Saskatoon school officials are giving accolades to the Violent Threat Risk Assessment (VTRA) training in light of a mass school shooting in Parkland, Fla.
All staff and students in Saskatoon Public Schools and Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools (GSCS) have been trained in the proactive prevention style course.
“There are situations when we see worrisome behaviours and often people don’t know what to do,” GSCS education Supt. Joanne Weninger said.
Through the training, anyone who recognizes odd behaviour in someone they know, is asked to speak out. The risk or threat of that person is then assessed and the appropriate connections are made with either parents, or mental health support works, or police.
“Social media has really changed our work in our schools,” Weninger said. According to the superintendent, it’s difficult to assess the success of the program because the intent is to prevent crisis situations, which so far, GSCS’s has been successful at.
“It’s something in your gut that just doesn’t feel right,” Weninger said.
People who knew Nicolas Cruz, the alleged shooter in Florida now say he was displaying signs in his personality and on his social media. Staff and parents are asked to be the eyes and ears of safety for the student body.
Aside from the VTRA training, school resource officers with the Saskatoon Police Service go to every school in the city twice a year to practice perimeter lockdowns and school lockdowns.
A perimeter lockdown is used when an emergency happens near the school and requires an enhanced level of safety. School exterior doors are locked to ensure that no individuals leave or enter the building. Individuals are only allowed to exit and enter via the front doors of the school with the approval of school administration.
A school lockdown alerts staff and students that an imminent danger exists inside or just outside the school. School personnel lock classroom doors and windows. Students and staff move away from windows and doors and remain in their classrooms until directed by emergency personnel that it is safe to leave.
“They stay on the ground and they stay quiet,” said Cst. Kimberley Robson, who teaches the training throughout Saskatoon. According to Robson, in crisis situations people have been proven to refer to their practiced protocol.
Students are taught not to respond until they’ve been advised the risk has ended.
“No matter what sounds that happen outside of the classroom, be it an alarm, or somebody yelling ‘come out’, even people knocking on the door, even someone who identifies themself as a police officer once they’ve knocked on the classroom door, not to open the door,” Robson said.