Safe- protected from or not exposed to danger or risk

Such a simple word with such a powerful meaning, and always accommodated especially in the hallways of Hawthorne High School. School safety is of the utmost importance at HHS. With the assistance of Mr. Mazzacca, HHS assistant vice principal/athletic director the school has certainly been upgraded impressively. Improvements such as replacing doors, with more efficient locking mechanisms in case of a lock-down drill or emergency, along with new rules in place to ensure not only the students’ safety, but the staffs’ as well. For the details The Clarion interviewed Mr. Mazzacca on the vision he has to keep our school safe. 

The Clarion: What drove you and the other administrators to update the school’s security? 

Mr. Mazzacca: Being that a lot of new protocols were put out by the state, as well as Mr. Spirito and myself attending numerous meetings discussing school security, we felt we wanted to make sure all of the students (as well as teachers in the district) to be and feel safe at Hawthorne High school.  

The Clarion: Curiosity is natural, and seeing as new security measures have been put into place to make the school safer, students and teachers were wondering what they are? 

Mr. Mazzacca: We brought in more security guards, a new phone system, we began banning headphones in the hallways, we put new safety procedures in place when you come into school, along with the flashing lights in all of our main areas, including the cafeteria, the gym and outside the building so people outside know what’s going on in case of an emergency. Plus a 911 app, that alerts the police immediately when an emergency occurs. 

The Clarion– What encouraged you to implement new phones in all classrooms? Along with the heightened rules involving the hallway?

Mr. Mazzacca– Students and staff safety is always a concern, but open lines of communication from the teachers straight to us is paramount. Making sure everyone feels safe enough that if they see something they say something. Not allowing headphones in the hallway is simple…if an alarm goes off, it needs to be heard…with headphones on, this might not happen.

The Clarion– Should we (as staff and students) be expecting anymore additions to the security at HHS? 

Mr. Mazzacca– We’re always growing and looking at the safety of everyone who enters Hawthorne High School, so if we need to change something we’ll do it to protect everyone. 

The Clarion–  With all the safety protocols you have put into this school do you feel like you have achieved easing the minds of parents that their child is safe at school?

Mr. Mazzacca– I like to think so…as a parent who has children who learn in this district it eases my mind, so I would hope that parents feel their children are safe. We truly just try our hardest to achieve safety for our bear community.