With the advent of school shootings across the nation, educational facilities, including MHS, are beginning to implement stronger, more effective means of responding to an intruder.

“Since Sandy Hook there has been a school shooting, on average, every week,” Sen. Chris Murphy said in a speech on the senate floor in June.

According to factcheck.org, the estimate of one shooting per week overstates the actual number of shootings. Their estimate is placed at 34 shootings.

“I do not think I’m extremely old, but I grew up in a time when I could walk to and from school without fear,” said Steve Schmitt, math teacher. “Sadly I do believe that we as members of a school community are more at risk of intrusion than ever before.”

On Aug. 28, Marquette faculty and staff underwent the newly implemented 4E (Educate, Evade, Escape, Engage) training intended to train teachers to use new skills and techniques useful in case of an intruder.

“[The procedures] were as real as possible,” said Schmitt, “with cap guns being fired and an actual gunman attacking us.”

The real situation, though it may be viewed as extreme, did help Schmitt understand what to do in an emergency situation.

“I feel a lot more prepared to handle this situation if it ever did occur,” said Schmitt.

Alex Nelle, history teacher, also felt the benefits of the 4E training.

“Prior to this training, everyone did the same thing, which wasn’t the most effective method in keeping everyone safe,” Nelle said.

Nelle is satisfied with the training, and feels that it’s going to be beneficial to MHS.

“This training will teach everyone the different options in an intruder situation by having them participate in a real-life simulation event,” Nelle said.

The staff first learned to evade, finding ways to not only lock doors but create barricades and other ways of securing any points of entry, Principal Dr. Greg Mathison explained. The staff was also taught how to escape to a safe place and even distract or hinder the intruder.

Dr. Mathison also believes that this new training will benefit the school greatly, especially with the frequent outbursts of violence in school that are seen in America today.

“We can’t take that risk lightly,” Dr. Mathison said, “We can’t just say, ‘It’ll never happen to us,’ because every school where it’s happened has thought the same thing.

According to Dr. Mathison, the staff’s performance in the training was excellent.

“They worked very, very hard,” Dr. Mathison said, “There was a lot of teamwork going on, as well as a lot of questions [on how to further apply the learned procedures.]”

Dr. Mathison says that the 4E training was only “phase 1” and that more training is expected in the future.

“Overall it was a very successful day,” said Dr. Mathison, “I have two kids, and if they went here I know they’d be safe.