Long-Planned School Lockdown Drill Postponed — Not the Right Time

Is this the time to conduct emergency lockdown drills at our public schools?

In Novato, the answer was no on Monday in the wake of the Sandy Hook massacre in Connecticut. Compassion prevailed when a regularly scheduled drill at Olive Elementary School was postponed until frayed nerves might be a bit more calmed.

As soon as administrators at the Novato Unified School District assessed plans for a long-planned lockdown drill, Superintendent Shalee Cunningham put it on hold. She sent out a note to all principals at 8:53 a.m. Monday, and the text was shared with Novato Patch by communications director Leslie Benjamin.

"It was decided this was not a good thing to do today," Benjamin said.

Cunningham addressed the heroic actions of the teachers at Sandy Hook Elementary and said, "This week must be a time of calmness." She said counselors are available to any school that has a need.

Olive Principal Alison Gardner said a variety of emergency drills are scheduled throughout the year and she's confident the kids and staff are prepared. She said "it was clear" that Monday was not the best time to have a drill.

"Our job is to make the kids feel safe," she said.

Sound like a good move to you? Add a comment below.

Meantime, do you have any strong ideas about how Novato can better prepare for violence emergencies on school campuses? Read about the North Bay Security Group's role in the protection of schoolkids and staff members.

Patch has a site in Newtown, Conn., and the writers are doing an amazing job personalizing the tragedy. Click here for the series of tribute stories, including a new one about the principal of Sandy Hook Elementary.

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