by Nicole Bradford
Ongoing staff training in Pearland ISD schools includes everything from weather events to medical emergencies and active shooters.
This training includes “simulation rounds,” held during in-service days when students are not on campus.
“We do have the officers fire blanks in the building and that allows staff to hear what that does sound like,” said John Palombo, who in March was named the district’s executive director of Safe and Secure Schools. “Our goal, too, is to move staff around to different parts of the building during that time so they can see if you’re in different parts of the building you may not hear it at all.”
Formerly a campus principal, Palombo says his current role is enhancing not only physical safety for students and staff but promoting overall wellbeing via safe bus transportation, well-balanced meals, or a clean and functioning environment.
“My goal is we spent hours and hours and hours and maybe months preparing for something that I never use,” he said.
During regular safety checks, auditors try to get into school buildings via random exterior doors.
“If they do gain entry, they walk around the building and see if there is a staff member who stops them,” Palombo said.
