Update on Cranbury Press cover story from last week?

[anon-r8nr]

In the wake of what happened in Parkland, Florida this week, I’m wondering if Princeton High School has addressed the community on how they plan on tightening security after a former student easily walked through the front doors in the morning a couple of weeks ago. I know there was no threat, but I can’t help but wonder how they are going to address the issue now.

[anon-s6p5]

I remember being in High School and one of the benefits was the past students coming back. They came back and helped the sports teams, they helped the band, etc...

I went to Princeton and on a few occasions John Pappa from the Blues Travelers who went to Princeton would come back during the day and we'd have an impromptu session in the band room.

At the same time and not sure how the HS is today, Princeton had an open campus and we'd walk to town for lunch and then go back to school.

It's sad to think that we've come to a point where we're thinking these issues and losing connections.

[anon-4os8]

Email to parents from Steve Cochraine, Superintendant of Princeton Public Schools

Dear families and staff,

Yesterday’s tragedy in Florida weighs heavily on our hearts. Our thoughts go out to the students, staff, and families, and to all those who were affected by this latest school shooting. As we grieve and help our children grieve, you may find guidance in the resources provided at the end of this email.

I want to assure you that here in Princeton, we continue to make students’ safety our top priority. In January, we worked with the Princeton Police Department to conduct security audits at all of our buildings.

As a result of our security audit at the high school, and following the incident there last week in which a former student entered and later left the building, we will be making some important changes in our safety practices and protocols:

All doors at Princeton High School will be locked during arrival times, as well as during the school day.

Students will only be able to enter the school through the tower entrance or the entrance by the Performing Arts Center.

Security personnel will be in place monitoring both entrances to ensure that no one enters who shouldn’t be in the building.

Parents and other visitors will only be allowed to enter through the tower entrance where they will need to sign in.

We have already implemented several other security changes throughout our district based on the security audits we undertook in January. During the school day, the doors to all of our buildings are locked. At our elementary schools and at John Witherspoon Middle School, students are only able to arrive and leave through their school’s main entrance, which is monitored by staff. We have also made additional recommendations for all of our buildings, from enhanced PA systems to additional security cameras to modifications of our internal procedures.

Please note that security is also an important component of the proposed facilities referendum. We plan to add new entryways to all six of our buildings that will be warm, welcoming, and secure.

We appreciate your understanding and support as we implement these new procedures designed to improve the safety for our students and our staff. Moreover, we join with communities all over America in grieving the loss of the students in Florida and in renewing a common commitment to make our schools physically and emotionally safe for all children to learn.

Sincerely,

Steve Cochrane

[anon-4os8]

Cranbury School also sent an email last week. No doubt as a result of the former student getting on a bus from Cranbury that morning to PHS without anyone saying anything.

Gist is from now on all Cranbury high school students will be required to show their student ID and a special bus pass (which will be received this week) before they are able to board in the morning or afternoon. Boarding allowed only on assigned bus and only at assigned stop. Late bus will require these 2 forms of ID plus being checked against a roster.

Some of this was supposed to be happening all along like riding correct bus and only students who paid riding the late bus and being checked against a list but from what I've heard from my kids for years it was not enforced. I guess we'll see if that changes.

[anon-2q10]

Thank you for sharing! I’m glad to see they are addressing the issue. I did not know that it was a Cranbury resident that rode the bus and entered the school, interesting.

[anon-4os8]

I'd also say--while it didn't work in Florida--please still encourage your kids to say something if anything feels amiss.

My child heard it was a Cranbury kid on the bus who alerted someone at the school because they knew the person shouldn't have been on the bus. I'm glad the student spoke up and it was checked out. (On the other hand my child also heard a lot of kids say they had seen the former kid walking the halls looking out of place and did not say anything...)

[anon-4os8]

It was also a Cranbury kid who caused of the incident by improperly being on the bus and roaming the school in the first place. And he wasn't just there to see former teachers. He was seen going in and out of multiple bathrooms and had a prior reputation as a source for illegal substances when a student there. So the school had good reason to question why he was there for sure. It's crazy they let him on the bus but I guess now they've solved that go-forward.

[anon-4qn8]

I was thinking former student as someone who graduated in the past few years. The Cranbury Press today stayed this was a 25 year old. To me this a much different and serious concern. A 25 year old should not have bus access and should know better. I remember going back on college break and visiting teachers. But I was 19 and not trying to ride the bus and also stopped in the office during school hours.