On Thursday, September 4, 2025, students at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School waited in suspense as Ms. Holland’s voice announced that the school was entering a “Secure Lockdown.” However, a few minutes after the initial announcement, a misleading alarm sound rang throughout the building. This sound only added to the already stressful experience.
Along with the alarm, many students were uncertain about the differences between the new safety protocols. With multiple changes to lockdown procedures for the 2025–2026 school year, additional clarification about the meanings of the new code words and processes seems necessary.
Freshman Phoebe Horowitz felt somewhat prepared when the announcement was made. “I understood what secure and lockdown were because they went over it in homeroom the first week.” Still, she noted that the language used by administrators was confusing. “When they announced the lockdown, they said they were going into a secure lockdown… and they used both of [the words],” she said. The administration’s use of multiple terms made it difficult for students and staff alike to understand exactly how to respond.
Honors English teacher, Mr. Opie shared similar worries. “What’s concerning to me is that now that the school year has begun, it feels like we as a community don’t have a common understanding of what should really just be five vocabulary words,” Opie said.
The September 4 lockdown highlighted that the real challenge wasn’t just the alarm or the new procedures; it was the lack of clear communication from staff. Mixed messages from administrators and teachers left students uncertain about how to respond, increasing stress during an already tense situation. Moving forward, many hope that staff will prioritize consistent and clear communication, ensuring that everyone at B-CC understands exactly what to do in the case of an emergency and can feel safer in our school community.
