Antietam Middle-Senior High School- Pennside, PA
With a starting gun hidden in his pocket, Sgt. Terry M. Heydt of the Central Berks Regional police department approached the front door of Antietam Middle-Senior High School and rang the bell. To the office staff, he said he was a reporter from a local newspaper and wanted to speak with the principal. Though Dr. Felice Stern was not expecting him, she told the staff to buzz him in.Seconds after walking into the school, Heydt shot and “killed” a nearby custodian. For weeks, staff throughout Antietam School District have been undergoing training to deal with emergency situations through the ALICE drill system (ALICE: Alert Lockdown Inform Counter Evacuate). On Wednesday, the school held three emergency drills to put into action what staff and students had learned. “I think things went really well,” Stern said. “I think teachers are encouraged to think outside the box,” Stern said. Although the school might not be able to prepare for every scenario, she said they can at least teach students and staff the skills they need to protect themselves in dangerous situations.”We don’t want to scare you, we want to prepare you,” she said. Read more
