Emergency Action Plan – KPBSD Communications Field Notes

KPBSD students will Drop, Cover, and Hold On at 10:15 am

News Release, October 1, 2015 | Kenai Peninsula Borough School District
Contact: Pegge Erkeneff, 907.714.8888

KPBSD schools ShakeOut on October 15

All K-12 schools in the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District will participate in the Great Alaska ShakeOut “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” earthquake drill on Thursday, October 15, 2015, at 10:15 a.m.

KPBSD students and staff join more than 69,000 Alaskans who have already registered to participate. Dave Jones, assistant superintendent of instructional support, said, “We need to be prepared for incidents we hope never happen, but if they do, we can minimize the danger to our students, staff, and community.”
Earthquake preparation and the proper “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” technique is valuable safety education for our students and employees. We will also practice a radio check-in to the district office from each of our schools following this earthquake drill.
Alaska schools, families, and businesses are also encouraged to participate by signing up at
Resources, including audio clips for the drill, are available online at http://www.shakeout.org/alaska/

News Release, October 1, 2015: Great Alaska Earthquake Drill is October 15
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KPBSD Emergency Guidelines for Parents and Guardians

Before A School Emergency

Parents Should Be Prepared
Contact information entered in PowerSchool is used to make emergency contact with parents. So that KPBSD can keep you informed, make sure your child’s emergency contact information is accurate, current, and updated as needed. That information may be used during an emergency to generate automated phone messages, emails, or text messages to parents from schools or the district office. Parents need to go to the school office to update and sign their information.

Download the KPBSD Mobile App so you can automatically receive emergency update push notifications
Become familiar with the KPBSD Facebook and Twitter social media sites where emergency information is posted

Parents Should Be Informed
Familiarize yourself with these KPBSD emergency terms and procedures:

Stay Put: A “stay put” takes place when a potential threat is identified in the school’s neighborhood. All school doors are locked but classes continue inside as normal. No entry into or exit from the school is allowed. Students will not be released until the situation is resolved and the “stay put” has been rescinded.
Safety Closure: A “safety closure” takes place when a violent intruder is identified on school grounds or in the school building. The ALICE protocols will be followed. No entry into or exit from the school is allowed. Students will not be released until the situation is resolved and the “safety closure” has been rescinded.
Shelter-In-Place: A “shelter-in-place” takes place when students take refuge in designated areas to be protected from hazardous materials or severe weather. Entry or exit from the schools will be controlled.
Evacuation: In the event of certain building emergencies, students will be relocated to an appropriate evacuation assembly area. Students will be released to parents per district student release procedures.

During A School Emergency

Parents and Guardians

Should trust that during an emergency the school and district is first doing what is needed to protect students, and then communicating to parents as quickly as possible when we have full and accurate information.
Should trust that staff and students are prepared for emergency situations. Schools participate in emergency drills throughout the year, and staff and emergency responders know the best procedures for keeping students safe.
SHOULD NOT call or rush to your child’s school
Phone lines, staff, and local roads are needed for emergency response efforts.
SHOULD NOT phone or text your child
The sound or vibration from cell phones and phone conversations could put students in danger. Also, students need to be paying attention to the instructions from trained staff. Conflicting instructions from parents may put a child’s safety at risk.

After a School Emergency

How will I be reunited with my child?
Parents and guardians will be directed by school or public safety officials to their child’s specific location. This information will be distributed via the previously discussed emergency modes of communication. Students will be released ONLY to parents and guardians or other designated individuals who are documented as emergency contacts. All individuals will be required to present a valid picture ID such as a driver’s license, military ID, or passport. Please remember to bring your ID with you and inform your child’s emergency contacts that they will be required to show proper identification if they are picking up your child.
The reunification process can be time-consuming, so everyone is urged to be patient.
Recovery
Following an emergency, we encourage parents to:

Listen to and acknowledge your child’s concerns
Provide reassurance that your child is safe
Assure your child that additional prevention efforts are being put in place
Seek help from school personnel or a mental health professional if concerns persist

Should your child have serious concerns in response to an emergency or crisis, contact your school directly for information and guidance.
Questions?: Please contact your school principal or office.

