By: Kylen Mills
kmills@cbs4qc.com
The Bettendorf School District is looking to update their intruder response system.
Tonight at a public forum you can learn why school leaders think A.L.I.C.E. may be a good addition to their emergency protocol.
A.L.I.C.E. stands for alert, lock down, inform, counter and escape.
Bettendorf schools currently have a lock down system in place. If there was an armed intruder teachers lock the door, turn off the lights, and students hide and get away from the door window.
Bettendorf School District Superintendent Theron Schutte says this doesn't address if the intruder is able to get into the classroom.
He says one of the main differences is that A.L.I.C.E. gives students and teachers the option to counter, or take action.
"If faced with an intruder the idea is instead of being a stationary target you do what you can do to try to minimize the opportunity for you to be harmed," said Schutte.
He also says that rather than using emergency codes, the communication is clear and straight to the point.
"You identify the area for which the person is currently in through the communication systems within the school. And then that way teachers and or students can make logical choices as to what their best course of action is," said Schutte.
The first of two public forums will be held on Tuesday evening at 6:00pm at the Mississippi Bend Area Education Agency in Bettendorf. There will also be a public forum on Wednesday at the same time and location.
