Local school administrators release statements following school shooting in Perry

Thursday, January 4, the Perry School District in south central Iowa experienced a shooting incident at its Perry High School/Middle School in which one sixth grade student lost his life and four other students and one school district administrator were injured. In response to that incident, the Superintendents of both the Allamakee Community School District and Eastern Allamakee Community School District released statements to their respective school district communities. Those statements are being reprinted here with permission from each Superintendent.

Dear Allamakee Community School District Families,

Our thoughts are with the Perry school community. The safety of our students is a top priority, so each time there is violence on a school campus, it prompts us to pause and reflect on the safety measures and our standard response protocols we have in place. This also reminds us how important our efforts are to invest in forming trusting relationships with and among students in our schools.

We are grateful for our partnerships with the Waukon Police Department, the Allamakee County Sheriff’s Department and the Iowa State Patrol, who work closely with us to be diligent and in tune with individuals who may be in distress so we can prevent violence and respond appropriately to any threat. Trooper Solberg from the Iowa State Patrol recently trained our teachers on the Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events (CRASE) program. Chief Wagner and Sheriff Mellick worked with the Governor’s office to get radios in all of our building offices that directly communicate with our local dispatch.

We all have a role in sustaining a safe learning environment. If you or your child see something out of the ordinary or concerning, say something to someone involved. Report things to your teacher, principal or local law enforcement officials. The district has added additional visitor sign-in stations recently. Additional measures are always a balancing act between safety and convenience. We have fielded complaints about the inconvenience of having to sign in. We feel that this slight inconvenience is worth the extra level of safety that it provides our staff and students and ask for your support and cooperation.

Thank you for your vigilance in keeping our Allamakee Community School District safe.

Jay Mathis,
Superintendent
Allamakee Community School District

Dear EACS families,

All of us at Eastern Allamakee Community School District are saddened by the situation that occurred at  Perry High School this morning. This crisis is another reminder of why the physical and emotional safety and well-being of our students and staff is at the top of our priority list every day.

As your families begin to process today’s events, please be aware that it is normal to react in a variety of ways. We should expect, try to understand, and accept a variety of emotions and behaviors. The most important thing we can do is to be supportive and to encourage discussions about the event, the feelings it gives rise to, and the ways in which we are responding.

We continue to have locked buildings, staff at doors during morning and afternoon traffic times, and have visitors buzzed in and wearing lanyards after signing in at offices. We also will continue to monitor all building doors, cameras and hallways frequently.

Our school counselor, Ms. Harms, is available if your students need someone to talk with. If you find yourself needing to talk with someone, the district also has further crisis support resources to provide.  Please feel free to call or email either Mrs. Thomas (dthomas@kee.k12.ia.us; 563-544-4246) or myself (smurray@kee.k12.ia.us; 515-240-8868) if you have questions, concerns or need assistance.

We know that you will join us in our support and sympathy for the Perry Community School District during this difficult time.

Sincerely,
Sarah Murray, Ed.D.
Superintendent
7-12 Principal