Local schools have made changes since Sandy Hook massacre

Have local schools made any changes to their security protocols since the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary?

On the eve of the one-year anniversary of the tragedy, News1130spoke with the folks at the Surrey School District, which brought in an expert who worked with staff at Columbine after the shooting there.

Brad Bauman with the district admits things have changed over the past 12 months. Now, coaches and teachers are hyper-vigilant; if anyone notices a student acting strangely, the school’s administration will be notified and they’ll bring in extra help.

“We actually have a district-level team that can be brought in to consult and do the actual threat assessment,” he explains, adding the RCMP is also contacted right away.

Bauman explains they’ve also upped what he calls “school connectedness.” It’s an initiative to make everyone feel included.

“There is a fair amount of collaborative and pre-determined work that goes on to help come up with a risk-reducing intervention for the students.”

He notes that after the massacre in Connecticut, they also introduced an on-going, open dialogue with students to learn of ways to support what Bauman calls “their emotional well-being.”

Tomorrow marks the one-year anniversary of the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut. Twenty students and six educators were killed.