A Saturday, Dec. 15, press release from Connecticut State Police said the gunman, 20-year-old Adam Lanza, used an assault weapon to shoot his way into Sandy Hook Elementary School, because the doors were locked as part of the school’s security system.
Officers found him dead in the school from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, along with six dead teachers and 18 dead students. Two children died later at a hospital, and Lanza’s mother was also found fatally shot in her home.
When news of the shooting reached Tracy, messages to parents were posted on the websites of Tracy and Banta by school district administrators, while emails were sent to parents of children in the Lammersville and New Jerusalem school districts.
Officials at the Jefferson School District were unavailable for comment this week, because the district office is closed for winter break.
New Jerusalem began its winter break Thursday, Dec. 20, while the other four districts had the final classes Dec. 14.
The statement from Tracy Unified provided parents with a link to the district’s Safety is Our Top Priority website, which outlines the district’s approach to school safety and emergency response scenarios.
Jessica Cardoza, spokeswoman for the district, said Monday, Dec. 17, that the district has “very detailed safety plans in place at all of the schools.”
“They participate in drills for emergency situations, lockdowns and shelter-in-place, fires and earthquakes, and we’ll continue to do those,” she said.
Like most school districts, visitors to a TUSD school must check in to the administration office and obtain a visitor’s pass prior to going on campus.
Cardoza said this procedure is to ensure the safety of the students, staff and the visitor if there should be an incident on campus.
If someone comes on a TUSD campus with a gun, all schools are immediately locked down, and teachers are instructed to lock classroom doors, Cardoza said. The students are instructed to get under their desks and stay away from doors or windows.
No immediate changes to the TUSD security plan are expected, Cardoza said, and district administrators are following updates of the shooting as they are released.
David Thoming, superintendent of New Jerusalem School District, said Monday that his students observed a moment of silence for the victims.
Thoming said he planned to invite parents to the next district safety committee meeting, tentatively scheduled for 2 p.m. in the school gymnasium Jan. 8.
“We’re looking at our security,” he said. “We feel pretty good about the things we put into place over the years. Anytime when something like this happens, it pushes the (security) conversations to the forefront.”
With the construction of a new classroom and administration building, Thoming said the district hired a security guard last year. He said the guard acts as an “extra set of eyes.”
He said the guard will be retained as a campus security officer when construction is completed.
“There’s always someone outside in front greeting people,” Thoming said. “It puts people on notice we’re paying attention.”
Thoming said he plans to have the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office conduct a safety review for the rural school in the near future. The last review by the sheriff’s office was two years ago.
“If there is something good that can come out of something so horrific, it’s that everybody is talking about it,” Thoming said.
Superintendent Albert Garibaldi posted a message on the Banta Elementary School District website Friday.
“All of us who work with children take our responsibility to keep them safe very seriously — As this morning’s incident shows, sometimes, in spite of our best intentions, evil forces can break our unspoken agreement,” he wrote.
Garibaldi said during a phone interview Monday that his elementary school has a safety plan in place with lockdown procedures, but all that is going to be re-evaluated.
“It caused us to take a second look at all of our safety procedures,” he said. “I had a meeting with the preschool program, and I’m meeting with the staff, and additional procedures may be put into place to monitor and improve security.”
Since Banta Elementary School was built in the 1950s, its campus has an open design, which Garibaldi said is something officials will have to reconsider.
“We’re taking this opportunity to review everything,” he said. “Review what may be available to help keep kids safe.”
Dale Hansen, superintendent of Lammersville Unified School District, said during a telephone interview Monday that he sent an email to parents on Friday to advise them about how to talk to their children about the Sandy Hook incident.
During the district’s winter break, Hansen said his administrators will review their crisis response and preparedness plans, which were already under re-evaluation.
“We went thorough lockdown procedures and practices in the last few weeks,” Hansen said. “The sheriff’s, firefighters and the full crisis response committee will be presenting an updated plan to the board in January. We already planned (an update) before this (incident).”
Hansen called the shooting “gut-wrenching.”
“It’s our most vulnerable part of our society, and it’s just wrong,” he said. “We all feel that way. Immediately we think of the safety of our kids and staff.”
• Contact Denise Ellen Rizzo at 830-4225 or drizzo@tracypress.com.
Your laziness, sense of entitlement and your need to come on here and let everyone know the quality of your teaching give you a bad name. Identifying yourself as a teacher gives everyone else in our profession a bad reputation.
Yes, I am a regular, normal teacher. I work a normal day and get my summers off. I am paid well and receive great benefits. I became a teacher because I am knowledgeable and want our future generations to be knowledgeable. I very much enjoy teaching and do not complain or make excuses while I am doing it. I also recognize the wonderful benefits of being a teacher, which includes decent pay, plenty of time off and great benefits.
