Matt Burgy, Head of School

March 31, 2023

Dear Oakridge Family,

Thank you all for the many emails and calls I have received this week in response to the horrific events in Nashville and at Lamar High School. I appreciated the many letters of support and those that gave me insight into concerns and critiques. While we are not perfect, we are committed to making our campus a safe place for children to learn. I also want to not only line out what those current measures are, the immediate measures that will enhance them, and the future improvements we intend to make. I hope you can appreciate and will understand that I can't share full details of every facet of our security plan, as global knowledge of the entire security plan in and of itself is a breach of security. Know this, the security and safety of this campus is a responsibility I do not take lightly.

We currently have significant measures in place to prevent and respond to a campus threat. Best practices in school security list that the single most effective preventative measure is that of a trained, professional, armed police presence on campus. Our officer on duty also has the added benefit of a police cruiser, which is equipped with the necessary resources to respond swiftly to an active situation. This is what is commonly considered a "force multiplier," where the presence of police deters those looking to harm a school community. You will see a greater presence of armed police on campus, as we have immediately doubled the amount of police on campus. In and of itself, this is a massive upgrade to our current system, allowing both of our officers to be strategically placed in and around campus. Our police officers are supported by a fully trained and professional security team that is consistently sweeping and patrolling the campus as well as monitoring our camera system, creating an invisible layer of security. You may also be aware that directly adjacent to our campus is the Arlington Police Training. We have the ability to be in contact with this center to react within seconds of a campus threat, wherein a significant force can be mobilized if needed. We are very fortunate to share a wonderful relationship with APD, and I am grateful for their support of our school. 

I have been in contact throughout the school year with security professionals, receiving guidance and expert advice on our current protocols and suggestions for short and long-term improvements. We quickly identified the need to lock essential exterior doors and limit building access to central points, to provide lanyard identification, and to provide car placard identification when entering campus. Admittedly, we have fallen into our old ways in requiring that of our normal visitors, and you will see an increase in our attention to those details. We need your help ensuring that you remember your lanyard and car placard. This will be particularly helpful and necessary for entering campus directly after morning drop-off and directly before pick-up, where road access to both the main campus and the ECC will be closed. All cars entering campus will need to check in at the guard shack at the front of campus from 9 AM to 2 PM after next week. While it may seem like a hassle, we need this so our security staff can focus on patrol and our faculty and staff can focus on the education of our students.

We are working with an expert security firm to receive a full security audit that will provide us with further recommendations, which I will share with the school community once received. I expect this work to be completed within the next 30 days. We will also begin performing announced "lockdown" drills in the coming weeks. In addition, our faculty and staff will receive active shooter training from this firm. A security guard monitors access to the Quad, and any suspicious activity is reported and quickly addressed. Soon, you will see the Quad receive an upgrade in fencing that will limit access to it during school hours. Additionally, we have a full-time Licensed Professional Counselor available to meet with students to assist with any concerns regarding safety, security, and social and emotional wellness. You may contact Mrs. Edwards at cedwards@theoakridgeschool.org or request an appointment through your child's divisional office.

I am fully aware that longer-term infrastructure changes are needed, and we are working towards those. Those changes will require extensive planning and visioning of the campus and will need the support and generosity of our entire school community. Our Oakridge Fund has provided for many of these positive changes this year, and I am grateful for that support. We have accomplished much this year, and we must recognize that we have much more to do. 

With Gratitude,

Matt Burgy
Head of School