Campus Buildings Evacuated in Annual Drill

The annual campus Emergency Evacuation Drill was conducted on Wednesday, September 23, at approximately 11:15, during reading period.

“It’s important to practice, so everybody knows what to do in case we have to do it for real,” said Associate Principal Erin Pope, the administrator tasked with coordinating the drill.

Pope hopes the drill helps students become as “efficient as possible, so that we can vacate the campus to the football stadium as quickly and as efficiently and as civilized as possible.”

The drill was conducted effectively according to at least one instructor: “I think it went really well. My class was really orderly and I have a great 3rd period class and they all made it to the field and we lined up and had a nice time, you know, reconnecting with each other in terms of knowing what we’re supposed to do and what we’re supposed to look for,” said history teacher Mrs. Webb-Peploe.

However, not all students viewed the mass exodus to Bob Wilson stadium as a success. Freshman Arriana Glenn wasn’t thrilled with how the drill proceeded: “It wasn’t very organized. None of the kids stayed with their classes.”

Whether or not the annual frequency of the drill is even necessary was called into question by Sophomore Madeline Botsford: ” It works fine, but a fire hasn’t happened in a public school in over 50 years, so we kind of do it too much.”

Nevertheless, the students’  performance in the drill, which is required by law, was viewed positively by Principal John Walker.  “I think for our first drill of the year, and considering we have several new staff members, I think we did well. However, we have some areas of improvement,” he said.

Walker added, “I’m confident we’ll be faster if we have another drill, or if we have another false alarm, or even if we have actually a real evacuation.”

Students were able to complete the drill in approximately 15 minutes and then returned to their respective classrooms to complete 4th period. Pope indicated that there will be more drills to come in the next few months for emergencies such as earthquakes.