I appreciate all this and don't feel entitled to even more. Maybe that's why I'm not considered an under-performing teacher. My students always do very well on the standardized tests and continue to be successful in subsequent grade levels.
You're a disgrace and an embarrassment.
Absolutely classic, talk about explaining a lot in only four words.
Aren't you the one constantly calling Tracy residents a bunch of rednecks? Looks like in your case the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
Teachers aren’t required to be coaches, parents, counselors, babysitters or referees. They’re required to teach, not because they were chosen by a higher calling, but because they chose it and are paid to do so by taxpayers whose kids might come to them for the required education. The problem is that most “teachers” act like they are babysitters with good pay, benefits and union protection.
Your salary’s not shrinking; it’s growing. On average, it grew by 5 percent last year. If you need a second job to supplement an average salary of more than $68,000, you’re doing something wrong. We shouldn’t feel guilty because you can’t manage your money.
You feel screwed by folks who say education is a priority because you’re not in it for the “sweet little faces.” You’re in it because you were ignorant and misinformed and weren’t told that being a teacher required work. Your pay, benefits and 3-month summer vacation feel threatened because you’re an under-performing teacher.
You’re the one who needs to spend some time in the shoes of a teacher.
You don't like being a teacher? Quit. Go find another job. And then struggle like everyone else in the world when you aren't guaranteed so much time off, salary increases in the steps and a lifetime job once you reach tenure.
In mountainous West Virginia ?
And teachers are paid poorly??? REALLY? I would love to make $70K plus to work 182 days a year and less than 8 hours a day. Yes, some work more hours, but 182 days a year? Average that salary out to someone who works a more average 250 days a year and I'd say they're making a pretty nice chunk of change.
Now for us...Signing in to the office is a joke. There are no gates/fences around most of the schools. Anyone can just walk (or even drive) right on to the school grounds. If someone wants to cause harm, I don't think he/she is going to check in to the office first. Up until we moved here, every school my kids had ever been in had gates/fences that were locked during school hours and the only way to get on campus was through the office (like at Sandy Hook.) Obviously that won't even stop someone who is determined to cause harm. Having said all this, I'm not really scared about my kids being in school. I don't think drastic and expensive measures need to be taken because of this incident. I think everyone rushing out to buy guns for themselves and bulletproof clothes/backpacks for their children are overreacting, no matter how devastating it was.
Dr. Franco earns less than most superintendents in the state with districts Tracy's size and smaller. TUSD teachers earn MORE than the state average. And no teachers were laid off this year. Or last year. And all teachers laid off prior have been rehired back and/or offered their jobs back.
Visit the district building. There are less people there than in any other district in our area.
Sandy Hook was a tragedy. And they had LOCKED DOORS. Columbine had armed guards.
Do some actual research before posting harmful and ridiculous lies.
I know, I know, everyone's argument is that we need to compete in order to retain our talent. This is true only up to a point. We may not be competing with larger cities for many of these jobs, but I believe that the talent is out there for a lower cost if we look. If nothing else, then we will weed out the leaders that are more concerned with a paycheck and less concerned with supporting their community.
The superintendent (along with all of those other 'highly paid administrators' you rant about) were the only group (and then followed by classified) to take pay cuts for several years. The teachers' union refused.
No one is making 5 times anyone there.
And with increasing health care costs, all employees have seen a dramatic decrease in their salary. Why the public believes differently is beyond me. But I guess it's always easier to rant and rave about high paid administrators when you don't know better.
Look into the real problems here - the teachers' union, CTA and state and federal level enormous programs taking away billions from local districts. Put the power in their hands and we'll see dramatic improvements. The two times money has gone directly to them - Measure E and Measure S - they've done MORE with LESS and saved the tax payers money while building new facilities and renovating others. That's the REAL truth.
http://www.bsis.ca.gov/customer_service/faqs/school_security_guard.shtml
Who must be trained?
All security guards or school security officers employed by a school district more than 20 hours per week must complete SB 1626 training (Business and Professions Code §7583.6 (a & b) & §7583.45). (All remaining references to code sections are to the Business and Profession Code, unless specifically stated otherwise).
What training is required by SB 1626 and when must it be completed by?
The bill requires completion of a training course developed by BSIS in consultation with the Commission on Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST). The developed curriculum consists of a 24 hour training course.
How can I obtain a copy of the approved training curriculum?
The curriculum can be obtained via the Internet at www.bsis.ca.gov/industries_regulated/syllabus.shtml.
Who is authorized to teach the required course? Can school districts teach the course?
SB 1626 does not establish criteria for instructors of the course. Any person designated by the local education agency (LEA) may teach the course. It is recommended that school districts use POST-certi