BFA-Fairfax Featured In Channel 3 News Segment On Security

The Channel 3 News had a short segment on School Security last night on the six o'clock news. In the video I recognized Scott Lang and Carol Stanley -- Students were seen in the background. Below is a write-up from the segment which includes some of the things, but not all:

School Security Changes

Fairfax, Vermont - October 4, 2006

Times are changing for most schools across the country -- including here at Bellows Free Academy in Fairfax.

Intercom systems have been installed in the school to keep unwanted visitors from roaming the hallways.

Faculty, staff and seniors in good standing are given id cards to get into the building.

"It's got a chip in it and if they put it in front of the card reader it beeps and unlocks the door for them," said Scott Lang, principal at B.F.A. Fairfax.

But visitors have to buzz in to be seen.

Visitors come through the front door, come up to the intercom, press the button and talk to someone at the front desk.

But BFA is in the minority as far as security systems go in Vermont schools.

Most schools have not gone to that extreme in their security planning.

"We're working on creating a school culture where students and staff can communicate if something is happening that would be a traumatic experience so people would know in advance," said Winton Goodrich, of the Vermont School Board's Association.

The Vermont School Board's Association and the Department of Education are trying to decide what future school buildings need to keep kids safe, realizing that lockdown drills are helpful but not fool proof.

That was apparent two months ago in Essex, where a lone gunman opened fire inside the school.

"They were able to prevent even more ... injury or death as a result of their quick response," said Goodrich.

"The truth is there's no perfect plan, what's really important is you have a process to deal with it you collect information you really listen to people," said Lang. "The more common place thing is the non-custodial parent who tries to gain access, the student who is under the influence or has some beef to settle, it's the kids that want to sell drugs and at least now we feel like we have a fighting chance against that."

Beth Parent -- Channel 3 News