By Rachel Lamb and Sydney Sears
It is 3:30 p.m. and only a few students remain inside the school doors. They may be at sports practice, participating in a club, running their lines for theatre, or just waiting until their parents pick them up. These students most likely do not think about how safe they really are.
Around this time of season, a lot of sports including wrestling and volleyball meet at FC after school.
“I have never not felt safe being here after school,” said senior wrestler Cory Troutman.
Senior wrestler Christian Overbey agreed.
“I feel very safe after school hours. There are always plenty of coaches and staff that stay after.”
Most sports have long practices after school. Volleyball usually runs till about 6 p.m. or longer on weekdays. If there is a game, then the volleyball players are here later than normal.
“I’m normally here ’til 6-6:30 or 7 on a average night school night,” said freshman Nicole Hartman.
Many students say if or when they are here after school hours they feel safe. Students may feel that way for a number of reasons.
After school all the doors are now being locked, except for the far right entrance into the rotunda. Administration, teachers, and coaches are working to keep the students here after school hours safe.
“We are just trying to keep them safe, even with the kids that are coming and going,” said FC wrestling coach Brandon Sisson.
Sisson said that it is difficult to maintain security with kids, parents, and staff going in and out so much because it is hard to determine who should be let in the school
With having a police officer at school, it makes everyone feel a little more secure. Having an officer on duty during the day allows for a sense of security that provides for a safe environment throughout FC.
“I think being safe is very important because without security we wouldn’t be able to practice and get better.” said Overbey.
Officer Brad Scott is at FC during the school day and one of his many responsibilities is spot checks around the building.
If there were to be an emergency after school, Scott said that anyone still in the building would have to listen staff members for instruction, because there is not enough personnel left after school to organize an actual procedure plan.
Scott explained that school security is especially important at sporting events because the large number of people at rival games can get out of control.
One thing students do not have to worry about is feeling safe at school.