Prepare.

• Update your contact information in Skyward to allow messages to be sent directly to you in emergency situations

• Subscribe to text notifications- Text "Start" to 98800

• Talk to your students about the safety drills they participate in at school. All schools practice emergency protocol throughout the school year.

Be Informed.

• Secure Status: A potential threat that does not directly involve the building (i.e. police presence in a nearby neighborhood). It means that educational instruction continues as usual, but movement within the building or in and out of the building is prohibited or restricted.

• Lock Down: Response to an active, immediate threat taking place in the building (i.e. intruder in a classroom). ALICE protocol is followed in these situations. ALICE stands for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter and Evacuate. In this definition, a lockdown is one of several options for responding to an immediate threat.

Trust.

• Trust that during an emergency our first priority is the safety and protection of students. Once students are safe and full and accurate information regarding the situation is gathered, communication efforts to parents will be initiated.

• Trust that staff and students are prepared for emergency situations. Schools participate in emergency drills throughout the year, and staff and emergency responders know the best procedures for keeping students safe.

• DO NOT call or rush to your child’s school. Phone lines, office staff and parking lots are needed for emergency response efforts. Arriving at the school may endanger your life and that of others. Please wait for instructions.

• DO NOT phone/text your child at the school. The noise of cell phones and phone conversations could put students in danger. Students need to be paying attention to instructions from trained staff. Conflicting instructions from parents may put a child’s safety at risk.

Reunification.

Parents/guardians will be directed by school or public safety officials to their child’s specific location for reunification. This information will be distributed via the emergency communication outlets . All individuals picking up students will be required to present a valid picture ID such as driver’s license, military ID, Permanent Resident ID card or passport. The reunification process can be time-consuming, so everyone is urged to be patient.

Discuss.

Following a school emergency, we encourage parents to:

• Listen to and acknowledge your child’s concerns.

• Provide reassurance that your child is safe.

• Seek help from school personnel or a mental health professional if concerns persist.

• Should you or your child have serious concerns in response to an emergency or crisis, contact your child’s school directly for information and guidance.