The 17th anniversary of Columbine was on April 20, 2016. On that day, two students, Eric Harris, 18, and Dylan Klebold, 17, shot and killed twelve fellow students and a teacher. Following their death, the two teens committed suicide on scene.  According to the New York Times, this had been the deadliest school shooting in history.

This terrifying event influenced  the safety precautions of Starr’s Mill High School. “Research has shown that there are multiple ways Columbine has influenced school safety,” assistant principal David McBride said.

Prior to the 2013-2014 school year, students at the Mill were not able to carry their backpacks around the building because of the events of Columbine. “I believe that schools are safer now due to heightened school security, increased communication, increased awareness, emergency crisis plans, and bullying prevention programs,” McBride said.

School shooting are not all the students and staff members have to worry about here at the Mill.

Back in 2014, a small, single engine, plane crash landed on one of the Starr’s Mill playing fields. “Some possible hazards are maintenance issues somewhere, put trees on top of that. I mean, I never would’ve thought that an airplane could crash into our football field, but that happened,” student resource officer Kimberly Henkel said.

Another incident occurred very recently at the Mill. During spring break this year, a drunk driver crashed into the Starr’s Mill High School sign across from the soccer and lacrosse practice fields.

Although these safety disruptions were all due to an outside source, a student’s simple action like opening a door, compromises school safety too.

Each day, students let in other students, parents, and maintenance workers into the building at the locked 600 and 800 hallway parking lot entrances. There are other ways to get into the building if you are a student at the Mill, the front entrance and the 700 hallway entrance.

Even if these people entering the building are recognized by students, is it safe?

For student resource officer Kimberly Henkel, the answer remains ‘no.’ “In order to stop the students from opening the closed doors at the end of those hallways, the staff has to come down harder on discipline,” Henkel said.

The staff at the Mill have created action plans in a situation of intruders or an incident like Columbine.

“I think we have enough security for all situations at this point because we are connected to the police station so if any issues ever occur,” McBride said, “we are also connected to the SRO at Rising Starr Middle School so we have a lot of security in place at this time.”