As promised, the superintendent at Oak Park and River Forest High School made his report to the school board on the response of school staff and the Oak Park police department to back-to-back security challenges at the school on Feb. 14.
At the school board meeting on March 21, Supt. Greg Johnson summarized the two incidents that day.
The first issue led to the imposition of what is called a “secure and teach” response. It is the equivalent to a soft lockdown. It was called by school staff when officials were informed that an OPRF student had posted on Snapchat that they had a gun in their bag and was going to “shoot the school up” during fifth period. Once the student was identified, with the assistance of the FBI and questioned, it was determined that there was no real danger and the secure and teach was ended.
Later that day, a school employee saw students leaving the building and was concerned that shots had been fired. That employee communicated the concern to school security. At that point, the Oak Park police decided that although they and school officials both thought that the report about shots possibly being fired was not accurate, they needed to follow their protocol and do a full sweep of the school to make sure.
Johnson said some students who had been sheltering in the South Cafeteria did not hear the cancellation of the first secure and teach and the instruction to go to their sixth-period class. Some of those students became concerned when other students started entering the cafeteria and some students began leaving the building and heading out to the mall between the school building and the athletic fields. When a school staff member saw that the students outside the staff member became concerned.
“An employee looking out on to the mall from the third floor saw students leaving the cafeteria, became worried that something was wrong, and called security fearing that there had been shots fired outside the school on the mall,” Johnson said.
The Oak Park police sergeant who had arrived to respond to the initial threat was informed of this new report. Although both school officials and police sergeant believed that no shots had been fired, police decided that their normal protocol of a full sweep of the building was necessary. Oak Park police officers then entered the building carrying long guns while another secure and teach was put in place.
“At our debrief with OPPD we learned that although their own officers believed it to be another false report the totality of the day’s events required that they respond as they did, with a full-armed response to ensure the building was safe before releasing us from the secure and teach,” Johnson said.
Johnson said the school’s review of the events indicated two broad areas that the school needs to improve.
“Internal communications channels and structures during the crisis need to be ironed out to ensure that the right information gets to the right people absolutely as quickly as possible,” Johnson said. “We had some delays and we’ve made some adjustments.”
The second area to improve is more frequent and improved training and communication with stakeholders.
“I’m talking about students, parents, teachers and the Oak Park police about our emergency protocols is necessary,” Johnson said. “This includes what happens during the event as well as how we work with families to support our students after.”
On Feb. 14 and afterward, some parents and students complained about a lack of communication from the school during the lockdowns.
Some steps to improve have already been taken. On March 12 Traccye Love, the school’s security director, led a training on emergency procedures at an OPRF faculty meeting. The Oak Park Police Department conducted a training session at OPRF during the recently concluded Spring Break so that they are more familiar with the building.
Johnson said the school has also updated its incident command structure and conducted a training session on the new structure.
“This includes creating radio codes and protocols to improve radio communication during the emergency, assigning roles to division heads and other administrators not directly involved in the response to help with communicating during the event,” Johnson said. “And also exploring the use of additional technology, data for communication with staff and students during the secure and teach.”
The school also updated its website to specify what a secure and teach entails, as well as what a hard lockdown is.
“Any time something like this occurs it is incredibly upsetting and a lot of questions should and do come our way about how and why we respond as we do,” Johnson said. “We take any and all of these incredibly seriously. We review them with the patience and thoughtfulness that we believe they deserve and we are always striving to ensure that we are best prepared to keep our students in this building safe.”
Sullivan said the student who posted the threat to shoot the school up has received disciplinary consequences in alignment with the school’s Behavior Education Plan. Such a threat can lead to Level 3 to Level 5 consequences, which range from one to three days of In School Reflection, a form of in school suspension, which is a Level 3 consequence, to an out-of-school suspension or a recommendation for expulsion. Sullivan did not say which level of consequences the student received. The student has not been charged with a criminal offense.
OPRF security chief resigning at close of school year
Traccye Love’s tenure as the Director of Campus Safety at Oak Park and River Forest High School will be a short one. Love, a former Oak Park police sergeant, is resigning effective May 31 after slightly less than five months on the job.
Love confirmed to Wednesday Journal last week that she is resigning but declined to comment further.
“I do appreciate you reaching out regarding my resignation from OPRF,” Love said in a text message. “At this time, however, I respectfully decline to comment on the matter.”
Karin Sullivan, OPRF’s communications director, said Love is leaving OPRF for personal reasons.
“That is as much as we’re able to say,” Sullivan told Wednesday Journal.
Love began working at OPRF on Jan. 5 replacing Cindy Guerra who resigned in November, also reportedly for personal reasons, after less than six months on the job. Guerra’s predecessor, Cherylynn Jones-McLeod, left after one year on the job, also for what were called personal reasons. Love was the fourth director of campus safety at OPRF in the last five years.
“It’s unfortunate but that is what has happened,” Sullivan said.
Correction April 4, 2024: This story has been updated to change the student’s pronouns to “they” and “them,” according to the school’s records. We apologize for the error.
