In the past, Harrison Central School District has done an excellent job of ensuring student safety. Harrison has reinforced this commitment with new proposals to add to our school infrastructure. Our building’s Vice Principal, Mr. Mastrota, gave us an in-depth look at these new proposals and the rest of Harrison’s safety infrastructure.
Mr. Mastrota emphasized that Harrison High School administration has worked hard to create an environment that allows students to communicate, share, build connections, and feel safe. He claimed that Harrison provides its students with many places and people to turn to in times of need; the guidance office is a constantly available resource for students, building administration is deeply involved in student life, and teachers are mentors who are often highly understanding and accommodating for students’ needs. “Our door is always open,” said Mr. Mastrota.
Regarding more tangible safeguards, Mr. Mastrota told us about the school’s panic buttons, Safe2SpeakUp and CrisisGo communications systems, and more. In an emergency, panic buttons are placed throughout the school in strategic locations for building administration to access. Upon activating the panic buttons, all the buildings’ doors lock, and the card readers turn off. The building goes into complete lockdown. The police are also immediately notified and can be on campus within minutes to counteract any threat and aid Harrison’s security guards and SROs. Safe2SpeakUp and CrisisGo are apps the district encourages students to use due to their importance within our safety protocols. They communicate threats, drills, and other emergency information across the building and the district. The apps should be a necessity for students but have not gained the traction that administrators would like to see. Please download them to stay ahead of danger in the case of an emergency. The high school has six security guards (five full-time and one part-time), along with SRO police officers who oversee the daily operations of the building. They monitor activity in and out of the building and know what is happening on campus at all times. According to Mr. Mastrota, the response time from our security guards and SROs to any event or incident on campus is incredibly fast, with a rough estimate of 15-30 seconds.
Harrison’s community support and proactive mindset regarding campus safety empower students at the high school to achieve their highest potential by allowing us to focus on our education in a secure environment.
