The Peru Gazette

A message from the Peru District office:

Lock-down procedures were practiced by 7th-12th grade students today. The safety drill that occurred at the Jr/Sr High School was planned months ago. The drill was designed to help students and staff members safely practice emergency procedures.

Student safety represents the foundation upon which learning in school is made possible. Maintaining an environment that secures the physical safety and promotes the emotional well-being of every Peru student is essential to our shared mission. The administration, faculty, and staff of Peru Central School District are dedicated to fostering a safe and stable school climate based on respect and belonging.

Recent events, including bomb threats, at area schools have necessitated building lock down and evacuation procedures at two neighboring school districts this past week. The response in each was admirable, made possible in part by the drill rehearsals that supervising adults and students had practiced together beforehand. Peru CSD received a similar threat yesterday afternoon as students were departing the building.

Emergency drills have also taken place across the campus of Peru CSD in both buildings. These are generally announced earlier in the year and unannounced later in the year as students become accustomed to expectations. Practice drills provide opportunity to step through the sequence of responses that would likely be experienced in an actual emergency.

One such drill occurred in the Elementary School on November 25, 2014. Our younger students were able to ask questions and better understand what they are expected to do during a lock down emergency. Developmentally appropriate responses were provided by their teachers. Adults and students alike were able to benefit from the experience.

On January 23, 2015, secondary students in the Jr/Sr High School experienced a planned lock down drill. This prearranged exercise was coordinated with law enforcement agencies and emergency responders beginning in October, 2014. The exercise was designed in part to allow these community resources to familiarize themselves with Peru safety procedures as well as the physical layout of our buildings.

No advance warning was provided to the adults and students in the building, nor was pre-notification provided to our parent partners at home. The reason for practicing this lock down drill without notice was to simulate conditions of an actual emergency as realistically as possible.

In closing, please rest assured that the administration, faculty, and staff members of Peru CSD are deeply committed to providing a safe environment in which learning can occur and distractions to student growth and development are minimized.