RBHS chief moves to limit school entry points
Riverside-Brookfield High School Superintendent Kevin Skinkis announced on Jan. 25 that he has taken steps to limit access to the school building in order to improve security. A letter outlining the changes was sent to parents on Monday.
On school days prior to the start of classes, students and staff will be able to access the building through doors A and G. Door A is the school’s new main entrance on Golf Road by the main parking lot. Door G is the old main entrance to the school facing Ridgewood Road.
Once the school day begins, however, the only point of entry to the school will be Door A. Any visitors to the school must also check in at the welcome window to obtain a visitor’s badge before being admitted past the locked doors.
In addition, Door A will be the only entry point on evenings and weekends and Door A will also be the only entry point for athletes coming to school for morning practices.
The changes come in the wake of a mass shooting in December at a Connecticut elementary school and following an incident earlier this month in which an RBHS security staff member found an intruder, reportedly looking to have sex with boys, wandering the hallways.
No one was harmed by the man, a paroled felon, who was arrested by police and charged with criminal trespassing and disorderly conduct.
Letter to RBHS parents
Dear Parents, Guardians, and Community Members,
After recent events in the national news and locally, it is an important time to update you on our commitment to safety and security at Riverside Brookfield High School, and new measures taken to enhance current safety practices.
First and foremost, I want to assure you that the safety of the students and staff is our first priority. We have many safeguards in place to make our facility a safe and secure learning environment. The district and school administrative staff, in collaboration with local authorities, reviews our security and crisis management procedures on a regular basis. The building administration and security staff have daily and weekly meetings to address problems or concerns. Training is conducted quarterly with local law enforcement agencies to assess and improve our security procedures.
During our most recent training exercise, one area identified for consideration to further strengthen building security was access points into the school. A similar recommendation was also made by the traffic safety committee. The door schedules were carefully reviewed by security at various times during the day and night, and the following changes have been made:
- Door A (main entrance by the parking lot) and Door G (old main entrance on Ridgewood Dr.) will be open as points of entry for students and staff prior to the start of school.
- Once the school day begins, Door A will be the only entry point. All visitors will continue to check-in at the Welcome Center and obtain a visitor’s badge before being admitted through the locked doors.
- Evenings and Weekends – Door A will be the only entry point.
- Morning Practices – Door A will be the only entry point.
While these changes may cause some inconvenience, your understanding and cooperation will be appreciated as we work together to provide a safe and secure facility for our communities. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me at any time.
Sincerely,
Kevin Skinkis Ed.D.
Superintendent
