Congratulations to Bryan Arochas who on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, successfully defended his dissertation proposal.
The title of Bryan’s dissertation is "GUN VIOLENCE IN SCHOOLS: SUBURBAN PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS PERCEPTION OF LOCKDOWN DRILLS."
Overview of Problem: School shootings have become an increasingly frequent and tragic reality in the United States, prompting schools to implement lockdown drills as a key safety measure. Despite their widespread use, there is limited research on how teachers perceive these drills or how effectively they prepare staff and students for real emergencies. Understanding teachers’ perspectives is essential to improving the design and implementation of lockdown procedures while balancing safety and emotional well-being.
Research Purpose: The purpose of this interpretive qualitative study is to explore how suburban public high school teachers make sense of lockdown drills, focusing on the design, implementation, and teacher preparedness. Drawing upon Weick’s (1995) sensemaking theory, this study will focus on how suburban public high school teachers will perceive and make meaning of lockdown drills based on their experiences, the implementation process, and their sense of preparedness.
Research Design: This interpretive qualitative study will use semi-structured interviews to explore how suburban public high school teachers make sense of lockdown drills.
Sample: This study will include 15 suburban public high school teachers from southeastern New York, each with at least five years of experience. I plan to recruit a diverse group of participants who vary in years of teaching, subject area, and overall school experience.
Data Collection: To collect the data for this study, I will conduct semi-structured interviews with suburban public high school teachers to gain insights into the perspectives of stakeholders regarding lockdown drills. This method will provide detailed descriptions of teachers’ personal stories and emotions associated with lockdown drills.
DISSERTATION COMMITTEE CHAIR:
Dr. Kenneth Mitchell
DISSERTATION COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Dr. Robert Feirsen
Dr. Frank Zamperlin
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