We are excited to welcome Officer Dean and Officer Fortunato as the School Resource Officers for the Millbury Public School system. Officer Dean, along with his community resource dog Mikah, will be supporting Shaw Elementary and Elmwood Street Schools, while Officer Fortunato and her community resource dog Dusty will serve at Millbury Jr./Sr. High School. Together, they bring safety, support, and comfort to our school communities.
What is the Role of an SRO?
School Resource Officers (SROs) are police officers who work in schools to keep students and staff safe. They help to prevent problems, respond to emergencies, and build positive relationships with students. SROs are important because they not only protect the school but also support students by being trusted adults they can talk to. SROs are an additional help to create a safer, more supportive school environment.
A.L.I.C.E.
Elmwood Street School and Shaw Elementary (Grade 3) students learn about A.L.I.C.E. through a book titled, I’m Not Scared, I’m Prepared. The video below highlights how this book is used with students to teach A.L.I.C.E. concepts in an age-appropriate way.
Students in grades 4 through 12 receive either classroom-based or grade level presentations on school safety, including an overview of A.L.I.C.E. Students are always encouraged to ask
questions during each presentation. If your child expresses any concerns or questions about
school safety at home, please do not hesitate to contact either SRO any time at:
Safety Drills
Throughout the school year, students and staff will practice a variety of drills so they can be
better prepared to respond appropriately in the event of an emergency.
Kinds of Drills:
Fire Drill – Fire drills allow students and staff to practice evacuating their school in the
event of a fire. The purpose of a fire drill is to ensure that everyone knows how to exit safely
and as quickly as possible and what to do if you become separated from your class and
teacher.
Medical Stay-in-Place – A stay-in-place is designed to keep students out of school
corridors during a medical emergency. Keeping hallways clear helps staff and first
responders to quickly address whatever the issue may be. A medical stay-in-place does not
mean that there is any kind of threat in the school, so teachers and students are free to continue working in their classrooms. Class bells and scheduled class changes are disregarded and there is no additional movement in the building until an all-clear signal is given.
Community Emergency – A community emergency response ensures that schools keep all
students and staff secure inside the school in the event of a potential threat or hazard outside
the school building. The community emergency response relies on the security of the physical
facility to act as protection by denying entry. The community emergency response may include
a stay-in-place depending on the nature of the threat.
Lockdown Drill - Lockdown drills are opportunities for students and staff to practice what to
do if there is an active and immediate threat of violence in the school. In accordance with
A.L.I.C.E. protocols, students and staff have a variety of options for staying safe, including
locking and barricading classroom doors, relocating to another part of the school, and
evacuating the school entirely.
Unknown Visitor / Intruder Drill – This drill tests the readiness of school personnel to
identify and report unknown persons in the school. Typically, the SRO will introduce an
“unknown visitor” (typically a plainclothes police officer from another town) into the school
without a school ID badge or visitor badge. The unknown visitor then tracks how long it
takes for staff to report and/or confront him or her and reports back to the SRO. The SRO
and school administrators then debrief with the faculty about the results and look for
opportunities to improve.
Officer Tim Dean
School Resource Officer
Email: tdean@millburyschools.org
Elmwood Street & Shaw Elementary School
Officer Daniele Fortunato
School Resource Officer
Email: dfortunato@millburyschools.org
Millbury Jr./Sr. High School