Howell Schools Update Visitor Protocols

For the second time in as many years the Howell Public School District has made changes to its protocols for people entering the building.

In a letter to the community Superintendent Enid Golden said following the shootings in Newtown Connecticut last year the district has been “actively exploring best practices in school safety.” Those steps have included the formation of a safety committee, a safety task force and the hiring of a Safety Director.

Unlike in previous years there will be no visitors allowed in the building when students are also entering their schools. All visitors will also be required to set an appointment to enter the schools before being allowed in. Appointments can be made at the start of the school day for anyone needing help.

Visitors to the buildings will be required to show identification when they buzz the main office for entry and upon entering the building and the door cannot be held open for any other visitors standing behind them in line.

Parents needing to drop items off at the school for their children will still be asked to leave the items in specially designated drop boxes that can be found by the main entrance. Also, those parents picking their children up early must provide written notification to the office before dismissal.

In the event that visitors are uncooperative when arriving at schools secretaries have been directed to contact the Howell Police Department and school administrators. Golden said that if the protocols are not followed it “may result in a lockdown and the Howell Police Department may be notified that an intruder is in the building.”

These changes as well as the ones instituted last year may seem drastic to some people but Golden said they are needed in order to ensure the safety of students, faculty, staff and administrators. “We are saddened by the need to employ this protocol, but the safety of our students and staff must remain our priority. Unfortunately these are the times we are living in, and I am optimistic that our visitors will ultimately recognize our need to be as vigilant as possible.

Parents with questions about the new protocols are encouraged to contact their school’s principal for building specific information. “With your cooperation, our schools will be more secure for students and staff,” Golden said.