Emergencies Policy 3432
Students
The Longview School District is committed to having current safe school plans and procedures in place to maximize safety for all students and staff. A commitment to safety enables teaching and learning. The District and its schools shall develop comprehensive all-hazard emergency operations plans that address prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery strategies.
Drills
Drills are an essential component of safety planning. Drills teach students and staff basic functional responses to potential threats and hazards. The four functional responses are adaptable and can be applied to a variety of situations. Additionally, some threats or hazards may require the use of more than one basic functional response. Therefore, each school in the district will conduct at least one safety-related drill per month, including summer months when school is in session with students. Drill planning and implementation shall consider and accommodate the needs of all students.
Basic Functional Drills
The basic functional responses include shelter, lockdowns, evacuations, and earthquakes (drop-cover-hold –on) and hold (stay in classroom to keep the hallways clear):
Shelter
Shelter is designed to limit the exposure of students and staff to hazardous materials, such as chemical, biological, or radiological contaminants that are released into the environment by isolating the inside environment from the outside. Staff and students will receive instruction so that they will be able to remain inside and take the steps necessary to eliminate or minimize the health and safety hazard.
Hold
Hold is meant to clear the hallways and common areas when a situation requires students to be held in their classes. This could occur if there were a medical situation and emergency responders needed to access the school to help treat a student or staff member. Staff are to close their classroom doors, account for student and adults, and conduct business as usual. Students are to clear the hallways and remain in the classroom or area until the “all clear” is announced.
Secure
Secure is meant to lock exterior doors and conduct business as usual inside the school. Staff are to bring everyone indoors, lock outside doors, increase situational awareness, account for student and adults and conduct business as usual.
Lockdowns
Lockdowns are meant to isolate students and staff from threats of violence, such as suspicious trespassers, armed intruders, and other threats that may occur in a school or in the vicinity of a school. Staff and students will receive instruction so that in the event of the breach of security of a school building or campus, staff, students, and visitors will be able to take positions in secure enclosures.
Evacuations
When an emergency within a school or its surrounding area necessitates evacuation and/or total or partial closure of the schools within the district, staff will be responsible for aiding in the safe evacuation of the students within the endangered school or its surrounding area.
Staff and students will receive instruction so that in the event the school or district needs to be evacuated due to threats, such as fires, oil train spills, earthquakes, etc., they will be able to leave the building in the shortest time possible and take the safest route possible to a designated reunification site.
Earthquakes (Drop-Cover-Hold on)
The board recognizes the importance of protecting staff, students, and facilities in the event of an earthquake. Facilities will be designed and maintained in a manner that recognizes the potential danger from such an occurrence. Likewise, staff must be prepared to take necessary action to protect students and staff from harm.
Additional Drills
In addition to the above four functional response drills, the District shall, at a minimum, also develop response plans for the following:
Pandemic/Epidemic
The board recognizes that a pandemic outbreak is a serious threat that could affect students, staff, and the community. The superintendent or a designee will serve as a liaison between the school district and local health officials. The district liaison, in consultation with local health officials, will ensure that a pandemic/epidemic plan exists in the district and establish procedures to provide for staff and student safety during such an emergency.
When an emergency within a school or its surrounding area necessitates evacuation and/or total or partial closure of the schools within the district, staff will be responsible for aiding in the safe evacuation of the students within the endangered school or its surrounding area.
Bomb Threats
The superintendent will establish procedures for action in the event that any threat is received toward the school by telephone, letter, orally, or by other means.
Emergency School Closure or Evacuation (Modified Shelter)
When weather conditions or other circumstances make it unsafe to operate schools the superintendent is directed to determine whether schools should be started late, closed for the day, or transportation will be provided only on snow bus routes. Those decisions will be communicated through community media resources pursuant to a plan developed by the superintendent or designee.
The superintendent will establish procedures for the emergency closure of a building or department.
All safety plans and drills shall include protocols for both internal and external communications, as well as procedures for drill documentation. Evacuation plans shall also include reunification plans. Schools shall document the dates and time of such drills. Each school will maintain the time and type of drill in the school office.
Cross References:
| 4310 | District Relationships with Law Enforcement and other Government Agencies |
Legal References:
| RCW 19.27.110 | International fire code — Administration and enforcement by counties, other political subdivisions and municipal corporations — Fees |
| RCW 28A.320.125 | Safe school plans — Requirements — Duties of school districts, schools, and educational service districts — Reports — Drills — Rules |
|
Management Resources: |
2017 - July Issue |
|
2013 - June Issue |
|
|
June 2008 OSPI School Safety Planning Manual |
|
|
Policy News, August 2008 School Safety Plans |
|
|
Policy News, October 2006 Pandemic Flu Planning for School Districts |
|
|
Policy News, February 1999 Fire drills Required Monthly |
Adoption Date: February 22, 2010
Amended: January 10, 2022
Amended: September 10, 2024