Staff photo by Connor Cummiskey Black binders like this hang near the door of each classroom in District 88. They contain the schools’ emergency procedures for everything from tornadoes to active shooters. In line with recommendations from the School Safety Center, the district will put emergency exit maps on the outside of the binders.

NEW ULM — Magnets and mirrors were two suggestions for improving school safety in District 88 in a letter from the School Safety Center (SSC).

Representatives from SSC, part of the state’s Department of Public Safety, walked through buildings April 30 and reviewed the schools’ emergency response plan.

“We have a lot of things we do with our crisis planning and training, and I was looking for an outside group that understood schools to come in to validate or help us with what the next steps would be,” Superintendent Jeff Bertrang said.

In a letter sent to the district in early May, the SSC praised the school’s emergency response plan and buildings while making recommendations on classroom doors and visibility, among other things.

The primary recommendation for change in the letter related to keeping doors locked in the older facilities.

A reality of door hardware means they only lock from the outside. Keeping doors locked would prevent teachers from exposure to danger in hallways while locking doors.

“Research of data of violent events in schools has consistently shown that the ability to secure staff and students behind a locked door saves lives and buys time for law enforcement response to an act of violence,” School Resource Officer Coordinator Jennifer Larrive wrote in the letter.

The letter suggested placing magnets in the door latch to prevent doors from locking during normal hours.

Bertrang said the school is looking into what magnets would work that could be pulled from the latch quickly in an emergency. The magnets likely would be secured to the doorjam via chains.

The other suggestion from the letter was to increase visibility of emergency procedures. That could benefit people who are less familiar with the plans, such as substitute teachers, Bertrang said.

The full emergency response plan is hanging next to the door of each classroom in a black binder. To comply with the recommendation, Bertrang expects the district to post emergency exit maps on each binder.

One suggestion that was not included in the letter increased visibility in hallways. The SSC recommended installing mirrors at hallway corners, particularly in the middle school, so staff can see around corners.

Low ceilings and security cameras in corners are being taken into consideration while the school looks into installing the mirrors.

Bertrang was concerned mirrors could obstruct the view of a camera and could be damaged by students due to low ceilings.

Physical space and planning was praised by the SSC letter as well. It highlighted the secure entrances and consistency of school buildings.

“Upon our arrival, we observed that the outward appearance of your grounds and buildings is phenomenal,” Larrive wrote in the letter. “The consistency across all buildings with proper signage, welcoming but yet secure entrances and friendly staff was impressive.”

It pointed out that managing visitors is a common concern in its reviews. Despite that, no changes were recommended for New Ulm’s system.

The district’s centralization of kindergarten and early education into a single location, the Washington Learning Center, was considered best practice.

Leaving early education and kindergarten in one spot helps maintain tighter visitor control in higher grades, where parents and visitors are less common, according to the letter.

The emergency response plan was described as “thorough and comprehensive,” in the letter. It also highlighted proper training and practice of the plan in staff and students.

Bertrang added that despite the district’s high marks, it will continue to work at improving safety and security measures.