Arkansas District to Add Safety Measures Following Campus Shooting

Arkansas District to Add Safety Measures Following Campus Shooting

Prescott School District plans to add additional safety and security measures following last Monday’s on-campus shooting.

  • By Jessica Davis
  • April 08, 2019

Prescott School District plans to add additional safety and security measures following last Monday’s on-campus shooting, officials said.

According to Prescott School District Superintendent Robert Poole, district staff followed protocol in its efforts to keep students safe following the April 1 shooting of one 14-year-old student by another 14-year-old student in a hallway of Prescott High School.

The shooting took place shortly before 9:15 a.m. According to officials, the suspect brought a concealed handgun to campus and shot the other student inside the high school building, and officers recovered the gun from a bush in front of the school.

The district went into lockdown immediately following the shooting, and students were released from campus later that day. Counselors were available on campus Tuesday to speak to students as needed.

"There's a lot of things we're working on, and we want to let you know as a community we are on top of things," Poole said. "School security and student safety is the No. 1 priority of our school district right now. We are always welcome and open to suggestions you may have."

Poole told parents and community members Wednesday that the safety measures being added by the district will include a new phone app that parents and students can use to anonymously report any concerns, including bullying and threats. The app will be ready within a few weeks, Poole said.

"You can notify the school anytime of a bullying situation, a threat, any type of thing that you think the school needs to know about," Poole said. "It gives notification to the superintendent, administrator. We get that information and we immediately look into that information. A lot of times you see things that we don't see. You know things that we don't know. We need your help. A lot of things can be prevented by being proactive."

The district is also considering adding a third resource officer and, with sufficient funding, the addition of reinforced doors at the elementary, old gym and high school buildings.

"This will make sure we lock down any school building we have in a matter of seconds," Poole said. "Time is precious when you're in a lockdown situation, and you have a school shooting response situation. With your help, we can make sure that's possible."

In about two weeks, the district will also receive two-way radios for school buses and offices.

Poole told parents to use the district’s notification center to stay on top of emergency events such as Monday’s school lockdown.

"We need your trust to make sure you do what we need you to do in these situations," Poole said.

About the Author

Jessica Davis is the Associate Content Editor for 1105 Media.

Featured

  • Electrified Latch Retraction Locks Key Benefits for Retrofits

    Building owners and facility managers increasingly rely on electrified hardware to enhance security while meeting accessibility standards. Among these technologies, electrified or motorized latch retraction locks are especially effective for retrofit projects where existing door and frame conditions complicate upgrades. Latch retraction capable locks combine security, accessibility and code compliance benefits, making them ideal for retrofitting fire-rated and non-rated openings in schools, healthcare facilities, commercial buildings and more. Read Now

  • How Cloud Security Solutions Are Transforming Campus Safety

    Campus administrators today face a challenging mandate: deliver stronger security across their facilities while working within tighter budget constraints. From school districts focused on student safety to hospitals protecting patients and staff, the question remains the same: how do you build security infrastructure that evolves with your needs without requiring massive capital investments? Read Now

  • Rethinking Campus Security From the Inside

    For decades, campus security strategies focused on keeping threats outside school walls. But since the tragedy at Columbine High School, data has shown that many attacks begin inside the building, often in classrooms and corridors. This shift has prompted schools to rethink security from the inside and place greater emphasis on interior elements such as classroom doors. This shift is evidenced by a new generation of classroom door systems engineered to delay inside intruders and an ASTM standard that raises the bar on how these systems must be designed to defend against attack. Read Now

  • AI in Security: Advancing Campus Safety and Considerations for Implementing

    Artificial intelligence (AI) continues to capture attention across every sector, and the physical security industry is no exception. Once seen as experimental, AI-enabled analytics now underpin how organizations monitor environments, detect threats, and make decisions. What was once futuristic is now a practical necessity for safety professionals managing growing volumes of data, tighter resources, and increasing expectations for faster, more accurate responses. Read Now

Most   Popular