Mayfield High School has made future plans to renovate the school and revise current rules in the school.

Principal Jeffrey Legan said the school is now using an updated technology system to make the school safer. Legan said, “ We’ve added a Raptor system, so anyone who signs in during the day, any adult, must have their ID scanned.”

All visitors throughout the day will be on record and accounted for.

Other than reforming their protocol for visitors they are considering moving the vestibule outside of the school in hopes that it will isolate any potential threat before entering the school. Legan said, “Right now in the vestibule you have to come in and get buzzed in so you are in the vestibule and then get buzzed in to come into the office. We were looking at putting that on the outside so nobody could just come into the school first; they would have to get bussed from the outside.”

Attendance secretary for grades 11-12, Carla Spiccia, is on the front line of the high school and has some responsibility with buzzing people who enter into the front office. Spiccia said, “I do feel that [removing the vestibule to outside] would help from the standpoint that people are not directly in the building at that point in time unless they are buzzed in.”

However, Legan’s major concern is the many doors located in the high school. Many doors allows greater access for potential intruders. There are over 10 doors leading in and out of school located throughout of the school.

As a matter of fact, students letting others in through those doors instead of going thought he office in a more controlled manner. Legan said, “I will say the hardest part about this school is the number of doors everywhere and kids letting other people in the building or doors being propped open.”

Other than physical aspects of the building changing, students have been trained to attack the potential threat. A.L.I.C.E training is a way to ensure safety and awareness of the situation. Legan said, “We want to make sure our students and staff are trained [with A.L.I.C.E.]. Next year we doing to do an evacuation training.”

Not only are staff and students gaining preparation, but police departments are gearing up to defend their lives in a dangerous situation. Legan said, “I know that the four municipalities [Mayfield Heights, Mayfield Village, Highland Heights, Gates Mills] have actually done active shooter training here at the high school on a weekend.”

In addition, Spiccia believes that students don’t need backpacks and refraining from the use of them would help keep the school safe. Spiccia said, “Back in the day when I went to school, we didn’t carry book bags. So I think eliminating bookbags is an option as well.”

Students like junior Gabby Tartaglia have a strong opinion regarding no backpacks and the idea of see through backpacks, which some schools now require. Tartaglia said, “I feel like clear backpacks eliminates all privacy that students have.”

Interior design teacher Karen Sulzer thinks a clear backpage makes sense and would support the change if it happens. Sulzer said, “That would be a good alternative to what we’re dealing with now because some people say there just using it as a fashion statement but you can’t really tell what they have in there.”

Sulzer thinks the topic of school violence can be improved with better communication and knowledge. “Educate kids more and to talk,” Sulzer said. We’re not talking to each other and I think some kids are in need and they’re desperate and not able to talk to anyone. Half the problem would be solved [with better communication].”