By Gregory Vaughn
In a school safety emergency, seconds matter. Last year, I witnessed this first-hand through my role as an administrator at Valdosta City Schools. By having the right combination of technology and training in place, we were able to respond quickly to a threat to our campus and protect our students and teachers.
The Threat
In September 2025, during dismissal at S.L. Mason Elementary School in Valdosta, GA, an armed individual began shooting off campus, just outside our parent and visitor entrance. At the time, our students were headed to their buses, car lines, and pickup locations. Our school resource officer (SRO) and a local law enforcement officer were patrolling near the perimeter, and heard gun shots. The perpetrator entered the school grounds and started approaching our main entrance.
The Response: Quick, Coordinated Action
At the time, I was outside in the bus loading area and I was wearing my CENTEGIX CrisisAlert™ panic button, which we always have with us in case we need to get help. I pushed my panic button eight times, which initiated a lockdown. This was all within the first 37 seconds. The system immediately locked down the campus, triggering strobes, intercom messages, and computer takeovers, and alerting staff and students both inside and outside the building that there was a threat.
Following our lockdown protocols, buses that were already loaded with students left campus safely, while staff ushered the remaining students indoors to secure areas. The SRO stopped the armed perpetrator approaching the school. Additional law enforcement arrived within three minutes, confirming that the threat was neutralized. No students, staff, or parents were injured.
What Went Right
This incident demonstrates how technology and comprehensive safety planning can help protect schools. Two key elements kept our campus safe during this incident.
1. Technology allowed us to signal for help quickly, while also providing the exact location of the threat. In a school emergency, cell phones are not enough. Wearable panic buttons can signal for help to precise locations and lock down a campus with a simple button. I didn’t need to worry about whether I had service, nor did I have to spend the time dialing 911 and describing my location because responders already knew exactly where I was.
2. Comprehensive safety planning and training gave us clarity on how to operate once the lockdown was initiated. Staff knew where students would go and who would direct them. When schools are developing safety plans, protocols should include a variety of scenarios and times of day when a threat could occur. It’s also important that everyone in the school community is included in safety training and culture. Our bus drivers played an important role in keeping students safe during this incident.
Time is critical during an active threat. Our focus on training and having technology like wearable panic buttons helped make sure that our staff knew how to respond, ultimately keeping our school community safe.
Gregory Vaughn is an Assistant Principal in Valdosta City Schools in Valdosta, GA.