EHS went on lockdown on February 14, 2023, in sixth period due to an email sent out by a student talking about a threat to the school. The email triggered a lockdown where the staff was to lock all doors but remain teaching.  The lockdown caused panic in some staff, students, and parents of students after hearing the announcement. 20 minutes after school ended, students were finally dismissed.

Business teacher, Mr. Chasteen, locked down his classroom and tried to reassure his students.

“I tried my best to stay calm, it was a time when I only had a few students, so it was easy to keep in my room and continue my work,” Chasteen said.  

Unfortunately, Mr. Chasteen was used to the lockdown procedures.

“This is becoming a way of life because we’re hearing about it on the media almost every day,” Chasteen said.  

While lockdowns are more common, school threats and lockdowns are a relatively new phenomenon and teachers are adjusting just like students.

“I didn’t have this in high school,” Chasteen said. “We didn’t have SROs, we didn’t have the threat of being bombed like you do.”

This new way of life is becoming the norm for everyone and it really can be scary for the students who are just now getting hit with reality. 

Chloe Bruner, a sophomore, was in Mrs. Johnson’s class when the lockdown began.

“I wasn’t expecting that to happen, and on Valentine’s Day?” Chloe said. “It’s really not fair what we have to go through.”

Other students are getting used to how life is now and it’s getting easier for them to manage the stress of living in fear. They’re getting better at knowing what to do and learning to keep things together and not freak out

Carson Murphy, a senior trying to keep calm in Mr. Caudill’s class, saw this event as a bit different

“This is my fourth year at the high school and this is really the first time we’ve had a scare like this,” Carson said. “This is now our everyday life and we have to learn to be ready for anything and stay calm when it happens I guess.” 

Staying calm and listening to what’s going on improves focus in those situations. This is the new life and adjusting to it could be hard for some people.