On February 12, a lockdown alert accidently went off around 1:30 pm, alarming some students. 

According to Christian Sullivan, a panic button which triggers a whole school lockdown was accidently pushed. The administration was able to determine that it was a false alarm within 90 seconds and informed the school as soon as possible. 

“It was a frightening moment for some …. While it served as a realistic drill in practical terms, I of course wish it had not happened,” Sullivan wrote in an email sent out to the parents. 

The lock down alarm, which rings three beeps followed by a voice saying “Run, hide, fight,”  concerned some students. Senior Emily Feliciano was slightly frightened by the alarm because of the recent school shootings around the country, “I was scared and kind of prepared for the worst. I texted my mom saying ‘I’m not sure if there is a drill right now but we are having a lock down, I love you,’” she said. 

Junior Hannah Song was less dismayed by the alarm, “Half of us were kind of scared and then half of us didn’t feel anything at all. It didn’t feel real to me because usually nothing happens around here anyways,” she said.

According to Sullivan, adjustments will be made so that panic buttons cannot be triggered accidentally. According to Jennifer Haley, Director of Institutional Advancement, there are three such panic buttons located in various places around the school. 

The student body and faculty responded quickly, taking appropriate precautionary measures as practiced by the frequent drills.