The safety of students and staff remains the Lafayette Parish School System’s highest priority. During Monday’s principal in-service, school leaders participated in a comprehensive school safety tabletop exercise designed to review procedures, strengthen communication, and ensure consistent protocols across all campuses.
Parents and families have asked LPSS to clearly communicate the measures in place to protect students during the school day. Monday’s training was part of that ongoing commitment.
Preparing for Real-World Scenarios
Tabletop exercises allow school leaders to talk through realistic situations in a structured setting. Rather than reacting in real time, principals discuss possible scenarios, identify decision points, and review how to communicate clearly and quickly with staff, students, and visitors.
Monday’s discussion centered on how campuses should respond if a shelter-in-place or lockdown becomes necessary while visitors are on campus. Principals reviewed:
- Decision-making protocols during potential threats
- How to communicate with visitors already inside the building
- How to reinforce expectations with faculty and staff
Principals were encouraged to ensure signage is posted at campus doors clearly instructing students and staff not to open doors for anyone during the school day. They were also reminded to reinforce with staff the importance of questioning anyone in hallways who does not have proper identification or a visible visitor badge.
Safety Measures in Place Across LPSS
LPSS schools operate with multiple layers of protection:
- Single Point of Entry: Each fenced-in campus has one designated entry point for visitors.
- Secure Vestibules: Visitors must enter through a secured vestibule and are not given direct access to students until completing check-in.
- Visitor Check-In Requirements: All visitors must check in at the front desk, present identification, and receive a visitor tag that must be worn prominently at all times.
- Weapons Detection Systems: Every visitor passes through a weapons detection system upon entry.
- School Resource Officers: A trained School Resource Officer is stationed at every fenced-in LPSS campus.
- Required Safety Drills: Principals are mandated to conduct safety drills at a required cadence throughout the school year to ensure students and staff know how to respond.
- Campus Mapping: In partnership with the Lafayette Office of Emergency Preparedness, every campus is fully mapped to assist law enforcement in the event of an emergency response.
Ongoing Commitment to Safety
Beyond physical security features, LPSS ensures that school administrators and staff are trained to respond appropriately in the event of a potential threat. Conversations like Monday’s tabletop exercise equip principals to continue safety discussions with their faculty and staff, reinforcing preparedness at every level.
LPSS understands that families entrust schools with their most valuable responsibility. Through training, prevention, clear procedures, and strong partnerships with local law enforcement and emergency preparedness officials, the district remains focused on providing a safe and secure learning environment for every student, every day.