Marblehead High School has decided to participate in a training program called ALICE, which is supposed to train faculty and students about how to react in the case of a school shooting. The acronym “ALICE” stands for the actions that the procedure entails; Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate. The acronym is not meant to be sequential but instead is meant to provide students with options, because every school emergency occurs differently. In the program, an idea is emphasized, in which students are compelled to take action in order to achieve their and others’ safety.
All grades at the school met for an assembly in which they were taught about ALICE training. After listening to the details of the program, students watched an informative video that demonstrated what the procedure would look like in action. In the days after the assemblies, students met with their advisory and participated in the first round of ALICE practice. This first practice focused on working through the “Lockdown” step in ALICE. To achieve this step, students and teachers used primarily desks and chairs to block the door to make it more difficult for the invader to enter the classroom. Although the first practice did not involve all steps included in ALICE, it was a successful first step of introducing the training to the school. On January 10th, students and teachers completed the second session of the ALICE training. Rather than practicing the training with their advisories, students practiced in whichever class they were already in. This round of training consisted of the same “Lockdown” step, in which the doors were blocked with available materials.
After training a couple times, it is clear that the program becomes easier with each practice. Throughout the school year and in upcoming years, the school plans on practicing the training, adding more responsibilities to each training session. In order for ALICE training to be most effective, it is important that the student body and faculty become more comfortable and knowledgeable about the steps involved in the program. The program seems like it will be very successful, especially once it is practiced a number of times. The training appears to comfort the student body because it is a practical and fairly simple method of attaining a safe environment if need be.