In light of news of yet another horrific tragedy of massacre of children and teachers in a a school in our country, it is now time that we take steeps to assure our Villa Maria family that this WILL NEVER HAPPEN HERE!

There is nothing more important that tighter security and keeping our children and faculty safe. Please sign this letter asking our school leader to act immediately to provide our VMA campus with:

• The front gate should be closed and locked from the time school is in session until dismissal. Deliveries, visitors, workers, parents, etc. should have to be buzzed in and check in/out with the guard before they are able to enter the gate. Security should then announce the visitor to the office so they know to expect someone and what they are there for.
• While we are all grateful to have a security guard patrol the school campus, the guard is not equipped to handle hostile situations. We would like an armed guard stationed at a booth at the gate to sign in/out visitors as well as ensure no students are able to leave campus. This can be provided by hiring a trained armed guard or by properly training and licensing our current guard to be able to carry a gun and be better prepared in an emergency situation. The guard should be stationed at the gate with periodic tours/surveillance of the campus.
• All Villa Maria employees should be issued and required to show valid photo ID that proves they are an employee of the Villa for that current school year. These ID’s should be updated annually and presented to personal when requested, if the ID is not available they should be required to sign in at the office. This should also apply to all lunch mothers. If/when the person is no longer working for the school they should be required to return the school issued ID immediately and will no longer have access to campus during school hours.
• Visitors entering the school building should be greeted by someone in the hallway and required to sign in and out or present school issued ID. Currently visitors are buzzed in by ringing the doorbell and have free range of the building. No one checks them in or requires knowing what they need or where they are going.

Let us seize the moment while the Florida massacre is still fresh in our minds, and act now before God forbid its too late. Let us take action immediately to protect our children and faculty and assure this sort of tragedy NEVER HAPPENS HERE!