Northeast Michigan school districts collaborate for security, response
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ALPENA -- To keep students safe and be better prepared in the event of a crisis, several Northeast Michigan school districts have teamed up to collaborate on emergency plans and response.
Alpena Public Schools Superintendent Dave Rabbideau said that he is very proud of a recently formed group that brings together a board of area leaders to address response and procedural protocol in the event of a crisis.
"We met last month because we recognized that our strength is in working together," Rabbideau said.
The board members include Rabbideau, Alcona Community Schools Superintendent Dan O'Connor, Hillman and Atlanta Community Schools Superintendent Carl Seiter, Don MacMaster, Alpena Community College president, Scott Reynolds, Alpena-Montmorency-Alcona Educational Service District Superintendent, and Mark Hall, Alpena County Emergency Services Coordinator.
Some future efforts of the committee will include enhanced drills such as live-action scenarios, audits of safety and security protocols, and bringing more agencies into the process.
Rabbideau said although APS sits down with Alpena emergency agencies annually to develop emergency plans within the district, in cases of extreme emergencies, other districts and counties would come to assist.
The new committee will help to educate and familiarize districts on the protocols of surrounding districts, so in the event of an emergency, there is no time wasted on delegating jobs and responses.
Rabbideau said that the new committee will meet again this week to discuss its next steps.
The group put out a joint statement last week in response to the Oxford school shooting, which reads in part: "The tragic events that occurred in Oxford Community Schools serve as a somber reminder that as leaders we must be vigilant in putting actionable steps behind our pledge to prioritize safety and security for those in our charge."
Though the group is a new collaborative effort, it has already taken steps to be better prepared for crisis events. At the group's first meeting, Hall suggested all key administrators should engage in the Incident Command System training program offered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The training consists of four online courses that total 12 hours and then passing a test. All APS administrators were given a deadline of last Wednesday to complete that training and testing.
Alpena Public Schools has already taken measures to enhance and increase school safety over the last year and a half.
The district asked voters in March 2020 to approve the sale of $33.9 million in bonds to fund school building upgrades, including security. Property owners will repay the bonds over the next 25 years through about 1.8 mills in property tax, or about $90 a year for the owner of a $100,000 house.
APS Director of Communications Lee Fitzpatrick said the district has already made significant progress in security system upgrades in its schools and cited the two-stage security system at Ella White Elementary School as an example.
First, visitors are required to push an intercom button to reach the office. Then, if they are let in the first door, they are required to give an identification card to be scanned in a Raptor I.D. system that runs a background check and prints a visitor's picture on a visitors badge if they are cleared to enter the building.
Fitzpatrick said security system upgrades are ongoing throughout the district. APS officials told The News last year they hoped to upgrade entrances at all district schools, allowing for the screening of visitors and deterring people who shouldn't be on campus, while also alerting police to potential threats if necessary.