LEHMAN TWP. — Lake-Lehman School District rolled out an anonymous tip line at its April 16 meeting for students to take an active role in school safety.

The tip line is for anyone to report threats of suicide, violence, weapons, as well as issues such as drugs, alcohol, bullying, and fights at any of the Lake-Lehman schools, said Tracey Liparela, assistant to the superintendent.

“Our anonymous tip line is up and running,” Liparela said. “We will be making posters and distribute them throughout the district. Hopefully, that will help anyone with information to communicate with us quickly and efficiently. The number is 570-255 2906.”

The phone will be located in the Lake-Lehman Junior-Senior High School and checked on a daily basis, she said.

The idea for the tip line developed from suggestions made by district families at the March school board meeting, said Superintendent James McGovern.

The tip line is just one of several safety measures the district is implementing.

The district will host a two-day Active Shooter Response Training Instructor course by ALICE, an acronym for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate.

District faculty and staff completed ALICE training in fall 2017, Liparela said. The two-day seminar will train individuals to become certified ALICE trainers, she said.

“We will be heading a core team of ALICE-trained personnel,” Liparela said. “We will have a team of Lake-Lehman certified ALICE trainers, and we can conduct training not only for our faculty and staff but for our community organizations and our parent groups.”

Other school districts and local law enforcement agencies are also invited to the training, Liparela said.

The course is scheduled from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 14 and 15 at Lake-Lehman Junior-Senior High School, Old Route 115.

The program will include drills, response strategies, statistics and active shooter information, according to a news release provided by the school district.

Registration is required at www.AliceTraining.com or by calling 330-661-0106. There is a $595 fee.

Also, the district will install a polyester-based window film to windows in all four district schools that include Ross, Lehman-Jackson and Lake-Noxen elementary schools and Lake-Lehman Junior-Senior High School, Liparela said.

The protective window film is an interior coating to prevent glass from shattering, she said, adding the film does not make windows bulletproof, but will strengthen the glass to delay a person from entering the building.

Superintendent James McGovern said the film will be installed over the summer because the windows need to be cleaned in a specific way for the coating to be effective.

The district is moving forward with a plan to purchase door magnets to assist doors in a lockdown scenario, Liparela said.

The magnetic door securing system will allow all classroom and office doors to lock uniformly, she said.

The district is looking into acquiring a visitor vetting software, which will run a background check on individuals before permitting them access to a school, Liparela said.

“We are reviewing visitor software, but we don’t have a commitment on that yet,” she said.

The next Lake-Lehman School Board meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. on May 21 in the library of the Lake-Lehman Junior-Senior High School.

Lake-Lehman School District rolled out an anonymous tip line for district families to report threats. Lake-Lehman School District Assistant to the Superintendent Tracey Liparela made the announcement at April’s school board meeting.
https://www.mydallaspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/web1_20180416_194829.jpg.optimal.jpgLake-Lehman School District rolled out an anonymous tip line for district families to report threats. Lake-Lehman School District Assistant to the Superintendent Tracey Liparela made the announcement at April’s school board meeting. Eileen Godin | Dallas Post

By Eileen Godin

egodin@timesleader.com

ALICE training

What: Program about drills, response strategies, statistics and active shooter information

When: Aug. 14, 15

8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Where: Lake-Lehman Junior/Senior High School

Registration: www.AliceTraining.com or 330-661-0106

Cost: $595

Reach Eileen Godin at 570-991-6387 or on Twitter @TLNews.