On August 27th in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the United States recorded its first school shooting of the 2025-2026 school year. This tragic event marked the beginning of a series, with three more shootings occurring soon after.
In light of this recent tragedy and ongoing violence in schools across America, it is important to recognize the threat of school shootings that may face our WMC community.
This broader concern resonates within our community. Mrs. Johnson, a teacher in the English Department and the IB DP Coordinator, like many other teachers in America, has followed the tragedies that have occurred across the American school system this school year. “[The Annunciation Catholic Church school shooting] is an absolute tragedy. It makes me very sad, but also, I have to admit that I feel desensitized to it at this point” stated Mrs. Johnson.
With the frequency of school shootings increasing, she stresses the importance of taking drills seriously. Mrs.Johnson stated, “One of the big things is that students that are in locked classrooms are so much safer statistically than students that are not. It’s really important for us to really emphasize the idea. If there’s a drill called, get into a room.”
Many students notice the commonness of drills; they happen all the time at WMC. However, very few recognize the importance. Assistant Principal Ms.Liskiewicz emphasizes the benefits of regularly practicing these procedures stating that “that’s why we practice so much and that’s why we talk to kids constantly about treating every drill as though it was a true emergency because we want to build that muscle memory and we want the kids to understand that while it might be a drill, you just don’t ever know.”
Ms.Liskiewicz’s attention to drills is simple; she wants to ensure that, to the best of our school’s ability, every student and staff member is fully trained to know exactly what they should be doing.
The district security member, Mr.Burroughs, believes that a key factor in what keeps the WMC community safe is access to support services.
According to Mr.Burroughs, support staff, such as guidance and wellness counselors, ensure that the school remains in touch with the student body, preventing potential incidents of all severities, including school shootings. “We have to know our students, we have to stop it before it happens” stated Mr. Burroughs.
Due to the number of school shootings unfortunately increasing at a record-setting pace, WMC is evolving with the times. As the year progresses, it is crucial for every member of the West Morris Central community to take drills seriously, remain vigilant, and stay informed.
