Shortly after 7th hour on the last day of school, CENTEGIX alarm boxes in classrooms and hallways began flashing red and repeating emergency protocol.
Lock the classroom door.
Code Red: turn out the lights, stay away from sight.
Maintain silence.
Code Red.
Some students frantically searched for a classroom to hide in. Teachers locked doors and swept the hallway.
The alarm sounded for roughly three to five minutes before principal secretary Nicole Shay announced over the intercom that it was a false alarm.
In an email to Northwest parents, Gruman said staff responded with the appropriate protocol; gathering students in hallways and escorting them into locked rooms.
“We were able to identify the error quickly and no law enforcement reported to our location,” Gruman wrote, acknowledging that this was an accident. “Staff wear badges that may be used to contact administrators if assistance in their classroom is needed for a medical situation, student behavior and so forth. If the button is pressed too many times, it activates a Code Red immediately through our sensors.”
Deputy Superintendent Dr. David Stubblefield in an email to district faculty and staff on March 25 that the CENTEGIX system is an “added layer of security” for SMSD. The button must be pressed three times for administrative help, notifying school response teams. And at least eight times to notify the school and local responders of a code red, signifying an active shooter or threat on campus.
“This, combined with the security we already have in place and the drills we practice regularly, will add to our ability to better prepare for and respond to a variety of emergencies,” Dr. Stubblefield said.
The Shawnee Mission Board of Education approved a contract with CENTEGIX on Nov. 11, 2024 – allocating $2.6 million for the service. Teachers were trained in late April on the correct protocol for use of their badge buttons.
Since being implemented, the new system has caused two false code red alarms across SMSD, including one at Shawnee Mission East on May 6.
On Friday, students and faculty had mixed reactions to the code red.
“I thought I was gonna die because we heard the banging and it was so loud and deep we thought it was gunshots,” junior Foxx Skinner said.
In English teacher Brett Mach’s classroom, students huddled in the corner, some texted their parents, others snickered and looked around confused. One girl crouched down on the verge of tears, while another girl gently consoled her.
After finding out it was a false alarm junior Rowan Bartelt sighed with relief.
“I was about to start praying,” Bartelt said.
Others didn’t think it was as serious.
“Everyone was laughing because they were confused, but we all assumed it was because too many kids were leaving at once,” sophomore Aryana Hussani recalled, “I don’t know, but it’ll be something we can joke about next year.”
After administration clarified the false alarm, students transitioned into seminar, or if they had notes from parents left school early.
“Once we heard it was false we all collectively groaned and kinda said ‘omg are you kidding me’,” sophomore Abi Simpson said.
