The sounds of gunfire will ring through the halls of two Champion school buildings this afternoon.

According to a letter sent home to parents of students, police will be firing blanks from a gun at the high school and middle school so students can hear what gunshots sound like.

The exercise is part of A.L.I.C.E. training. A.L.I.C.E. stands for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter and Evacuate.

The blanks will be fired in hallways or the office. The letter says that they will not be fired in spaces containing students. Elementary school students will also take part in the drill, but gunshots will not be fired, according to school superintendent Pamela Hood.

Champion School personnel have already received A.L.I.C.E. training from Training Consultants Inc., of Hubbard.

An A.L.I.C.E. drill will be conducted twice every school year to practice methods to deal with a dangerous intruder in a school building.

Also during the drill, teachers and students will practice procedures for barricading classroom doors to block an intruder from entering, as well as emergency exit procedures for vacating the building.

The letter says that students will be prepared in advance of the drill, and that administrators, staff, police and fire personnel will be supervising during the drill.

The letter, signed by three school principals, says that safety protocols will be followed during the drill, with an effort made to prevent upsetting students.

The school says that it has modified how it will conduct the training in the elementary school and that while the school will have A.L.I.C.E training the officers won't use blank bullets and gun fire.

The drill schedule for each building is as follows:

Middle School - 1:00 p.m.

High School - 1:30 p.m.

Elementary School - 2:15 p.m. (No gunfire used for training)

Dismissal for the day for each building will be at the usual times.