TOWN OF TONAWANDA, NY (WKBW) — Safety protocols at private schools are top of mind as the investigation into the latest school shooting at the Abundant Life Christian School in Wisconsin continues.
I spoke to the principal and a student at Mount St. Mary Academy in the Town of Tonawanda who said this latest tragedy in Wisconsin hits close to home at their private, all-girls Catholic school.
“It's awful,” said Katherine Spillman, the principal at Mount St. Mary Academy. “Our hearts go out to those in Wisconsin at that small Christian school, I’m sure, where they knew this family, and that was a close-knit community and so this does hit home.”
“It definitely hits close to home, especially because we're in such a similar environment," said Diana D’Angelo, a senior at Mount St. Mary Academy."It's heartbreaking."
D’Angelo is among the more than 200 students attending Mount St. Mary. She told me knowing a 15-year-old girl committed Monday’s shooting at a private Christian school in Wisconsin makes it very difficult.
“I think that's always the fear, no matter what school you go to, is just, it is really unpredictable sometimes,” D’Angelo said.
Mount St. Mary’s has safety protocols in place and while it doesn't have metal detectors, it uses security cameras that are constantly monitored by school leaders and staffers.
The school also practices lock-down drills as required by New York State.
Students are required to use their fobs to get into the building, but anyone else — parents and visitors — must check in at the entrance and ring the bell.
“Hi, how may I help you?” asked the person in the school office watching on a camera.
Once approved to enter, you're buzzed in.
Principal Spillman told me they began enforcing school IDs and fobs this school year, but she also reminded parents about safety rules at school and at home.
“Safety across the board for our students, matters, and so I think what's happening at home with gun safety or making sure those guns are locked up," said Spillman. "We really hope that our families are ensuring that they're having those conversations. If you're dropping something off for your daughter, please come to the main office to drop it off. Don't text your child and have her come to the door, because we want to make sure who's coming in and out of the building.”
The Mount, under the Kenmore-Tonawanda School District, receives a small amount of state security funds and was able to recently install bulletproof doors at the perimeter of the building. A school safety officer also visits the school.
“Do you feel safe in this environment?" I asked.
“Definitely, yeah, I’ve never really felt unsafe at school," said D'Angelo. "I come to school every day pretty confident that I’ll be safe.”
“What makes you feel safe and secure?” I asked.
“I definitely think the new policies that we started with, like our lanyards and our IDs – it's a really good way to I feel safe coming in," D'Angelo answered. "I like our fobs to let us into the building each day, so I think that's another safe way. I know no one else can open the door if they don't have their fob. I know some no one else can come in the building."
School counselors, a full-time social worker and other school team members work to keep a close check on the mental health of students.
"And it's usually a kiddo that's struggling with, you know, depression or anxiety or concerns of self-harm, and so that we can triage pretty quickly,” Spillman noted.
"Being in such a small environment makes it really easy to – if you see something, it's really easy to say something, and like, you could never be too careful when saying something,” D’Angelo reflected.
