Response Protocols & Trainings

If you've been notified your child's school is in a Secure, that means:

• Students and activities have been moved inside 
• The building is locked 
• Learning is continuing inside with minimal classroom interruption.
• No one is allowed to go in or out of the building until law enforcement alerts administrators it is safe.

Do not come to the school until the Secure has been lifted. You will not be allowed inside. Being outside the school while it is in Secure may put you at risk of harm or could impede police/staff response to the issue.

In some rare cases, a Secure may remain in place but limited entry and exit is allowed. This is called a monitored entry. During monitored entry, entrances will be attended by armed School Safety Guards or law enforcement, and anyone entering the building is more closely monitored. A monitored entry is only activated if the school, law enforcement, and district agree that it is safe to allow for limited entry and exit of the buildings under heightened supervision and safety measures. You will be notified if your child’s school has activated a monitored entry.

It is still not recommended to come to your child's school during a monitored entry as you will generally not be able to enter the building. Exceptions may be made in rare or special circumstances.

If you've been notified your child's school is in a Lockdown, that means:

• Hallways have been cleared. Rooms are secured and doors are locked.
• Students move out of sight and are quiet. Lights are turned off.
• Students remain in rooms or areas until the "All Clear" is announced
• No one is allowed to go in or out of the building until law enforcement alerts administrators it is safe.

Do not come to the school until the Lockdown has been lifted. You will not be allowed inside. Being outside the school while it is in Lockdown may put you at risk of harm or could impede police/staff response to the issue.

In some cases, students must be evacuated off-site and picked up at a separate location as part of a Reunification process. If this happens, the district will communicate the location of the reunification site and provide directions on how to pick up your child.

If you've been notified your child's school is in a Hold, that means:

• Hallways have been cleared. Rooms are secured and doors are locked.
• Students remain in rooms or areas until the "All Clear" is announced.
• Learning is continuing inside classrooms with minimal classroom interruption.

Most Holds are short in duration and over within 10 minutes. In these cases, the district does not generally communicate to families that a Hold has occurred. For longer Holds that may impact school operations, parents will be notified of the Hold.

In some rare cases, students and staff may not be able to reenter the building for significant periods of time following an evacuation. In this case, the school may activate an early release. Information about dismissal, how students will be released, and how to pick up your child, will be communicated to families.

If you've been notified your child's school is going to Evacuate, that means:

• Students will be led out of the building by adults and to an Evacuation location.
• Adults will provide specific instructions to students based on the incident.

If you've been notified your child's school is going to Shelter, that means:

• Adults will be leading students to use the appropriate safety strategy for the given hazard.
• Hazards that may require Shelter and their respective safety strategy include:
  • Tornado - Evacuate to shelter area
  • Hazardous Material(s) - Seal the room
  • Earthquake - Drop, cover and hold