Author: Kate Haggerty

Friday, December 16, Glens Falls Schools stayed open while other area schools closed; Glens Falls did cancel after school activities, and postpone and reschedule games and meets. 

The Glens Falls City School sent out a district-wide email explaining their decision to community members: the email explained the variables that are involved in making the decision to close schools or keep them open. Current and forecasted weather is considered, as are the conditions of the roads, parking lots, and sidewalks.

The Glens Falls role in the community is also a consideration – the schools offer every student free breakfast and lunch. These meals are very important on Fridays and Mondays to students and families who face food insecurity, so providing these services is a factor in deciding to keep the facilities open. The school also provides winter clothes, boots, hats, and gloves to students in need through the HOPE boutique. The email said: “The learning, nourishment, social-emotional community, and consistency of schedule for students and families are important.” The goal of the Glens Falls City Schools is to keep every child in school – both safely, and consistently.

The advanced walk-though concealed weapons detection system for the high school and middle school arrived this week. This system scans for shapes of weapons and individualized firearm components, unlike traditional metal detectors or wands; so the system can distinguish between threats and everyday items, like cell phones, coins and keys. The system will enter into uservice once it is fully calibrated and staff members are trained in its use. This will make entry into the school more secure, and reduce the bottleneck of checking backpacks as the students enter. The expected start date for this system is mid-January. 

The process to add an additional school resource officer from the Warren County Sheriff’s office is also nearly complete: this officer will be housed at the Middle School, but will work district-wide. The officer will partner with current SRO Norton to provide additional support for safety and community building. This position is expected to be added in mid-January.  A local Glens Falls parent said, “After what happened at the beginning of the school year, I think it’s a sad necessity. It’s been so challenging for the kids and the community. Then the backpack searches made kids late to class which added stress. The school district has responded to the needs of the community, which is nice to see.”

Safety at Glens Falls High School has been a concern since the first day of school: on September 8, 2022 at approximately 11:20 AM, a student was directed on two occasions to leave the building. This student went outside, damaged speakers, and was asked to leave campus; the student then proceeded around the building and knocked on doors until let back into the school. Once inside, the student put on a mask and walked the hallways, and engaged in an altercation with the school’s hall monitor and principal. During this altercation, a BB-gun fell out of the student’s backpack. The Glens Falls School resource officer called for additional assistance from the Glens Falls Police Department to remove the student from the school. The high school then called for a Lock Out, and the middle school sheltered in place until the situation was resolved. 

It was less than a week later on September 14, 2022, when the middle school and high school went into lock down again over a possible weapon; a student at the middle school saw what looked like a weapon fall out of another student’s backpack. Police recovered a toy gun, and then took the student into custody and removed the student from campus. Since those two incidents, Glens Falls Middle School and High School have taken campus security and student safety very seriously – the district responded by checking backpacks daily, and not allowing students to carry backpacks in the hallways between classes.