During the middle of Advanced Algebra during her sophomore year, Cora Hulten ‘16, remembers taking notes when an alarm signaled that it was time to go into a lockdown drill. The teacher locked the door, turned off the lights and put down a small paper shade over the door. As Hulten glanced around the classroom, she noticed the lack of silence and seriousness that her fellow classmates displayed during the safety drill.

 “I think the students and faculty should take lockdown drills more seriously,” Hulten said. “Especially since there have been multiple gun related problems in schools recently, because you never know what could happen. [Lockdowns] are only in place to keep us safe.”

 A lockdown drill is all too familiar for many students and staff at both NC and SC, and with recent gun-related problems in surrounding high schools, such as Stevenson High School, Lincoln-Way East High School and Barrington High School, gun-safety at school has continued to become an important topic at LT, as well as nationally.

 “I don’t want to think that dangerous situations [gun-problems] could happen at LT, but I know that in our society there is no guarantee against anything,” superintendent Dr. Tim Kilrea said. “That is why we want our students and staff to be prepared.”

 While every potential situation is different, if an intruder or weapon did ever enter at either NC or SC, the school would most likely go into a lockdown. Then the local law enforcement would be called and they would go through the protocols that they have in place to ensure that the buildings stay as safe as possible, Kilrea said.

 During the most recent gun-related events in suburban high schools, all the problems were brought to the attention of the administration because of student, staff or community observations, Kilrea said.

 That is why student relationships with adults in the buildings are one of the most important defenses that LT has against an intruder or weapon, principal Dr. Brian Waterman said.

 “If we know our students and they feel comfortable coming to us with a problem, then we can better ensure safety,” Waterman said.

 LT is required by state law to have safety drills once a year. These drills are put in place to ensure that if a situation did ever occur in which a lockdown would be required that the students and staff are safe. While some may take these drills lightly, Kilrea warns against this.

 “[Lockdown] drills are done for a reason,” Kilrea said. “We hope that we never need to implement such a situation, but if we need to, knowing that our students and staff are prepared is imperative. These drills are not something to take lightly.”

 LT has a full-time Student Resource officer at SC from the Western Springs Police Department and a part-time Student Resource officer at NC from the La Grange Police Department. LT is looking to add a full-time Student Resource officer at NC to have consistency between the campuses, but Kilrea doesn’t believe that this will guarantee anything, he said.

 “It is the people in the building that will make it safer and we all play a part in that,” Kilrea said. “Our buildings are very safe and it’s up to all of us to keep [LT] safe.”