Security Symposium Draws 850

Joseph Cirasuolo, CAPPS Executive DirectorStefan Pryor, CT Commissioner of Education
Deb Delisle, Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of EducationLeft to right: Speakers David Esquith, Jon Akers, Susan Graves, Ian Moffett, and Marleen Wong
Senator Richard BlumenthalShamus O’Meara, Attorney, O’Meara, Leer, Wagner, & Kohl



TO ACCESS MATERIALS AND RESOURCES DISTRIBUTED AND DISCUSSED AT THIS EVENT, PLEASE VISIT: http://rems.ed.gov/CTSummit2013.aspx


The Connecticut School Security Symposium, sponsored by the CT Association of Public School Superintendents (CAPSS), the CT Association of Boards of Education (CABE), the CT Association of School Business Officials (CASBO), the CT Association of Schools (CAS) and the CT State Department of Education (CSDE) was held on January 7th at the Aqua Turf Club in Southington. The purpose of the symposium was to give municipal officials, including police and fire personnel, members of boards of education, superintendents of schools and the members of their central office cabinets and school business officials, a comprehensive set of tools that could be used in each Connecticut community to address the issue of school safety. The symposium was designed so that participants would leave with useful information that would help the leaders of every Connecticut community design and implement their community’s response in a manner based on the latest information as to what is effective.

There were approximately 850 participants in the symposium.

The morning session of the symposium was devoted to presentations on four phases of an appropriate response to the issue of school security.

I. Prevention - Mitigation – Useful tools for preventing incidents that put children and staff at risk. During the session, attendees were reminded that there are no simple or one-size-fits-all solutions. It is important for all of the key players in each community – schools, municipal officials (fire and police) – to collaborate to develop a plan that is specific to the community. Channels of communication between all of these agencies need to be open at all times and plans should be reviewed annually.

Presentation by: Jon Akers, Executive Director, Kentucky Safe School Center

II. Preparedness – Useful tools for preparing children and staff to react in case a risk incident occurs. There are agencies that will come in to provide preparedness audits for districts. A list of vendors is being made available to our constituents.

Presentation by: Sue Graves, Safety Coordinator, Lincoln County School District, Oregon

III. Response – Useful tools for designing and implementing a plan for responding to a risk incident. Response procedures need to be practiced on a regular basis and alterations should be made as needed.

Presentation by: Major Ian Moffett, Miami Police Department / Miami Police Training Center

IV. Recovery – Useful tools for assisting children, staff, parents and community members recover from a risk incident. Attendees were encouraged to keep in mind that every individual’s recovery pattern is different and recovery responses need to allow room for people to respond in a way that is consistent for them.

Presentation by: Marleen Wong, Assistant Dean and Clinical Professor, university of Southern California

Throughout the day, attendees were reminded of the importance of all four phases of this work and that each needs to be done consistently and well.

The afternoon session was devoted to two topics.

I. Building Design Strategies for Securing School Buildings – Useful recommendations for making relatively inexpensive building alterations and for incorporating alterations of a larger scale in building renovation projects.

Presentation by: Robert Ducibella, Founding Principal, DVS Security Consulting and Engineering; and Gregory J. Smolley, AIA, AICP, LEED AP, Principal/Director, JCJ Architecture

The architects emphasized the importance of controlling access to buildings (locking doors, installing buzzer systems, installing surveillance cameras with an assigned person to watch the screens). There needs to be a clear line of site from all buildings – hedges should be no higher than four feet and branches hanging no lower than eight feet.

Strong recommendations were made to have the ‘as build’ architectural drawings shared with police and fire departments so that they are familiar with all building access points. Administrators were encouraged to schedule regular walk-throughs with police and fire departments.

II. Legal and Policy Implications for Boards of Education – Useful recommendations for addressing school security issues from a local school system policy and legal perspective.

Presentation by: Shamus O’Meara, Esq., O’Meara, Leer, Wagner & Kohl

Presenters at the morning session were secured via the cooperation of the U.S. Department of Education with the leadership of Deb Delisle, the Assistant Secretary of Education for Elementary and Secondary Education who also participated in the Symposium.

Mr. Ducibella and Mr. Smolley were recruited as presenters by the CSDE with the leadership of the CT Commissioner of Education, Stefan Pryor, who also participated in the symposium.

Att. O’Meara was recruited as a presenter by CABE.

The five agencies that sponsored the symposium are conducting a follow-up survey to determine which of the topics covered at the symposium require further information. Programs will be offered on the basis of the survey results.

Below are links to media coverage of the event:

CT News Junkie
WFSB
Hartford Courant
News Times
West Hartford News