Lockdown and Hold & Secure
Reminders for Students and Families
Lockdown and Hold & Secure: Reminder for Students
Yesterday and today’s Lockdown and Hold & Secure events were stressful and upsetting. Fortunately, all students and staff are safe. Although our school was not directly affected, we appreciate your patience and calm as we communicated with Board staff and police to ensure everyone’s safety.
Kingston Police responded promptly and conducted comprehensive and multiple searches of the affected schools and concluded there was no threat and everyone was safe. Police continue to investigate and we are confident they will arrest whomever is responsible for these threats.
Although events like this are rare, we recognize that individuals react to situations like this in different ways. We may feel helplessness, anxiety and anger. Whatever you feel is okay.
Our schools and Educational Services staff are working together to ensure you receive the support you may need for as long as needed. [REFER TO TIP SHEET]
This is a good time to review our protocols during a Lockdown and Hold & Secure event.
During a Lockdown, there is a potential immediate threat of violence to students and staff inside the school building. Our main objective is to protect the safety of everyone by securing them behind locked doors. School does not operate as normal. Students and staff are placed into secure locations and stay out of sight lines into the area. Students and staff are not to use electronic devices during a lockdown unless they have critical information for the police or emergency services (911 purposes). Access to the school is restricted; no one is allowed in or out.
During a Hold & Secure, all exterior doors are locked due to a potential emergency situation in close proximity to the school (outside the school, on school grounds and/or unrelated to the school) such as a police pursuit/investigation or incident in the neighbourhood. All exterior doors will be locked and no one is allowed in or out of our building. Regular classroom routines can continue. We might ignore the change of classes and remain in our room and wait for further instructions. Again, students and staff are not to use electronic devices during a lockdown unless they have critical information for the police or emergency services (911 purposes)
We know that it is tempting to share the information about a Lockdown or Hold & Secure with your parents or friends but it is critically important that there is no cell phone use – no texting and no use of any social media. This includes staff other than administration or
appointed staff who are in contact with police (should they be required) and the Board Office.
Our first priority is to keep all students and staff safe. If students or staff are on cell phones, you can clog up the airwaves which are needed for emergency communications, you can spread misinformation and panic, and you could be giving away information that might jeopardize our safety and/or prevent the police from their investigation.
When it is safe to do so, the Board office will send out communication to alert families and the community to what is going on.
We expect you to do your part to adhere to these protocols which are meant to keep all of us safe. Again, we appreciate everyone’s support and we are glad everyone is safe.
Supporting Your Child
How to Support Your Child
Today’s and yesterdays Lockdown and Hold & Secure events were stressful and upsetting. Fortunately, all students and staff are safe. Although events like this are rare, we recognize that individuals react to situations like this in different ways. We may feel helplessness, anxiety and anger. Whatever you feel is okay.
Our schools and Educational Services staff are working together to ensure students and staff
receive the support they may need for as long as needed. You may be concerned about your
child’s response to this event. We encourage you to listen to their questions and concerns
and seek help through your school if you have any concerns about your child. We are also
able to help you to connect to community supports should you feel this would be of help.
Here are some tips to help you support your children at this time:
As always, our top priority is the safety and well-being of each of our students. Please reach
out for help if needed.
How to support your child:
Listen and create an environment that acknowledges all feelings.
Recognize that children may become concerned that something bad will happen to
themselves, family or friends. Explain that safety measures are in place and reassure them
that you and other adults will take care of them.
Choose what information is to be shared based on the child's age and an assessment of
your child's need to know. If your child is not focused on the event, do not dwell on it.
Create an atmosphere for open dialogue and discussion if your child wants to talk or ask
questions. When children ask questions, use age-appropriate language and a calm and
reassuring tone of voice.
Let children know that they may experience a range of emotions and this is to be
expected. Ensure they know that supports are available at home, in the community, and at
school if they need to speak to someone.
Identify children who will be most affected. For example, children who are depressed and
anxious, traumatized children, and children who have been victims of violence. Provide
support that is age appropriate and based on the level of need.
Limit media exposure about this event for younger children. Let older children know that
the media coverage may be too disturbing for them to watch or watch the media coverage
with them and discuss it.
Let older children know that discussing the event with younger children is not appropriate.
A natural parental response after events like this is to feel overprotective of your child for
a while and to feel a heightened sense of vulnerability, anger, fear, and sense of
helplessness.
Be aware of your own needs. Don’t ignore your own feelings. Talking to friends, family
members, faith leaders and mental health counsellors can help. Let your children know
you might be upset, too. You will be better able to support them if you can express your
own emotions in a productive manner.