Illinois Valley Times

Members of the Minooka CCSD 201 Board of Education had the chance to meet the district's new school security team and hear how the new program has played out so far during the school year. 

Lead School Security Officer Scott Lustik spoke about the district's new security program during the board's meeting on January 24.

"Very proud of this program. We're very excited. We're enjoying ourselves with the students and the staff, teaching them safety, teaching them about run, hide, fight and just basically being their protection," Lustik said during the meeting. "We like to use the term we're there for the students and staff and not because of the students and staff."

Lustik has more than three decades of law enforcement experience. He retired from Bolingbrook Police Department and also served a year in the Yorkville School District. He introduced the board to other members of his team including Todd Miller, David Graham, and Larry Collins who all come from law enforcement backgrounds.

Lustik says the team has worked with staff on administrative or professional development days and has taught students "Run, Hide, Fight." The team checks building security during the day to make sure all doors are properly closed.

The team recently attended a Sandy Hook Tragedy training seminar, and all of the members are CIT certified. Lustik says the officers spend time in all the buildings, sometimes eating lunch with them or playing hopscotch at recess so that the children can get to know them and become comfortable around the security team.