Lockdown Drills Planned for December

December 4, 2015 Parents and/or Guardians: I believe the safety of our students, faculty, and staff is of paramount importance and that one of the most important steps we can take to improve the safety of our school community is preparedness. To that end the Cazenovia Central School District in coordination with local law enforcement will be conducting a lockdown drill during the month of December. This drill is an outgrowth of school officials’ efforts to further the District’s preparedness for potential violent incidents in accordance with Cazenovia’s district Safety Plan. It is our desire to make this a valuable learning experience for our students and staff. To that end, please know that school district officials have reviewed procedures with faculty and staff prior to the drill. Please be assured that all efforts will be made by school personnel to minimize any anxiety for our students. The drill will consist of each building entering into a lockdown status whereby students will be sheltered in rooms with their teachers until all doors have been opened by a member of the Emergency Response Team. Students will not be evacuated during this drill and the entire drill should last no longer than 30 minutes at each building. Following the drill the Emergency Response Team will meet to analyze and offer feedback on the drill process in an effort to enhance the effectiveness of future drills. This drill is a vital step in improving our human response in the event of an actual emergency. Additional drills are planned for the coming spring with the goal of increasing the automaticity of our reaction. It is the sincere hope of school district officials that this effort and any future drills will serve us well as we seek to ensure the safety and well-being of the students and staff of the Cazenovia School District. If you have any questions about this matter, please do not hesitate to contact me at either mreilly@caz.cnyric.org or 315-655-1317. Sincerely, Matthew Reilly Superintendent, Cazenovia Central School