Denver school lockdown drill builds student confidence: "Practice makes perfect"

The hallways of Denver School of the Arts are often filled with student artwork, dance rehearsals, and the bustle of classes. But on Friday,  the focus shifted from creativity to safety as the school carried out a lockdown drill.

The drill, part of Denver Public Schools' standard response protocol, required students and staff to lock doors, turn off lights, and remain out of sight. Over the intercom, the Department of Safety issued clear instructions: "Lockdown your building immediately. Locked. Lights out. Out of sight."

Assistant Principal Kevin Adams, who recently transitioned from teaching to administration, said the drills look different from his new perspective.

"As a classroom teacher, you don't know what's going on in the hallways -- you just know what's happening in your classroom," Adams explained.

Within the first 30 days of every school year, DPS requires all schools to conduct SRP drills. Officials say the exercises are meant to build confidence, not fear.

"We are building students' confidence to deal with any problems they may have," Natasha Bennett, an emergency management specialist with DPS, said. "We don't want students to see this as building fear in any way."

The SRP drill is nationally recognized and was developed by the "I Love U Guys" Foundation. It prepares schools to respond to five possible scenarios: Hold, Secure, Lockdown, Evacuate, and Shelter.

For Adams, the takeaway is: "practice makes perfect. The more we practice for a situation, the more prepared we are."