This morning, we conducted our first mandatory lockdown drill of the year.
A lockdown is a procedure used when there is an immediate and imminent threat to the school building population. Students and school staff are secured in rooms and no one is allowed to leave until the building has been deemed safe. This procedure is most commonly used when there is an intruder in the building.
According to NYS regulations, we are now required to conduct lockdown drills four times per year. It is important that we practice a variety of scenarios so that faculty, students, and parents know exactly how to respond. Please discuss the importance of taking these drills seriously and following directions with your child .
Though it may run contrary to instincts, should this procedure be necessary in the future, parents should not come to the school to pick their child up while the school is in lockdown. If there was an intruder in the building, students would be locked within the classrooms and police would prohibit entrance into the school. Parents who come to school during a lockdown would be asked to wait in a designated location.
During a lockdown or other emergency procedure, student use of cell phones is strictly prohibited. Cell phones pose both safety and communication concerns. We recognize that communication between school and home is vital, especially in an emergency situation, therefore parents will be given instructions and as much information as we can share should they call the main offices. We will also utilize our emergency notification system. Our priority during an emergency situation, however, is making sure that your child is safe.
Please feel free to contact the school should you have any questions or require additional information about this or any other issue.