On April 10, students and staff participated in the first ever “Code Red” drill directly run with the Palo Alto Police Department (PAPD). According to Principal Noreen Likins, the purpose of the drill was to prepare the school with steps for protection in the case of an armed shooter being on campus. “Given the rising numbers of these types of situations, we need to be prepared for any emergencies,” Likins said. “The drill was designed to enable students and staff to quickly react if an actual code red were to occur.”

The drill occurred at the beginning of E period, and lasted approximately 25 minutes. Teachers instructed students how to stay safe in the event of an attack. “We blocked all of the doors with desks,” freshman Roni Cohen said. “Our teacher helped us cover the windows with posters and told us to be quiet while we hid behind a center barricade.”

Throughout the 25 minutes, members of the PAPD checked classrooms for the correct set up. The police used this as an opportunity to check communication and to evaluate teachers’ knowledge of a code between staff and police that informs the police of the status inside the classroom. According to math teacher Christopher Redfield, there are different codes for different situations: i.e. an injured student or shooter in the classroom.

After the drill, the PAPD gave the administration feedback on the school’s performance. “The police reported that the vast majority of the students were well concealed and most teachers accurately responded with the correct code,” Likins said.