Our thoughts and prayers go all the families in Parkland, Florida as their community deals with the horrible aftermath of a mass shooting in one of their schools.

In another way, we are all dealing with this tragedy — as we consider the safety and wellbeing of our own loved ones.

We keep a purposefully low security profile at Cary Academy, which at times like this can give folks pause. Let me assure you, though, that just because we have not fortified our school in overtly visible ways does not mean that we have not been aggressive and proactive about safety protocols and procedures.

Four years ago the school underwent a significant safety and security audit. Since, we have hired our first full-time safety and security officer and professionalized the security presence on campus. Our Director of Safety and Security Jeff Wasenske (pictured left) is a 30-year veteran of the Raleigh Police. When he joined us, we took a deliberate decision not to put him in “uniform,” as our security philosophy is built upon a community approach. Developing strong relationships and trust is foundational to those efforts and a uniform felt counterproductive.

This means, however, that I’ve had several people ask over the years: Who is that guy, and why is he asking me to move my car?

The answer: He is a trusted adult at Cary Academy, and all trusted adults have a responsibility for safety and security — so please do as instructed.

The message: Safety is not the responsibility of just one person.

This philosophy has important ramifications, not just in the way we approach potential emergencies but in the way we work as a community. By nurturing the sense that we all have a responsibility to look out for one another, we build trust that we can share concerns and thus amplify our ability to keep each other safe. This is true for employees, parents, and our students.

None of this is guaranteed to prevent a tragedy, but we do believe we are more secure when we can rely on each other.

OK, so much for the philosophy. I suspect some still want a more concrete response.

While it is not appropriate to share all the details of our security profile, here are a few things that may give you a better sense of our approach:

• The school has an Emergency Management Team that is responsible for crisis prevention and management. Under that team we have a Safety and Security Committee that meets regularly to discuss logistics and protocols.
• We practice various types of drills throughout the year, and in each classroom there is a “response kit” that details protocols for a variety of emergency situations.
• The campus is staffed with a dedicated security presence, and those officers have their own protocols during their shifts.
• We have the ability to lock main building doors during an emergency, and we communicate regularly with local police, fire, and EMT professionals about response plans and protocols.
• As we work our way through our current campus improvements, we will be upgrading physical and surveillance technologies.

The school takes the physical and emotional safety of our students very seriously, and we are all rocked back on our heels during times of tragedy.