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McFarland board reviews September lockdown drills and 'secure' incident after-action report
Summary
District administrators told the board the September lockdown drills across four buildings went well and that a nearby police incident prompted a separate secure procedure; the board discussed communication timing and student impacts.
The McFarland School Board reviewed after-action reports for safety drills and a short secure incident that took place in September, with district staff saying drills were moved to September this year to increase preparedness.
“You can see in your board packets, the after action reports ... the lockdown drills that were scheduled in each of the four buildings,” a district presenter said, explaining the district shifted drills from November to September so students and staff practiced safety procedures earlier in the school year. The presenter said drills “went unbelievably well” while noting there are always improvement opportunities documented in after-action notes.
The presenter said police officers participated in the drills and that in an actual lockdown the police would be the agency unlocking doors, adding that officers and staff practiced unlocking doors together during the drills. Board members and administrators discussed a separate event described as a “secure, not a drill” at the middle and high school that involved a police response nearby; staff said the situation was resolved in about 20 minutes and that the district erred on the side of caution.
Board members asked about communication timing to families. Administrators said their priority is student safety and that communications sometimes follow an incident because staff must first confirm safety and determine what details can be shared without compromising privacy or response efforts. One board member said quick communications after incidents had improved.
Members raised concerns about how drills and security measures affect younger students and recommended that teachers and parents be ready to answer students’ questions after drills to reduce anxiety. District staff encouraged parents to contact teachers or building staff with questions about process and to use district resources if a child is upset by a drill or security event.
Board members and administrators said they will continue to run drills, involve law enforcement partners and refine communications and processes based on lessons learned from the September events.
