WJ is emphasizing security through renewed and revised protocols In response to global school safety concerns.
The first line of defense at WJ is the security team, which features seven security guards who are stationed throughout the school and monitor the cameras situated in the hallways.
“One of the biggest things that I’ve been pushing for … is increased number of security members,” Assistant Principal Jeff Leaman said. “We do a great job of having our security out in the hallways and being very visible which is a deterrent, but also if somebody needs help, then they can find an adult. We encourage our teachers to be out in the hallways during transition times to again, be there and help support.”
Over the summer, a new safety feature was installed: tinted windows. MCPS paid for the new windows as a part of the Capital Improvement Plan and their main purpose is cooling, but they have the added benefit of school safety.
“I think that if you’re not able to see someone walking past a door, then you are not going to be knocking on the door [for them] to let you in,” Leaman said. “I also think it’s easier for someone to not even respond to the door and just keep it moving. And that’s really what we want, we have our protocols in place, and if everybody follows the protocols, fantastic, but when you start getting individuals not following those protocols, that’s when you start potentially compromising the safety of others. Nine times out of 10 it’s probably just another student who is trying to get in and means no harm, [but] at the same time, they need to follow the process to make sure that we have smooth routines and can make sure that the people that are in WJ belong in WJ.”
In addition to staff presence, WJ established the student ID system in 2022 and has been implementing it year after year. Before entering the school in the morning and during lunch, students are required to have their ID checked by a security or administrative member. This safety system was put in place to help ensure that no student from another school enters WJ during school hours.
“It’s not perfect,” Leaman said. “I get it, there’s holes in the system, there’s places for upgrades but in terms of overall, it’s easier for us to identify or keep out [students]. Because we are asking for IDs at the door, people go ‘Nevermind, I’m not even going to try’ and I’ve seen that happen before.”
Security guards are oftentimes stationed by entrances and emphasize that students should never open the door for anyone.
“Here at WJ, we make sure that all of our doors are locked and that they stay closed at all times,” security assistant Deondre Jolley said. “We try to inform our students that it is very important not to let friends in, and that they have to go through the Main Office.”
During the 2023-2024 school year, a WJ student brought a loaded gun onto school property, and while no one was injured, students still have concerns about keeping themselves safe from their peers.
“I feel relatively safe but I’m a very ‘what if’ person, so I don’t feel like we have enough safety precautions,” junior Eden Munford said. “Last year, someone was able to just bring a gun into the school, and it’s good that he got arrested, but we don’t have any metal detectors or anything so if he never showed it, [administration and security would have never known].”
Expensive safety systems, such as metal detectors, have been approved by the Board of Education and are funded by the multi-year Capital Improvement Plan budget. While metal detectors have been implemented in schools across the DMV such as those in D.C. and Prince George’s County, these additions are pricey and need manpower in order to correctly run them.
Moreover, on Oct. 1, WJ held a scheduled safety drills day, where students and staff participated in severe weather, lockdown with options, directed evacuation and earthquake drills that lasted for about 10-15 minutes per period. In the past, these drills occurred on half days, however, due to patterns of decreased attendance during the safety drills days, WJ has taken a new approach this year.
“It’s done so that people feel comfortable when they are in those situations,” Leaman said. “The whole point of having these drills is so that we can have the teachers walk through this and have a better understanding of what it is going to look like, feel like, and then how they are going to respond to things. So the big thing is safety, safety, safety and everybody has a role in that, so as the adults we can say ‘we’re going to do these drills,’ but if the students aren’t following along with that and the expectations, then it becomes problematic and safety is everybody’s responsibility.”
The most important aspect of keeping WJ safe is student cooperation. If students consistently let other people into the building, the system slowly breaks down.
“I do believe that those systems are working well but it only works well if the students oblige,” Jolley said.
