Middletown district updates safety plan; New York State 'secure lockout' terminology to take effect

The district’s safety coordinator presented the 2025–26 Districtwide Safety Plan at the June 18 meeting, describing annual review procedures, new state language and building‑access upgrades.

Lenny Zapka, who led the presentation, said the redacted plan was posted on the district website for the 30‑day public comment period required under state law. He noted the state’s Project SAVE requirements and that amendments must be filed with the state education commissioner within 30 days of adoption. Zapka said the state revised response terminology; effective July 1, New York will add the term "secure lockout" to clarify differences between lockout and lockdown for schools.

"They changed from lockout to a now it's called secure lockout," Zapka said. "It's exactly just like lockout. All they did was change it to secure lockout because evidently there was some confusion in some schools between lockdown and lockout." He described a secure lockout as appropriate when law enforcement reports an off‑site incident (for example, a nearby robbery) and the school should prevent entry or exit until police clear the area. In contrast, he said, a lockdown addresses an immediate, on‑site threat.

Zapka and board members stressed the district’s compliance with state drill requirements: annual counts of fire drills, evacuation drills and two lockdown drills in the fall and spring. Board members also discussed access control work: Zapka said access control has been installed in buildings and that plans remain to replace exterior door cores to reduce reliance on master keys.

Board members thanked safety staff and asked that committee and facility updates be shared with the board’s safety committee in the fall.