School is perceived as one of the safest places by our communities. However, we all know that an emergency can occur anywhere and anytime.
When an emergency occurs, the safety of our students and staff is OUR PRIORITY. The school board wrote an Emergency Response Plan so as to intervene in an efficient way, should a crisis happen at a school. The Plan is part of other local emergency response plans, as other organizations might be involved in case of an emergency in one of our schools. Schools’ plans, as well as the School Board’s Plan, are reviewed on a yearly basis, and especially after an emergency situation.
Each school has an emergency response team. The school board also has an emergency response team to support the schools in case of emergency. Our staff is regularly trained on emergency protocols and drills are conducted in all the schools.
Standard protocols and procedures are at the base of all interventions, but the way that one manages an emergency situation is also influenced by the specifics of an incident. Our main concern is the safety of our students and staff.
Our school board works closely with the local emergency teams to coordinate plans with the necessary bodies. The school board’s plans do not supersede those of the law enforcement authorities, the fire department or the emergency medical services (EMS); members of the school board collaborate closely with these agencies.
For security reasons, some elements of our emergency response plans are not generally available to the public. However, this guide will give you the key points for the Plan and will answer parents’ frequently asked questions about emergency procedures.
We hope that you will find this guide useful.
