This school year, Triton began to train its employees in a new program called ALICE which stands for alert, lockdown, inform, counter, and evacuate. The founder of ALICE training is Greg Crane, who created this program because he wanted to keep his wife’s school safe after the Columbine Shooting in 1999. ALICE prepares people to be more proactive and explains how to handle an intruder or an active shooter. The ALICE program is an option based on strategies for a better response instead of a traditional lockdown procedure.

School shootings are a major concern to the American people. According to the Washington Post, since the year 2000, there have been 130 shootings in American elementary, middle, and high schools. There have been 58 more shootings in colleges and universities during this time period. According to their data, there has been a shooting in 43 out of 50 states.

 “We worked very closely with our police chiefs and over the last couple of years we realize this is now something that we believe is a good approach, Mr. Brian Forget, superintendent of the Triton Regional School District, explained. It’s become the “industry standard” so we believe it is the right time”. Originally the C stood for confront, but then they thought that was too aggressive so they changed it to counter which is the last resort.

The school district is now in the process of having teachers and staff take online ALICE courses. “ All teachers, everyone if you are employed by the district, took an online course. Everyone completed that. All of the schools have certified trainers on staff at each school, they’re training all of the faculty and staff collectively”, said Mr. Forget.

Many schools in the area have already started ALICE this school year. Essence Medeiros, who attends Haverhill High School, feels that ALICE training is useful in some ways.

“Honestly I think it’s good in a sense where it creates structure for those who genuinely don’t know what to do”, said Medeiros. “But I think at the same time it can be ineffective, but it depends on the situation. If a shooter comes in the school, I think you should find the quickest and safest escape, but don’t try to fight them or distract them because that might end up doing more harm than good”.

Triton High School’s Vice Principal, Scott Brennan, was asked if our current lockdown procedure was inadequate. “I don’t know if the word is inadequate. I just think it’s a different point of view… Thank God we haven’t had anything. We have to do what’s best for our students, the safety of our students”, said Brennan.

However, a student named Mia Gonzalez, a junior in Triton High School, has different views on Triton’s lockdown procedures. “Well if it was an actual shooter I feel like we would lock down but barricade the door but, I feel like we should do that because what if they try getting in”.

Early winter the rest of Triton’s students will also experience ALICE training so everyone is proactive.