A lockdown siren unexpectedly sounded at the Upper School on April 14. The false alarm occurred due to a system malfunction, and the school is working to ensure it does not occur again. Even though it was not an actual emergency, students and staff on campus treated the situation like a true lockdown.
Mylo Patel ’27 said he responded quickly outside of the cafeteria when the alarm went off to try to get everyone to safety.
“I was yelling at people to go inside,” Patel said. “I don’t know if anyone listened, but I just yelled at others before I ran inside the Math Office. [Math Teacher Eli Lieberman] was there, and he did a great job of handling the situation. I was trying to cooperate with the teachers and help get students organized, but we weren’t acting on a strict set of protocols.”
Patel said they worked to block off the windows, close all entrances and get people hiding under desks, but having clearer faculty instruction would have made the situation smoother and less chaotic.
“There was obviously a bit of stress, but I just realized I have to do what I need to in the moment and just act,” Patel said. “I didn’t realize at that time how scary it was. In the future, it would be beneficial if we had more faculty helping and practicing intruder procedures. I am very grateful that there were teachers in the room and that we had a coordinated effort going on, but I could see there was still some confusion with what the teachers thought they should do.”
Sophie Chang ’27 said she was in the middle of a swim meet against Loyola and Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy when the alarm went off.
“They had already started the 200 medley relay when we heard the alarm go off, and no one really knew what was happening,” Chang said. “Then, after everyone realized it was a lockdown and not a storm alert, we rushed to the gym.”
Chang said she didn’t have her phone with her and realized how terrifying the false alarm could have been if it were real.
“It was scary because I wasn’t able to contact my parents,” Chang said. “It also made me think, ‘What if there’s a scenario with an actual shooter?’ It could be the opposite malfunction, where the alarm doesn’t go off at all.”
If there is a real intruder, students should follow strict ALICE protocol. This means recognizing the danger, barricading the room, waiting for updates and then only after security decides everything is safe can people come out of the classroom. Security Guard Milo Michell said he felt prepared and recognized the importance of always staying clear-headed and alert.
“It’s always best to stay calm, cool and collected,” Michell said. “I know emotions get high, but when you start to panic and there’s a sense of anxiety, that’s the worst mindset to make decisions in.”
Head of Upper School Beth Slattery said she saw people have different reactions to the alarm.
“There were the people who were nervous and took it seriously,” Slattery said. “ There were also people who assumed it must be a mistake and continued to walk around or try to leave campus.”
Slattery said she is upset by the necessity for lockdowns in schools.
“I can’t believe we live in a world where we have to do lockdown drills and worry about school shootings,” Slattery said. “It makes me angry that we all have to experience this.”
