SEDGWICK, Kan. — On Tuesday, April 8, two unauthorized men were let into the USD 439 schools.
Around 1 p.m., the men were denied entry into the grade school by the student aide in the office. They were then told to go to the exterior entrance of the high school.
For almost an hour, the two tried to gain access into the building until being let in by a high school student through a side door. They were seen wandering through the building and ended up in the courtyard. The Media Center therapy dog alerted the librarian Leah Gaede, and from there the men were escorted to the high school office by elementary school principal Julie Scott. and then removed from the building.
USD 439 Superintendent Dr. Rae Niles said in a statement, “We consider the safety and security of your child our most important responsibility. It is something we have taken very seriously.”
Current Sedgwick USD 439 preventative safety measures in place: secure door controls, cameras across campus, a badging system for building entry, an app readily installed on faculty and staff devices, restricted entry into buildings, bullet resistant windows and monthly meetings with leadership and county emergency officials.
“All of those [preventative safety measures] fail when someone is let into the building who should not be there,” Dr. Niles said.
Local authorities were contacted immediately, and the individuals were identified and discovered to have an address in Park City. They also have no association to the Sedgwick community or the schools. The two were issued a trespass order and will be immediately arrested if they return to campus. Their photos were shared with all staff members and have been posted in each office as well.
The faculty and staff held an emergency meeting to discuss dangers of letting unauthorized individuals into the building, and employees were informed to report anyone who shouldn’t be there or to call 911 if there is an intruder. They also went through the use of the school’s E3 emergency app. The students also had a meeting and were told if they “see something, to say something.”
“Over the next several weeks, we will be focusing on drills, processes, and procedures to continue to keep your child safe,” Dr. Niles said. “We acknowledge that we can always do better.”
