PERRY, Iowa — The Perry School District continues to work on a plan for students to feel safe in the classrooms after a student opened fire on school grounds in January, ultimately killing two and then himself.
The Perry School Improvement Advisory Committee (SIAC) met on Monday to discuss concerns from the community surrounding the school safety plan.
Superintendent Clark Wicks shared an update on what the safety process has looked like, highlighting the steps they have taken so far.
Wicks says that all of their teachers and staff who were able to have returned to school, and student attendance is at over 90% on average.
"I see the progress that people have made with their healing, I see the progress that people are making with resiliency," Wicks said. "And I think we're in pretty good shape."
A number of programs have taken place within the school, like the ALICE program for staff, which creates 3D models and integrated environments to help educators prepare for school shooting events.
The school also continues to analyze their Emergency Safety Plan, just like they do every year.
However, help from Project Serve, an Iowa safety grant and a Homeland Security grant has allowed the school to construct initial first steps.
The school plans to install new door hardware, which would quickly and easily lock classroom and school doors.
Additionally, the school wants to install a window film that would prevent bullets from traveling through and shattering the window glass.
However, the school is waiting for the final Division of Criminal Investigations report.
Wicks told Local 5 he was instructed to wait because he was told: "Until that report gets done, be careful with trying to have another plan over here that you may want or think that you may need until you see what they have written because they'll have some recommendations too."
The federal government has provided the schools with law enforcement officers present every day, something Wicks said is the gold standard for school safety.
Throughout the meeting, SIAC members commended the help they have gotten from Area Education Agencies, with over 40 AEA employees going to Perry to help.
"From substitute teachers to other para[professional]s, to whatever you need ... I am here," Wicks said.
The SIAC says they welcome anybody to come to their meetings and ask questions, they want an open conversation.