For Immediate Release
November 6, 2018
FALLS CHURCH, Va. – Saint James Catholic School in
Falls Church is offering Safe Students Online this fall to help parents
keep their children safe from threats found on social media. The program is for all parents of 4th-8th
grade students. The program allows parents to monitor their children’s social media
activity for inappropriate or potentially dangerous posts and will receive
alerts to help them act when necessary. The tool is available through
participating schools.
“At
Saint James, we are committed to providing a safe environment in which to
educate our children, and where all those who come to find the sacred in
Sacrament and community may recognize the face of Christ in each other,” says Fr.
Patrick Posey, pastor at Saint James Catholic Church.
Additional Security
Systems Added in 2018-2019:
- Guard911
gives faculty, staff, catechists, coaches, clergy and religious a way to
broadcast emergency messages instantly to each other (http://schoolguard.guard911.com/) (photo attached)
- Door
Jammers gives teachers a quick and easy way to make it extremely difficult
for an intruder to enter their classrooms (installed
at bottom of door and into floor – (photo attached).
- Blue
Light Lockdown Notification System to be installed at the school in the spring
of 2019, will give all building occupants and those outside on school grounds
immediate notification of the presence of a dangerous intruder so that they can
get behind a locked door or evacuate, if possible.
Other
security initiatives in place at Saint James Catholic School and Church include
the following:
- Written emergency response plans for both the church and school. The school
conducts drills on their plan every week.
- Security cameras installed throughout the campus.
- School doors are kept locked. Entrance to the school requires being “buzzed
in” or swiping a security badge.
- Installed locking push bars on all doors of the church, so that the church
can control access during Mass, while also allowing easy exit for those who are
inside.
- The parish is in continuous
consultation with the City of Falls Church Police Department and the City of
Falls Church Emergency Management. The City provides annual security trainings
for parish employees. In 2017, the City began running “scenarios” with school
staff, including some involving an active shooter situation. Recently, the
Chief of Police for Falls Church, nominated Saint James Catholic School as “Employees/Community Heroes
of the 3rd Quarter of 2018” because of its commitment to safety and
security.
- Two years ago, a group of
parishioners with law enforcement credentials consulted the parish on
additional security measures.
- The parish is in consultation
with the Catholic Diocese of Arlington Risk Management Office as are all
the parishes in the Arlington Diocese. Two years ago, Risk Management
conducted an all-day security training for our ushers.