GRAND ISLAND, Neb.- - It’s been three weeks since Grand Island Central Catholic elementary school had its ribbon cutting and three weeks have passed since classes started and teachers and staff have something ringing on their minds already. 

Students safety is once again a topic of discussion and it is something that at GICC is taken seriously.

“It’s something that keeps us up at night as educators knowing that nobody can be prepared for that entirely. It’s a reality that we live in right now that we have to do everything that we can to ensure that we have a safe building here,” said Engle. 

Superintendent and principal Dr. Jordan Engle says students have been trained in case of an emergency. Local schools follow the Standard Response Protocol. 

“The Grand Island Police Department and the Nebraska State Patrol are both wonderful partners to work with as they will send people to our building to assist us in those lockdown drill situations, to help us identify any weak points that we might have, to ensure that students understand the protocol and what it means when those situations arise,” said Engle. 

The Standard Response Protocol is used nationally in schools. It provides consistent, clear, shared language and actions among all students, staff and first responders that can be applied in any emergency.

Cameras, locked exterior doors and bullet-resistant glass are some of the things that Grand Island Central Catholic has to ensure the safety of students. 

Engle says GICC does two active shooter drills a year. Teachers have also received training and work closely with local agencies to ensure students are safe. 

Grand Island Police Chief Kevin Denney can't discuss specific details for security reasons, but said the priority when arriving at a scene is to deal with the threat and minimize any danger to the community, students and staff.

“So, if a Grand Police officer and Hall County Sheriff's deputy and NSP officer or trooper show up at the same incident, they understand generally what the tactics are going be on how they operate," said Denney. "So they can operate together seamlessly to enter the location and to deal with the threat.”

The K-12 School Shooting Database says the Georgia shooting is the 218th time a gun has been fired or brandished at a school in 2024.

Here in Grand Island, an incident like that hasn’t been reported but local authorities and officials said they are prepared.

“I have kids of my own that are in school as well and so that’s always a concern because you see that sensationalize on the national media and it is something that does happen. So we have to be aware of it, we have to train for it,” said Denney.