Changes at Riverview

Riverview High school is experiencing more changes this year in order to increase the safety of all students and staff.

After the shooting over a year ago at Stoneman Douglas High School in Fort Lauderdale, the Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission came together and issued a report a couple of months ago with recommendations for making schools safer. The Hillsborough County School District has reviewed this report and called all administrators to put these proposals into place.

Now, the district has implemented these measures at Riverview. There have been “Safety Chats” conducted throughout all second periods by administrators; these chats are designed to address the procedures followed in case of a shooting situation. The administrators have also asked for teachers to identify the safe, or also referred to as hard, corners in the room where if someone looked into the room they wouldn’t be able to see that part of the room.

All gates around campus will now be locked at all times. After 7:55 a.m., when the campus becomes accessible, an adult will be supervising each of the entrances. Administration asks students not to open these gates for anyone. If a student comes in late they are to enter through student affairs or use the buzzer system in the student parking lot to get inside. It is also asked that students make sure all gates are properly closed in order to avoid any danger on campus.

It is a shared responsibility for all at RVHS to report anything out of the ordinary or potentially threatening. Students can report any suspicion to the nearest adult, including teachers, custodians, and lunch servers. It is possible for more precautions to be put into place in the future.

“We want it to be a safe learning environment for all students”, said Danielle Shotwell, principal of RVHS.