safe environment, then nothing else really matters.”
Superintendent C.D. Knobloch said that the shooting sparked a series of safety legal requirements for schools.
The incident left everybody on edge,” he said. “The further measures the state is taking are things the schools should’ve already been doing.”
Classrooms are now locked at all times, except during passing periods. Sherrill said this is the core of the security.
“Research shows that a threat to the school community has never gotten through a locked door,” he said.
The administration held a meeting over the summer to discuss where the school could improve their safety.
“We held a meeting to identify our weaknesses and plan what the faculty can do,” Knobloch said.
The school has weekly door checks with logs and assigned people to areas to make sure the doors are locked. This is to help the teachers and coaches stay responsible for keeping the doors locked.
“I have been more vigilant in keeping doors locked in our area of the building,” Athletic Director Bradan Ritchey said.
Junior high teacher Shawn Rice said he understands the difficulty of it but knows it’s good for the school.
“I think locking the doors is a great idea,” Rice said. “It’s a bit of a pain, but it’s worth it for our safety.”
Senior Camryn Cox said some aspects of the updated security can be “frustrating.”
I appreciate that the school is taking precautions,” Cox said. “It’s just difficult for when students have to go interview for journalism.”
The teachers now all have to wear badges that say Archer City ISD with their names.
“Having the teachers wear the name tags makes it easier to catch if someone is out of the norm,” Sherrill said.
The school has also adopted the “guardian program,” which is a coordination with the local law enforcement to have a plan incase of emergencies.
“The guardian program helps the school have a better planned effort to protect the students,” Knobloch said.
Sophomore Brooke Smith said the new addition to the security feels successful in its efforts.
“In the long run despite the inconveniences, the new security helps the students feel more secure,” Smith said.