Schools learning new defense against shooters

While a school shooting has not happened in Shawano, local officials don’t plan to wait for one to happen to take action.

Shawano schools, both public and private, plan to implement a new method of dealing with a shooter, one that involves taking action instead of hiding and locking doors.

Scott Zwirschitz, Shawano Community High School principal, informed the School Board on Monday that steps are being taken to train students and staff in the program known as ALICE, short for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter and Evacuate.

The issue first came before the board in November when officials with the Shawano Police Department gave a brief overview of the program.

The program’s premise is that locking down a school when there is an active shooter is an inadequate defense. ALICE focuses on minimizing casualties by encouraging active resistance.

According to proponents of ALICE, most situations with violent intruders end within five to seven minutes, and in many cases, the first emergency officials arrive after that time has passed. Research shows civilians have stopped shooters more often than police officers.

The next step is setting up training dates. Zwirschitz said he is working with ALICE instructors to find a suitable date in March or April. He wants to get everyone trained by the end of the school year in June.

The program also is expected to be implemented at the parochial schools in Shawano, as well as the local Northeast Wisconsin Technical College campus, which is next to the high school.

Zwirschitz said he also has received a call from the Pulaski Community School District expressing interest in the training program.

After the staff is trained, the district plans to work with parents to help them understand ALICE.

Zwirschitz said the biggest concern about the program is the Counter aspect. He told the board there is no intention of asking students to stop a shooter.

“If they’re in harm’s way, they can do things to protect themselves,” Zwirschitz said. “We don’t have to just sit there and take what this person doing harm is doing. We can take action to stop the threat.”

Board members praised Zwirschitz and others on the safety committee for being proactive. Several members commented that sitting back and waiting for the inevitable was not a comfortable position.

“You’ve got to make some changes,” board member Al Heins said. “Instead of being a mother hen and cuddling underneath something, if there’s something you can do, it’s important to do it.”

Board member Michael Sleeper referred to the recent school shooting in Roswell, N.M., where a 12-year-old boy entered the middle school and shot two students. A teacher intervened and persuaded the shooter to lower his gun.

“That was the end of the story,” Sleeper said. “I don’t know if it was formal training or just a natural reaction on the person’s part, but this is an example of the kinds of things that we’re talking about.”