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Safety Drill Taking Place at TES on March 15

Dear Lansingburgh Community, 

For those who may not already know, our district is collaborating with multiple agencies to hold an active shooter/reunification drill on Friday, March 15. 

School will not be in session on March 15 since it is a professional development day and no students will be involved or in attendance. Nearly 200 members of Lansingburgh’s faculty and staff are voluntarily participating in these controlled scenarios which will be overseen by trained professionals. 

The active shooter portion of the drill will be held at Turnpike Elementary School. It will simulate what would happen in the event of a real active threat inside our schools that would require a coordinated response by the district, law enforcement and emergency services. 

It will be immediately followed by the reunification portion of the drill where participants will be transported to Tamarac Middle/High School. This will simulate how students would be evacuated from our schools in the event of an active threat and relocated to a reunification site where they would be reunited with their families.

Please remember the following if you are in the area of Turnpike Elementary School on Friday, March 15, between 7:00 AM-1:00 PM:

  • Many law enforcement/emergency services personnel and vehicles will be in the area. This includes the Troy Police Department, the Troy Fire Department, the Rensselaer County Sheriff’s Office and the New York State Police.

  • The area of New Turnpike Road near the school will be closed to vehicle and pedestrian traffic for a time. Be prepared for a potential detour if traveling in the area. Residents in the impacted area will still be allowed to pass through.    

  • You may see unmanned aircraft systems (drones) in the airspace around the school. Law enforcement will be using them to survey and review the drill.

This is part of our ongoing efforts to provide the safest learning environment for everyone in Lansingburgh schools. While we do not like to think about these events happening in real life, unfortunately sometimes they do. Our employees and local emergency service providers need to experience them in these controlled scenarios to be prepared in the unlikely event they ever do happen. Ultimately this will make our schools safer by helping us identify the existing strengths in our safety procedures and find potential areas for improvement.

Sincerely, 

Antonio W. Abitabile

LCSD Superintendent