School safety is something I care deeply about—it’s at the heart of everything we do here in Conway School District. This August, we held our second annual city-wide crisis drill, bringing together our district staff, local emergency responders, city officials, and many others, all focused on one goal: making sure we’re ready to keep our schools safe in any situation.
This drill is a big deal for us. It gives our staff hands-on experience, working through the steps of a crisis plan, so that if a real emergency were ever to happen, we’d know exactly what to do. Although students weren’t involved, our staff took it seriously, practicing everything from lockdowns to communication plans. Watching everyone work together—our team members side-by-side with police, fire, and other first responders—was powerful and reminded me why this drill is so important.
One of the best parts of doing these drills each year is the chance to learn and improve. After the drill, we all came together to talk about what worked and what didn’t, making notes on how we can get even better next time. Safety isn’t just about running a drill once and moving on; it’s about constantly looking for ways to improve, so we’re as prepared as we can be.
I’m proud of everyone involved in making this drill happen, from our dedicated staff to the amazing first responders who show up every day ready to protect and serve. This drill wouldn’t be possible without the hard work and commitment of so many people, and I’m grateful for each one of them.
At the end of the day, our goal is simple: to keep everyone in our schools safe. That’s a commitment I’m passionate about, and we’ll keep holding these drills every year to make sure we’re doing everything we can to make that happen.
Jeff S. Collum, Ed.D.
Here are some pictures from both city-wide crisis drills.
Comments