District schedules lockdown drills this week, to use Centegix system for first full student drill

Ken Kramer, assistant superintendent for business and operations, told the New Albany-Plain Local Board of Education on Oct. 6 that the district will conduct required safety drills at each school this week as part of Ohio School Safety Month, with the Early Learning Center’s drill postponed because of the building’s measles-related exclusion.

Kramer said Ohio requires three safety drills per year (two with staff and at least one that includes students) and that the district runs additional drills beyond the minimum. He said staff reviewed procedures on the district professional development day and that building principals would schedule drills at varying times to exercise response under less-scripted conditions.

The district will use the Centegix system during the drill: Kramer described two common activations (a three-button "I need help" alert that routes responders to a location and an eight-button activation that initiates a full-site lockdown). "This will be the signal to students and staff to quickly get behind the locked door and secure the room," Kramer said. He said the district will follow up drills with age-appropriate conversations, and staff will complete short surveys to provide feedback.

Kramer thanked the New Albany Police Department for partnering on the drills and said the purpose is to increase campus safety by practicing realistic scenarios rather than only highly scripted exercises.

The district notified families in advance and provided parent resources to help discuss lockdown procedures with children, he said.