Students at Parkside Elementary School in Monroe will be in lockdown mode next week. It's unfortunate to say, but we're glad they will be.

The school is planning a lockdown drill for staff and students, "conducted to enhance student safety should an emergency situation arise," according to a letter sent to parents explaining the upcoming practice event. The goal is to make the drill "as routine as possible, and non-threatening to students." With the advance notification, parents will have the opportunity to talk with and explain to their children that this is just a drill and what to do if there were to be a real lock-down situation.

It's not just Parkside that's taking this important step to ensure the safety of students and staff. Monroe school administrators have developed a safety plan that encompasses a variety of emergency scenarios - including a scenario involving an armed person on school grounds. As part of that safety plan, all schools in the district will have periodic drills for emergency situations.

It's a tragic state of affairs when schools must plan for a potentially violent situation, just as they would for a fire, inclement weather or natural disaster. But it's reality. Over recent years, our nation's schools have been plagued by an epidemic of violence. Barely a week goes by we don't hear of another school shooting somewhere. This week, it happened in Los Angeles, but it could be anywhere - including right here at home. To think otherwise is foolhardy.

By having an emergency plan in place, including having periodic drills, the district is taking a proactive approach to safeguarding against the unthinkable.

We hope all our area school districts plan for and hold similar events - our children's lives could depend on it.