Daily Briefing: When a drill is more than a drill

ALSO: 🛍️ Uncomfortable Conversations: How to handle grandparents who spoil kids with holiday gifts. Advertisement [eNewspaper]( | [Crosswords]( | [Horoscopes]( [Read in browser]( The Daily Briefing YOUR MORNING NEWS ROUNDUP Tue Dec 19 2023 Will Richmond | Managing Editor Communities & R.I. [@Will_Richmond]( Good morning, I'm Will Richmond at The Providence Journal and this is the Daily Briefing. Every couple of weeks the email comes from my son's elementary school alerting us that a drill of some sort had taken place that day. We all grew up with the standard fire drill, but now there's variety to what kids need to know beyond reading, writing and arithmetic. Sometimes the message is to tell us about lockdown drills. Occasionally, it's to prepare for an active shooter scenario. Usually, when my son comes home he'll also tell us about it, or at least let us know he had a drill that day. Unfortunately, it's part of the new normal in schools and for some students, the effects of the drills may be sticking with them more than their academic lessons. [Drill] Police officers conduct a drill in North Providence High School on responding to an active shooter, in 2017. Steve Szydlowski It's an issue currently being examined at the State House through the Legislative Study Commission to Evaluate and Provide Recommendations on Mandated Safety Protocols for Rhode Island Schools, The Journal's Amy Russo reports. The commission is talking to people from throughout New England to learn more about the effects of such drills and possibly form a consensus around best practices that balance safety in school and the potential traumatic harm caused by these drills. [Check out Amy's article and learn more about what's happening in the state's schools.]( This free newsletter is possible thanks to our subscribers. 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[READ MORE]( [Police officers conduct a drill in North Providence High School on responding to an active shooter, in 2017.]( [How one legislative group might change active shooter drills in RI schools]( The group is looking at whether students should be allowed to opt out of active shooter drills, or if giving advanced notice may help with anxiety. [READ MORE]( [Marquette guard Tyler Kolek (11) plays against Vermont in the first half of a first-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament Friday, March 17, 2023, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)]( [Meet your RI native college basketball dream team]( The Ocean State has some big names across the college basketball landscape, enough to fill a full roster, with reserves and a coaching staff, too! [READ MORE]( Advertisement Sign up for the news you want Exclusive newsletters are part of your subscription, don’t miss out! We’re always working to add benefits for subscribers like you. 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