Staff Newsletter
October 2, 2017
Letter from the Principal
As many of you have heard, there was a horrific and deadly shooting event in Las Vegas last night. While this was not a school shooting, it is an important reminder of how critical it is to be prepared for any emergency, but especially a potential mass casualty event. Sadly, these seem to be happening with more frequency. At the school, the challenging part of this is how to educate students about lock downs, without frightening them. We are doing the lock down drill later this week and it is important to practice this with the kids, but PLEASE make sure to keep your information level appropriate for the age of your students. In this media age, kids are inundated with images of deadly violence and, with the recent hurricanes, earthquakes, and shootings, it is easy for a child to be scared of such events, especially when they are at school and away from their families. So, please take great care to help the kids understand what they need to know to stay safe in an event such as a shooting, while being mindful of how frightening this can be for a child, unable to process the information as you or I might.
Thank you for the extraordinary care that you take with each and every student in our care. The parents trust us with these 215 students each and every day...academically, emotionally, spiritually, and physically. I know that each one of us takes this responsibility very seriously. I am grateful for each and every one of you.
Blessings,
Katie Dempsey
Reminder of Procedures: Lock Down Drill
LOCK DOWN
- In the event we need to “lockdown” the building(s), the principal, or administrative assistant in his/her absence, will announce “Code Red” for a full lockdown or “Code Yellow” for a modified lockdown.
At that point, teachers are expected to:
- Shut and lock their classroom doors, close their windows and shut their blinds. For a Code Red, students are to huddle together in an area away from windows and the door. For a Code Yellow, teachers may continue teaching, but students should remain in the classroom with shades drawn and doors locked.
- If student(s) are on the playground when a lockdown is called, the playground supervisor will be notified. This will signal the need for them to blow their whistle, bring the students back inside and take them to their classrooms, unless directed otherwise by the principal, or administrative assistant is his/her absence.
- Students should not use the bathrooms or leave their classroom during a lock down.
- The “lockdown” will continue in place until the principal, or administrative assistant in his/her absence, announces otherwise.
- If the school is still in lockdown mode during carpool, parents will be directed to park their cars and enter the building to pick up their children. If an adult other than the child’s parent comes to pick up the child and you have not received notice from the office, please send the adult to the office where verification can be made. Once verification has been made, the adult will be sent back to the classroom.
- A Code Red signifies an immediate threat on site. A Code Yellow signifies a threat in the surrounding area.