Emergency Terminology & Safety Procedures

Lockdown Terminology

When people hear the word “Lockdown,” they often envision students and staff members evacuating hallways or common areas and barricading themselves inside a room. While that certainly is one of the drills we practice, please know that it’s extremely rare for an incident to require this level of response.

Most often, when there is a need to follow our safety plan for any reason (such as police activity near a school) we typically move into something called a “Lockout.” During a Lockout there is very little disruption as students are still permitted to change classes and go about their normal routine inside  the building. We also will have students who are outside for recess or other activities return to a designated location inside the building.

As many of you know, daily access to our schools is controlled by a video and buzzer system that is monitored by our school office staff. During a Lockout, however, access to and from our schools is even more restricted. We typically will situate an employee or School Resource Officer at the main entrance of the school to monitor persons who wish to enter or leave the building. Only in certain instances (such as a student needing to leave for a medical appointment) may someone be allowed to enter or exit the school.

The decision to place a building into a Lockdown or Lockout is typically guided by law enforcement officials who communicate the decision and other information through their wireless radio systems. Media outlets regularly monitor these broadcasts using a police scanner, which is why at times you may see “breaking news” about a school being placed in a Lockdown before hearing from our district.

Initial news reports rarely differentiate between a Lockdown and a Lockout. In fact, they often use the term Lockdown when a school actually is in the less-restrictive Lockout. Understandably, such reports generate concern among families or friends of children and staff at the impacted school. We want to reinforce that if you hear a news report about a school placed under Lockdown, oftentimes it is the precautionary Lockout. District-issued communication will clarify the status of your school.

In the event of a full Lockdown, information would be communicated as soon as possible to families, along with any changes to typical routines such as student dismissal, transportation services, or  student drop-off/pick-up procedures. We will use the emergency contact information you provided at the start of the school year to reach you, so please be sure to notify your school of any changes to your preferred emergency contact information.

School officials will take the school out of a Lockdown or Lockout only when instructed by law enforcement officials that it is safe to do so.

Evacuation Procedures

Just as we have procedures established to place a school into a Lockdown or Lockout, we also have procedures to quickly evacuate a school. An evacuation typically happens when there is a threat, or implied threat, to the facility itself.

Unfortunately, bomb threats are a fact of life for schools and offer one scenario under which a school may be evacuated. Oftentimes, these threats appear in the form of graffiti in a bathroom or other secluded area of the school. When this occurs, we immediately contact safety officials to begin an investigation. Under their guidance, and with their assistance, we take appropriate precautions to ensure the safety of students and staff, as well as to determine if there is any validity to the threat.

IMPORTANT: School and safety officials take bomb threats very seriously, not only in terms of how we manage them, but also in terms of investigating them. Any student who is involved in making a bomb threat will face the appropriate school discipline, as well as potential charges and legal consequences resulting from their actions.

Emergency Planning and Procedures

Please know that emergency responders have worked closely with school district officials to develop detailed plans and preparations to manage emergency incidents. The first priority of school and safety officials is to ensure that all students are safe, accounted for, and under adult supervision.

Parental cooperation in an emergency is essential to the safe and swift resolution of any incident. According to national school safety authorities, the most helpful parental response during any situation is to remain calm and wait for accurate information. We will share information as soon as possible, but please understand that this may take time as emergency responders and school officials obtain accurate details and determine how best to manage the situation.

IMPORTANT: If you want to receive text messages from your child’s school and the district, including any notifications that are sent during an emergency, you must opt in using the cell phone(s) and number(s) that you provided as part of your emergency contact information. To opt in, simply text the letter Y to 67587 using your registered cell phone(s). Only cell phone numbers that you provided to the school as an emergency contact number will be able to receive text messages. If you have a new cell phone number and need to update this information, please contact your child’s school as soon as possible.It is critical for parents and guardians to follow any instructions given by district officials or first responders during an emergency. Following instructions allows first responders to perform their work without disruption, while minimizing the possibility of parents and guardians unintentionally putting themselves or others in harm’s way.

In the event of an emergency

1. Ensure you have access to the phone listed as your emergency contact number. Most communication will be directly to families via telephone call, text (if you have opted in), and/or e-mail. This is why it is important to keep your contact information up-to-date in PowerSchool.
2. During an emergency, our preference is to communicate directly with families. Occasionally, however, we also will post information online. In the event of an emergency, monitor online information sources such as the district website (wcsoh.org), Facebook page (facebook.com/wcsoh) or Twitter/X (twitter.com/wcsoh) to see if district or emergency officials have decided to post information there as well.
3. For weather-related announcements or serious emergencies, also monitor radio or television stations as they often share emergency information as well.
4. Other important things to consider during an emergency situation include:
   • Please do not call the school. It is essential to keep phone lines open so school officials can make outgoing emergency calls. If students are ill or injured, the parents of those students will be notified first.
   • Please do not go to the school. One of the greatest challenges during any school emergency is managing the people who may rush to the scene to “help.” Not only may you inadvertently put yourself or others in harm’s way, but by rushing to the scene, parents and others can actually create difficulties for first responders. Case studies have shown that people rushing to the scene of a school emergency can cause traffic jams that block emergency vehicles from getting to the scene and/or prevent the swift transport of the injured to emergency medical facilities. There may be a time, however, when parents are instructed to go to the school. If this occurs, remain calm, follow procedures, and cooperate with school and public safety officials.

If school officials implement emergency pickup procedures, these procedures will be significantly different from routine pickup procedures. In the event a parent is notified to pick up their child at school or the designated family reunification site:

• Bring a photo identification card. We must verify that the parent coming to pick up the child is authorized to do so.
• If you must send someone else to pick up your child, be sure it is someone who is listed on school records as an authorized individual and that they bring a photo ID. Your child will not be released to anyone who is unauthorized or who cannot provide appropriate identification.
• Be prepared to go to your school’s communicated reunification site and follow the checkout procedure established for emergencies. The reunification system was developed to ensure the safety of students and it is vital that the procedure be followed.

Recovery After Crisis

Experiencing a traumatic event in a school or in the community can have an emotional impact on staff and students. Please know that we have a trained team of counselors, social workers, and psychologists who can respond to any school during and after a critical incident to provide assistance to students and staff. We also have other resources and partners in the community that can be called upon if needed.

Stay Informed

Please be certain to read any safety and security information provided by your child’s school. While some emergency procedures can be standardized across the district, Principals are given the flexibility to modify some aspects of these procedures so they work best for their school. If you need clarification about your school’s emergency procedures, please contact the school’s main office to have your questions answered.

Communication: The district will inform families as soon as possible if their child’s school is evacuated or put into a lockout or lockdown, though the first notification may not include the reason for this action. (Get Connected!)

• If any students are ill or injured, the parents of those students will be notified personally. 
• First responders provide guidance about what details can be released during/after safety events.
  • To the greatest extent allowable, follow-up communication with families will include additional information about what caused the incident, as well as any changes to typical routines such as student dismissal, transportation services, or student drop-off/pick-up procedures.
• Parents must notify their school of any changes to preferred emergency contact information.