When three men in a van deliberately drove at pedestrians on London Bridge and then started stabbing people in Borough Market on June 3, it was the third terrorist attack in the past three months in the UK. As a result, Head of School Mrs. Coreen Hester called a meeting of the school’s Crisis Management Team on June 4 to discuss ways to tighten security around school.
Although some students may now feel unsafe going around London or even being in school after all these terror attacks, Mr. Pete Lutkoski, middle school principal, wanted to reassure students. “There is a huge amount of work that is going on behind the scenes to make sure that all of our students are safe during their time with us,” said Mr. Lutkoski. “There is a lot of planning that takes place that may not be apparent to students.”
Mr. Lutkoski explained that although cities can be risky places, the school has done a lot to make sure they minimize those risks. “We want to make sure that everybody knows that the security team is doing everything we can for the student body to be safe at all times,” said Mr Lutkoski.
It is easier to control the safety within the school, but at times there are classes that leave the school and go off-campus, especially at the end of the school year. Mr. Lutkoski said, “At this moment we have not made any decision to change plans for end of year activities, but at this particular time it is so important for us to be evaluating the safety of those events on an ongoing basis. We will be making a decision on the day before or the day of the trips to ensure that everything is safe before we are to go.” Mr. Lutkoski also pointed out that they always review trips with external security consultants including people at the American embassy to make sure that everything is safe for students. Mr Lutkoski said, “If there is a recommendation to alter or cancel events that is a decision we would make closer to the date.”
There will be times when students are not in school and may be out in London on their own or with their family. Head of security Barak Fave said that if students are out in the city on their own and another attack happens, running away from an attack is the best option, while still being careful and street smart. If running is not an option, the next best thing would be to stay quiet and hide, preferably behind doors that are locked. The next step is to make contact with other people, in order to stop other people from making their way towards the incident. When it is safe, “Please report back to your families, or even directly to the school if your family is unavailable, so that we can send assistance or simply know that you are all right,” said Mr. Fave.
If a student has to go out after a terrorist attack, “Just be aware of what’s happening around you,” Mr. Fave said. “If you see something that doesn’t seem right, tell someone. Talk to someone. Share your concerns so we can aid you and keep you safe.”
The security team has been acutely aware of the terror attacks happening around the UK, and Mr. Fave said that some things they have been doing to tighten security include being more vigilant with deliveries. They have also taken steps to restrict pedestrian access into the school. “We have closed most of the front entrance on Waverley to minimize the space where visitors can actually gain access to the school giving us more time to lock ourselves in if there is a threat at the bottom of the stairs or anywhere around the school,” said Mr. Fave.
The security team is more alert for anything seeming suspicious, and they are maintaining constant contact with the US Embassy and the police. “[In London], we have one of the most aggressive police departments,” said Mrs Hester. “We’ve got an absolutely fabulous security team here at ASL.”
Although some parents may have concerns about the safety of living in London, Mrs. Hester offers some reassurances about the safety of living in London. “We live in one of the safest international cities in the world,” she said. “We’re as well protected as any group of people can be if you’re going to live in an international city. ”
