Saria Lum

Dean of Upper School Students Kevin Williamson explains the safety precautions students should take for the lockdown. During the meeting, he emphasized the importance of staying quiet during the procedure to avoid drawing unwanted attention to various classrooms.

Dean of Upper School Students Kevin Williamson briefed students about the upcoming lockdown drill protocols during Friday’s school meeting. 

Williamson started the meeting with a reminder that remaining calm and prepared is paramount to staying safe in dangerous situations. He clarified that Harker administration will always notify students in advance for simulated procedures. 

He also advised students outside buildings during an active threat to run away from the danger and exit the campus. Displaying a campus map, he pointed out key exit routes near Manzanita and the Rothschild Performing Arts Center (RPAC) that students can use in case of emergency. 

For those barricading in classrooms, Williamson went through several important safety precautions, including refraining from posting on social media during lockdown. He then instructed students to head to their 6th period classes for the drill. Those with a free period referred to a list of classrooms assigned based on last name.

Ten minutes after the school meeting, a prerecorded message signaled the official beginning of the drill. Students created barricades from classroom furniture like desks, chairs and cabinets. 

For students in science classrooms, where desks are bolted to the ground, teachers used boards and window covers to minimize intruder visibility of the classroom. In some classrooms, like French teacher Galina Tchourilova’s, students used trashcans and podiums to bolster the barricade and interlocked chairs and desks to form a strong wall in the back of the classroom. 

After forming barricades, students stayed in their classrooms quietly. During lockdown procedures, ensuring all signs of campus activity, like phone notifications, flashlights and talking, is key to reducing visibility in classrooms. 

Harker’s security team went around the buildings, checking if the barricades were constructed properly and if students could be seen. The drill, lasting about 50 minutes, finished with a prerecorded “all clear” message from Harker’s security team.