By Stephen Witt
Several borough schools have reviewed and tightened their security, according to a recent Kingsborough Community College survey. The survey responses came after the college held a School Safety Awareness Conference last month to address possible terror and other violent attacks at city schools. Brooklyn Police Borough South Commander Joseph Fox participated in the program and other terror task force police specialists gave representatives from 39 borough elementary, middle and high schools a PowerPoint presentation on the topic. Among the issues addressed were specific examples of areas needing special attention, a preparation checklist, phone numbers and resources. After the conference, school representatives were asked to complete a survey on what they learned and instituted from attending the event. Fifteen of the 39 schools replied. “It’s a very worthwhile and timely conference that should be repeated,” noted Robert Finley, principal of Brooklyn High School of the Arts, 345 Dean Street in lower Park Slope, in the written survey responses. Finley stated in the survey that he met with his Cabinet in the school to turnkey the information he learned at the conference. The school also re-evaluated the building preparedness in the event of various emergency conditions that would impact building and student safety, according to Finley’s response. Finley also encouraged members of the School Safety Community to be more aware of their surroundings while patrolling the halls, and to be especially vigilant in staircases and obscure locations throughout the building. I.S 239 Mark Twain Junior High School designate Joel Chapnick said that since the conference, the school at 2401 Neptune Avenue in Coney Island has incorporated an evacuation plan with three different exits in case of emergency. The school has also set up a code over the speaker system to evacuate students from the building or to notify staff to meet for safety concerns so as not to alarm the students. “This was a vital meeting, extremely informative and hopefully this type of program will be continued for the community,” Chapnick wrote about the conference. Alice Freidus, the guidance counselor of P.S. 163, 1664 Benson Avenue in Bath Beach, said the conference made her more cognizant of what to look and plan for. Various drills concerning such attacks should be done as often as fire drills, she said. Other schools noted they would stock up on water, batteries and flashlights in case of emergencies, and redouble their efforts to question outsiders doing business in the school for proper identification. Joel Moss, a teacher at P.S. 169, 4307 7th Avenue in Sunset Park, noted the school has only one security guard for its 1,100 children, but after the conference a faculty/parent volunteer group was established. The group is stationed throughout the building at various times to do sweeps for suspicious activity during the school day. The school has also tightened the entrance and exits so that visitors are better monitored, and it has appointed a leader for each floor in case of emergency. Following the conference, Edward R. Murrow High School, 1600 Avenue L in Midwood, has reviewed visitor protocols, posted signs, moved the visitor’s desk and has had further conversations with the local police officer assigned to the school as well as the United Federation of Teachers’ representative about emergency plans. Murrow takes students from throughout the borough. Midwood High School, 2839 Bedford Avenue in Midwood, has instituted hall sweeps and conducts constant vertical searches of the building to observe any suspicious actions/individuals. The school, which also takes students from throughout the borough, is also incorporating real-life situations of hazards into their fire drills. Madeleine Brennan, principal of J.H.S. 201, 8010 12th Avenue in Dyker Heights, noted that while the school has instituted a monthly school safety committee meeting, there are still gaps between agencies that could create problems. “[The] Police Department has certain rules which are different from DOE [Department of Education] rules,” Brennan wrote. “They should meet and straighten things out so we’re all on the same page.”
