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[quote=jsteele]Here is the latest from Principal Martin. I think Principal Martin, the teacher, and students involved have handled this episode admirably:

Dear Wilson High School Community,                         
                                                                                                     
As you know, on Tuesday Wilson staff were alerted that a student had brought a firearm onto campus.  This event and the 72 hours since have served to test the strength and resolve of our entire school community. Times of crisis often serve as opportunities to forge responsive practices, institute better policies, and to garner support for changes and improvements, but they also lay bare the dedication and diligence of the many people who serve our students. In this case, I would like to commend the actions of the Wilson High School teaching staff, students, support staff, and administration at Wilson High School whose impeccable decision-making and quick thinking led to a peaceful resolution of this situation. I also want to thank each and every student at Wilson High School, for being so overwhelmingly positive over the last two days of school.  The response of our dynamic students and staff has helped us get back to the important business of teaching and learning.

In response to this situation, we are partnering with the Metropolitan Police Department, the Department of General Services (DGS) and the Office of School Security whose support has been invaluable.  With their assistance, we have taken the following actions.  We have increased security staff to monitor all exterior doors.  Any necessary repairs have been made to doors or repairs are in progress.  Current camera capabilities are being assessed to ensure that the positioning maximizes viewing. An additional special police officer has been assigned to Wilson.

Each morning, doors will be locked until 8:00 am and any student wishing to enter before that time must be escorted by a supervising adult (coach, teacher, club sponsor). At the end of each school day, the building will be swept by security officers at 3:45 and 4:15 and any students who are not under the supervision of an adult will be escorted out of the building. A school security staff member will take post at the front door security station each evening after the Allied Barton security post has concluded. MPD and school administrators will continue to offer safe passage to and from school each day, in the area immediately surrounding the high school. Additional MPD forces will be on hand to assist with safe passage. Additional restricted usage signage will be placed on all external doors, identifying the presence of a camera and informing staff, students and visitors of the use of alarms at each egress. An additional security staff member has been added to the Wilson staff and current staff have revised their post orders to include routine monitoring of cameras. As before, we are continuing to implement 100% checkpoint for initial entry to school as well as re-entry and building sweeps will be conducted daily.  We will be extra vigilant during deliveries and all doors will be secured and supervised appropriately.

Regarding the students involved, while the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) prohibits school employees from disclosing unauthorized information pertaining to students, please know that we are tightly adhering to Chapter 25 of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations (DCMR) for students which identifies that Tier V behaviors must result in the most severe disciplinary action.  This includes suspension and recommendations for expulsion.  Final decisions are made once the details of each disciplinary case are weighed through the legally required due process.

The investigation is now under the auspices of the Metropolitan Police Department and the US Corporation Counsel (Juvenile Justice) and as a result, the school administration is not at liberty to disclose details that might compromise the investigation. Specific questions related to the firearm, and other specific information, cannot be addressed by school officials so that the legal and judicial systems can proceed unfettered.  Thank you to those of you who have shared your concerns and suggestions via the hundreds of emails that I have received. Thank you also to the many parents and community members who have offered support and appreciation for the steps that were taken to ensure a peaceful conclusion.  We are also eternally grateful to the Metropolitan Police Department for the outstanding support that has been provided.  I want to personally thank the entire Wilson community for your patience and understanding as we all work through this most difficult situation.  The safety of our students is paramount for us at all times, just as it is with you. Wilson High School continues to have substantial and appropriate safety measures in place for student safety and is a very safe school for teachers and students to learn and grow.

We look forward to moving through this trying time into even greater levels of student success.

Sincerely,
 
Kimberly J. Martin

Principal, Wilson Senior High School 
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