Annual A.L.I.C.E. Drill

Belleville Middle and High Schools practiced their annual A.L.I.C.E. drill this morning at the start of the school day. A.L.I.C.E. is a safety protocol that stands for Alert-Lockdown-Inform-Counter-Evacuate. Two "intruders" (police officers) entered the building before 8:15am.

Given the last year and any built up anxiety with students and staff, the focus of the drill was to:

1. Give the Administrative, Student Services, and Technology teams an opportunity to practice tracking the "intruders" on the camera and public address systems.
2. Evacuate to the First United Church of Christ for classrooms that did not barricade.
3. Transport students back from First UCC (as the district would in a real event to an offsite, secure location).
4. De-brief afterward with students and staff on lessons learned to improve the process for the future.

The "intruders" today were instructed not to bang on doors, force entry, shout, or startle classrooms.

Thank you to Pastor Laura and the Belleville Police Department for their roles in this drill.

Paraprofessionals' Appreciation Day

Over Spring Break, Paraprofessionals' Appreciation Day was celebrated nationwide. It fell on April Fool's Day, and the district did not want anyone thinking there was a joke when it recognizes these educators so critical to students' success.

So, the district took some time on Wednesday, April 14, to recognize its paraprofessionals with a small gift to thank them for their support in the classrooms with all of our students, but particularly the care, compassion, and dedication that they show our English Learners and students with special needs.

Thank you for all you do!

Not pictured: Liliana Castillo and Jade Jorgensen

Not pictured: Lisa Bell