
To Our Greenville Community:
School safety is a top priority for Greenville Central School District, which is why I’d like to discuss the various measures we’ve implemented to ensure the safety of our students, faculty and staff.
Firstly, communication is key when it comes to school safety. We communicate with parents and families throughout the year to inform them about our emergency protocols and procedures. This way, they know what to expect in an emergency situation, and it helps us navigate internal challenges, like the technology behind our messaging systems. It also addresses external concerns by ensuring that the community is aware of the steps we’re taking to keep their children safe.
Additionally, we are installing a blue light system on campus that will alert people if an emergency is occurring within a building. These lights are already installed, and we’re currently working on the technology and wiring necessary to make them functional. Once they are up and running, we’ll send out a notification to let everyone know exactly how they operate.
Lockdown and fire drills are also critical to keeping our students safe. We continue to practice these drills regularly, and we encourage parents to practice fire drills at home and set a plan in case of an emergency. We also have a School Resource Officer on campus at all times to ensure the safety of our students and faculty.
Furthermore, Greenville Central School District has one of the most comprehensive key fob systems in the Capital District. This system serves as a catalyst for this type of security for schools in our region, making it easier to monitor who is coming and going from classrooms. Additionally, this system gives us the ability to lock down the buildings, including all classroom doors, with the push of a button.
To make it easier for emergency personnel to navigate our campus, we renumbered the classrooms in the middle and high schools, and we are working on labeling parking lots for the same reason.
Over a weekend in February, I attended the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) Conference as a guest of Homeland Security to speak on school safety and recovery in the wake of tragic events. Additionally, I presented at a Sunday session of the NYS Council of Superintendents on the same topic. These speaking engagements have been part of my advocacy work, which truly reached a turning point after the Parkland shooting.
My passion for school safety has translated directly into working to make our campus a safer place to learn, teach, and belong. My biggest piece of advice to students? Speak up if something makes you uncomfortable — if you see something, say something. Whether it’s a social media post or a comment you overhear, let a trusted adult know so that it can be investigated.
Sincerely,
Michael Bennett
Superintendent of Schools