2015 KPBSD Emergency Guidelines for Parents and Guardians Flyer

Link: KPBSD dedicated webpage: School Delays or Closures

KPBSD School “Safety Closure” information

KPBSD
School “Safety Closure” information

After extensive research and study of historical and recent school safety incidents, the U.S. Department of Education issued a new document with new guidelines for school safety entitled “Guide For Developing High-Quality School Emergency Operation Plans.” One of the major findings was that the lone option to lockdown was no longer enough. It was stressed that “as the situation develops, it is possible that students and staff will need to use more than one option.” In order to give our staff and students more options to protect themselves, KPBSD adopted the ALICE protocols to be used when the presence of a violent intruder necessitates a “Safety Closure.” ALICE is an acronym for:
ALERT         Use Plain and Specific Language. Avoid Code Words
Get the word out! Notify authorities and those in harm’s way of the danger at hand. The objective is a conveyance of plain, clear, concise and accurate information, not an issuance of a command. The goal is to empower as many individuals as possible with the ability to make an informed decision as to their best option to maximize their chances of survival!
LOCKDOWN   Barricade the Room. Silence Mobile Devices. Prepare to EVACUATE or COUNTER if Needed
Locking down and barricading entry points may still be the best option in some situations. The noise of cell phones and phone conversations could put students and staff in danger so all mobile devices should be silenced. ALICE training includes instruction on practical techniques to assist in better barricading the room. Pre-Planning and obtaining of materials can improve the ability to barricade. The time in Lockdown can be used to prepare for the use of different protocols (i.e. Counter or Evacuate) as the incident proceeds and situational information is supplied.
INFORM     Communicate the Intruder’s Location in Real Time
Inform is a continuation of Alert and uses any means available to pass on real-time information.
Communicate real-time updates throughout the incident to those involved. This can be accomplished through the use of video surveillance equipment, public address systems, or electronic updates. Updates during an incident allow those involved to make sound decisions about how to react and what steps, if any, to take next. Information should always be clear, direct and, as much as possible, should communicate the whereabouts of the intruder. Effective information can keep the intruder off balance, giving people in the school more time to further lockdown, or evacuate to safety.
COUNTER Create Noise, Movement, Distance and Distraction
This protocol is used only as a “last-resort” or “worst-case” option if those involved have not been able to find a secured area, or their secure area has been breached. Staff and students are trained in disruptive actions that create noise, movement, and distance to distract, confuse, and gain control through age appropriate tactics. ALICE does not endorse civilians fighting an active shooter, but when confronted directly in a life-and-death situation, individuals should use any actions necessary to defend themselves.
EVACUATE When Safe To Do So, Remove Yourself From Danger Zone
The goal is to safely put as much time and distance between the threat and our staff and students as possible. The decision to evacuate can be made at any time during the incident based upon information that becomes available. Evacuating to a safe area takes people out of harm’s way and hopefully prevents civilians from having to come into any contact with an intruder. Evacuation is the number one goal! When Evacuation is one of multiple protocols that are safely available, Evacuation should be the first choice.
It is important to understand that these protocols are age appropriate, not sequential or chronological, and those involved have the ability to change protocols as an incident progresses.
KPBSD’s change to the use of A.L.I.C.E. protocols has been done in conjunction with our local law enforcement agencies. These agencies also participate in the training of staff and students.

Message to KPBSD staff and families

Soldotna, December 14, 2012—A tragic day in the United States is unfolding as the world learns of a school shooting and the death of children and educators at a Connecticut elementary school. The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District offers care and condolences to everyone affected in this tragedy. Our hearts ache with colleagues and school communities.

At 9:41 a.m. on Monday, December 17, 2012, most of the school district will pause for a minute of silence.

“I am shocked and saddened by today’s events in Connecticut. All of us at KPBSD offer our condolences to the victims and their loved ones. On Monday morning at 9:41 a.m., the district will pause for a moment of silence to remember the lost lives and to offer our thoughts and prayers to families and the greater Sandy Hook Elementary School community.” – Dr. Steve Atwater, KPBSD superintendent

School safety
“Families trust our schools to keep their children safe during the day. The reality is, however, that schools may be touched either directly or indirectly by a crisis at any time. Knowing what to do when faced with a crisis can mean the difference between calm and chaos, courage and fear, life and death” –KPBSD Emergency Action Plan
The safety of our students and staff is a top priority at each of our 43 schools. Every school year, at every school, several drills are practiced, including school lock-downs, hit-the-deck drills, and emergency actions and evacuations in the event of intruders, fire, earthquakes, or other unforeseen circumstances. District-wide procedures are in place and practiced regularly and in conjunction with local law enforcement through our KPBSD Emergency Action Plan.
Our schools are currently:

In heightened awareness and paying extra attention to students, staff, and to any school visitors’ onsite.
Suspending curriculum to offer support to students if necessary.
Administrators and staff are offering a noticeable presence in the hallways.
Continuing to work closely with local law enforcement.

Helpful Resources
A National Tragedy: Helping Children Cope, Tips for Parents and Teachers: http://bit.ly/NationalTragedyNASP
School Safety and Crisis Resources: http://bit.ly/NASPCrisisResources
December 14, 2012 message to KPBSD staff and families
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