In the midst of the excitement of welcoming students back to school was the tragedy the previous day in Georgia, where four people lost their lives and several more were injured in a school shooting.

“Our hearts go out to the families and community impacted by this tragic event,” Liberty Central School Superintendent Dr. Patrick Sullivan said.

At the same time, the district is reassuring families that the safety and security of students, staff and the school community remain LCSD’s top priority.

A combination of technology, training and planning is used in an effort to prevent a tragedy like what happened in Georgia and too often across the United States.

The district issued the following safety reminders:

• Entry to all buildings requires keycard access. Visitors are restricted to a single point of entry in each building. All visitors are required to show a valid ID at an automated kiosk before entering any of our school buildings, and visitors will be buzzed in. More information is available at https://www.libertyk12.org/visiting-procedures/
• All classrooms require keycard access as well, and doors are expected to remain closed and locked when occupied.
• Through the district’s updated door lock system, school officials are able to immediately lock all doors if there is an emergency. As part of the lockdown system, digital signs throughout common areas will help inform students and staff of what is happening. There are also strobe lights inside and outside the building, which will help alert of emergencies and advise those outside the building not to enter. If an emergency occurs, the Liberty Police Department is able to monitor school cameras if a lockdown takes place.
• The district has continued its partnership with LPD, placing a school resource officer in each building. They regularly patrol and check for vulnerabilities and are a valuable resource to students and staff.
• The district safety plan, which is updated yearly, can be seen at https://www.libertyk12.org/district-wide-safety-plan/. Faculty and staff are trained in what to do in the event of an emergency, and the schools have emergency drills several times a year.
• All statements or actions that suggest a threat to the safety and security of school populations are taken seriously.  Any such statement comes with significant consequences, even if they are made jokingly and/or are deemed as not credible. The district’s Code of Conduct will be followed in all instances.
  • Families are encouraged to speak to their students about their actions on social media. A post that may seem funny may lead to significant school discipline and/or criminal charges.
  • Talk to students about reporting any concerning post to a trusted adult, the school administration, or the police department immediately. Every concerning post or statement must be fully investigated.
  • Non-immediate concerns can also be reported via the district’s Anonymous Alerts reporting system.

Those with questions may email questions@libertyk12.org.