Lincoln principal Neil Hanlon describes drills and law enforcement coordination

Neil Hanlon, principal of Lincoln School, outlined how building-level practice and interagency coordination support district safety. He said the district conducts an annual review of the crisis manual at the district and building level and prioritizes consistent procedures across all three district buildings so staff and students "know exactly which entrances and exits we use" and understand roles during an incident.

"I think one of the things that we really pride ourselves on is the numerous conversations that we have with both Hartford Fire Department, Hartford Police Department, [and] the Washington County Sheriff's Department, just in the preparedness of the district as a whole," Hanlon said. He described standardized procedures and repeated practice so that when staff must execute a plan "we know exactly what we need to do" and there is "an automaticity to that practice."

Hanlon also described the district's approach to training: a mix of infrequent, high-severity drills and more frequent routine drills (for example, fire drills), occasional use of alternative exits in drills to vary response patterns, and staff attendance at conferences to incorporate best practices. He emphasized the district's reporting cycle: building staff provide written summaries to the board and administrators after drills detailing what worked and what needs improvement.

Villalobos noted that the district treats drills as a learning experience and that compliance with statutory requirements is paired with a focus on continuous improvement.