Rocky View Schools (RVS) is introducing new mandatory protocols to keep local students safe in the upcoming school year.
According to a letter posted from Superintendent of Schools Greg Luterbach to parents and community members on the RVS website, all schools will now be required to lock their outside doors, except the main entrance, throughout the school day.
Luterbach acknowledged this was already standard practice at many RVS schools, but emphasized it would now be mandatory.
“This means students entering the building after the start of school will need to come through the main entrance,” he explained. “All visitors need to enter the school through the main entrance/office doors. This aligns with safety practices in many Alberta school divisions and helps ensure all visitors enter through the office and not through another part of the building.”
Luterbach also explained it would be up to schools to monitor access and come up with plans to move students safely through their schools during recesses, lunch hours, and class changes when students are required to exit the main building to attend detached modular classrooms and/ or for external classroom necessities.
Additional security arrangements will also be brought in over the next 12 to 18 months, stated Luterbach, which will require all doors to be locked, including the main entrances, with camera/intercom systems installed to allow office staff to buzz visitors in.
“We ask for your patience as it will take some time to prepare for, purchase and install the camera/intercom systems in all schools,” he said.
Luterbach states that further updates on these new security arrangements will be provided to parents and students when the systems are ready at their schools. And that general questions can be emailed to [email protected].
