Life at Collinsville High School has settled down after a note threatening a shooting disrupted the school 10 days ago, but the case has led officials to pay closer attention to the school's crisis-management plan.
Principal Daryl Floit said students were "focused on schoolwork" when they returned last week, after school was canceled Oct. 8 due to a threatening note dropped in a hallway.
"They weren't really worried," Floit said. "They quickly got back into their activities. ... The school resumed its normal ebb and flow."
The student who allegedly wrote the note has been arrested, though police, the school district and the courts are not releasing the name or details.
But in the meantime, Floit said the crisis-management plan at Collinsville High is being reviewed. When he took over this summer, Floit said, he wanted to overhaul the plan, which had some outdated information and was designed for the old building.
Floit's committee includes faculty, police officers and Emergency Management Association members, he said.
"We have a new wing, a new cafeteria," Floit said. "We're looking at our procedures for an intruder in the building, as well as weather emergencies, fire drills.... There's little things we need to correct."
None of the current procedures impeded the resolution of the recent crisis, Floit said.
"I felt we had a good protocol that night," Floit said. "Everybody was focused and sharing information, and we used the time to think how we might help the police with the case.... More than 130 teachers and none of them were rattled."
Board members echoed Floit's praise at their meeting Monday.
"I thought our administration did an excellent job," said board member Jim Achenbach.
Board member Gary Kusmierczak echoed that, but added that he believes the board should exercise its discretion in the matter of the student's discipline.
"Something like that note ... has no place in school," Kusmierczak said. "We can't toss it off as a prank because of the seriousness of the situation."
Kusmierczak said he hopes the student gets help, but urged other board members to consider expulsion and for the state's attorney to prosecute the student.
The student was not on the list for potential expulsions voted on Monday, according to Superintendent Dennis Craft.
