Colonie Students Struggle with Feeling Safe, But the District is Working to Change That

By F. Morina

March 7, 2023

(Colonie, NY) Safety drills and procedures are a known presence in all schools. Fire drills, lockdowns, and shelter in place are completed throughout the school year, but students at CCHS have conflicting views on whether or not the drills and procedures are working.

Some students feel safe walking around the halls during the school day.

“I feel like not a lot of bad things happen here and the fact that we have a police officer here is good,” Anna Riley, a sophomore said.

Riley also explains that she thinks that our drills and procedures work for the school most of the time.

“I know there are still fights and stuff, but yes, I do think most of the time our drills and procedures are working,” Riley said.

Brionna Friebel, a junior, also explains that she feels safe in our community.

“I feel like we have a good community and Colonie is a safe place to live in,” Friebel said.

However, unlike Riley, Friebel believes that there should be some changes to the drills that occur in the school.

“I think sometimes they can be a little disorganized and we need to update how we do them,” Friebel explains.

But, what some students may not know is that the district is targeting changes. Recently they hired Mr. Rosenzweig, a retired police officer in the Town of Colonie to become the Community Engagement and Safety Coordinator.

“I provide school administrators and their staff with training and recommendations to make our schools as safe and possible,” Rosenzweig said, “I am a consultant and make recommendations based on my experience and best practices.”

As the Safety Coordinator, Rosenzweig’s goal is to update and make sure our drills and procedures are actually benefiting the district and helping prepare students and staff for any unfortunate event that may happen during the day.

“The Superintendent and district administrators are always looking for ways to update procedures and technology. In my role, I am able to train with staff more frequently,” Rosenzweig said.

Another important member in our safety coordination team is Associate Principal Melissa Judge, who works with the administrative team and safety coordinator to coordinate the drills. She noted that the team of administrators make sure that everyone is doing what they’re supposed to do and how they can change or improve.

“We debrief the team afterwards and we put messages out to our faculty and staff asking for feedback,” Judge said.

Mr. Rosenzweig and Mrs. Judge also talk about the importance of having these procedures and why we all need to take them seriously. Rosenzweig explains what he wants to change in the future so the students and staff can protect themselves.

“Training is important, needs to be taken seriously and conducted on a regular basis,” Rosenzweig said, “I would like to see the addition of a self-defense and situational awareness curriculum. This will help students stay safe in the school environment and beyond.”