Quote:The Garden Valley School gun policy 5 years later
by Sarah Jacobsen
"We've changed up our training just to meet the needs of those that have been coming, I mean we do scenarios and every time it is different."
BOISE, (KBOI) —
"I want them to come in and go 'I'm safe here,'" says Garden Valley Superintendent and Principal Greg Alexander.
The Garden Valley School began their weapons policy more than 5 years ago because of one reason. Proximity.
"The sheriff's department is in Idaho City, which on a good day is 45 minutes over the mountain."
Alexander says that if an active shooter situation happened, he and the school board want to be prepared. And now, years later, he says they are more prepared than ever.
"We've changed up our training just to meet the needs of those that have been coming, I mean we do scenarios and every time it is different."
And that's not all that has changed.
"We have an NRA certified national trainer that travels around the world to train different teams. He will also put us in scenarios and talk us through movements and being able to move and fire the weapon and thinking about what kind of scenarios are we going to face."
Staff train at a shooting range and practice active shooter scenarios.
They're also strengthening their skills through repetition and de-escalation techniques.
"The longer we are in the positions then we have, just that practice and that ability to go yeah, you know, that is a person we need to discuss and talk with and talk them down versus you know pulling out the weapons. We want to diffuse situations through talking."
Alexander tells KBOI 2 News that the policy will continue to adapt throughout time, but he believes he is creating a safer environment for all of his students.
http://idahonews.com/news/local/the-garden-valley-school-gun-policy-5-years-later
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